AUSTIN, Texas — His name was in all the headlines not so long ago: Cesar Chavez, a champion of worker rights for the thousands of men and women – mostly Hispanic - who harvested grapes and other agricultural products.
Chavez’ efforts to improve the lives of farm workers took special urgency in 1966 when he inspired workers to walk off their jobs in the Delano, California, vineyards.
It would mark the beginning of a nearly five-year struggle to get growers to agree to wage increases and better working conditions – a victory due, in large part, to the nationwide grape boycott that Chavez led and that drew the participation of millions of Americans.
Chavez was no stranger to Austin. He visited the city several times.
In 1987, he received a warm reception from the school children at Metz Elementary School.
Chavez told the kids that despite early gains made by farm workers, growers were still using pesticides on grapes and other products and that the workers and their children were still getting sick.
He urged school kids to support a new boycott of grapes. At the time, administrators at the mostly Hispanic Metz Elementary were already boycotting grapes in the school cafeteria.
Chavez devoted most of his life to fighting for workers’ rights and for the civil rights of Hispanic Americans. He passed away in April 1993, just about a month after he celebrated his 66th birthday.