The Affect of Caesar Chavez on Mexican American Culture Mexican Americans have been in this country longer than many groups of people. Although, they have been here longer, whites took thier land from them. Along with taking their land from them, they took all the pride that the Mexicans Americans had. It seemed that way until they started fighting for their rights in the early nineteen hundreds. Treaties were made that gave land rights to them and speeches were made by political leaders deeming this countries actions unjust. However, the treaties were ignored and the speeches were ploys to gain votes. Many Mexican American leaders noticed that their people were mistreated and walked all over by the anglo government. Some Mexican American leaders focused on police brutality. Some focused on the school systems. And even some on everything that affected them. Others like Caesar Chavez and Corky Gonzales focused on certain topics like farm workers and political parties. Mexican Americans were determined to get what they wanted and did what they had to do to get it. One leader named Caesar Chavez was probably, the most famous person in recent Mexican American history. When he spoke, he reached all types of people. He reached "Christian organizations, both Protestants and Catholics, radical student organizations, including the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS); and other civil rights groups." Chavez was a major leader in the Chicano movement that all started when he was nineteen years-old when he joined the NFLU (National Farm Labor Union). From then, he moved on to the CFO, where he moved up in rank quite easily which he eventually quit. After his nine year stint with the CFO, he then founded the union of t... ... middle of paper ... ...l across the country, and they both deserve credit for thier efforts. However, in order to be successful in creating a movement, you need help. Caesar Chavez, motivated people all types of people all across the country and gained tons of support. Gonzales, on the other hand, focused mainly on chicano youths and did reach the whole country. Gonzales played a key role in the chicano youth movement, don't get me wrong, he motivated thousands and changed their lives. But in order to acheive the great success that Chavez did, his views and opinions had to go beyond the chicano youth. If Chavez would have stood for illegal immigration, I believe, he would have been twice as powerful. Thousands didn't join him in his cause because of his position on that. In spite of that, however, Chavez reached millions and changed the Mexican American society forever.
The first movement in history for the Hispanic/Latino population in the United States was during and after World War II. It launched the entire movement of Hispanic Civil Rights. It carried on from the 1940’s to present time. The movement started in west coast states like California, New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona to east coast states like Florida and New York. Many Latinos saw this as an opportunity to push for equal rights. They paid their taxes, blended into society, and volunteered or drafted in to the army. They felt they deserve equal votes, not to be discriminated, and hate crimes should be stopped. The movement pushed for a much fairer immigration reform, labor rights, and housing. They knew to fix this issue; they had to be involved
After having read and watched the video about Cesar Chavez’s union, I gained an understanding about his long struggle to gain rights for field workers. But after having attended the event “What I learned about Cesar Chavez” I even gained a better understanding about how Cesar Chavez accomplished what he did. Throughout Grossman's lecture I was able to form several connections to what I learned from the book. Grossman spoke about Cesar Chavez’s determination and ability to inspire others. These characteristics inspired me to fight for what I believe in.
Chavez was greatly supported the idea of equality the he “gained national stature as a labor union spokesman” with all the action he would take not only in his community but others as well. He was such an influential person that the people of the US Senate offered him to” have a testimony during an US Senate subcommittee hearing” . While he is there he lets the people know how these migrant farm workers are being treated and what people are able to do to help. His actions that he took changed US History by letting the people know what and how the migrant workers are treated.
Oftentimes their very own methods worked, and would result in the desired outcome. Sometimes however, these methods would lead to quite a bit of anger from those that they opposed. The opposition would call on the courts to attempt to get the union leaders to stop whatever their union was doing. When the leaders did not do this, they were imprisoned. This was the main reason for Chavez's imprisonment.
Since 1962, Chavez created and maintained a union for farm workers called the United Farm Workers of America. He went through many hard times and had to make very hard decisions but nothing stopped him from giving up on his dreams to help other people. In Document A, Dick Meister talks about how he saw the UFW through his point of view, a highly skeptical reporter from San Francisco. He says ...
Rosales, F. Arturo. Lecture 2/14 Film The US-Mexican War Prelude. Weber, David J. - "The 'Path of the World'" Foreigners in Their Native Land: The Historical Roots of Mexican Americans.
The Chicano and Black Power movement’s call for self-determination emerged due to the broken promises made to them by the American Government. After the Mexican-American War, the Treaty of Guadalupe was supposed to provide Mexican Americans with protection of their land and certain rights such as education, citizenship and the freedom to practice religion. The government never owned up to these promises. Instead Mexican-Americans were forced to assimilate into the American culture, their land stripped away from them, and they were not recognized as citizens.
By 1977 the Centro Artistas Chicanos and the breakfast for Nino program which is a non profit program who feed the children before school. Which was also joined by cultural affairs project who was founded by many of the community service. That when they couldn't have reject Cesar Chavez which was appeared on the front cover of Time Magazine. Chavez was having a boycott against the stores to put the pressure of the industry for a better wages and working conditions that's when Montoya and Villa wanted to join to help. Cesar Chavez was going for the abuse and explanation of thousands latino field worker laboring in the field of agricultural. Which is formed by art which collective into a movement to support the farm workers union. UFW was a huge impact in California because of the lack of regulations which allowed the industry to pay low wages to the farm workers who were Mexican American. The works who were working in the field were from poverty. That's when Montoya and Villa and some of the students who began to print posters,mural and poetry
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1948 would have lasting negative effects on Mexican Americans. The Treaty was signed after America had won the Mexican American war. America gained possession of the southwest states that had been part of Mexico for the price of around eighteen million dollars. In Article IX of the Treaty, it states that the Mexicans "shall be maintained and protected in the free enjoyment of their liberty and property, and secured in the free exercise of their religion without restriction"(Vargas 139). And as Rachel Rivera points out Article VII promised the Mexicans the right to keep their land which previously belonged to Mexico. However, the Treaty would not grant the Mexicans the rights it offered. For the next hundred and twenty years the Mexicans would be oppressed and discriminated against because of the Treaty. The Treaty was the beginning of the hardships for the Mexicans. They would have to survive in the developing white society. The white society would grow and grow in the southwest, turning the Mexicans into a minority. In Zaragosa Vargas’s book Major Problems in Mexican American History, Vargas delves deeper into the problems of Mexican American History. In our Latinos in the U.S. class, we have discussed the fact that Mexicans in the United States have dealt with many problems which have gone ignored by mainstream society. The website Chicano Park illustrates how Mexican Americans have used art as a collective voice. The documentary Chicano! focuses on how the people found their voice. In the film we see that the social movements of the 1960’s allowed Mexican Americans to raise their voice against the discrimination they had lived with for over a centu...
Chavez was able to influence and change so many ideas, laws, and lives. "On July 10, 1973, the nations largest winery Gallo Brothers, which has has a contract wither UFW for six years. Sighs a four year teamster contract." (César Chaves autobiography of la rasa 495). Although Chavez did get many things done he did know that he had strong opposition yet he was still able to do so well. "The reason all those right wing groups don't want us to succeed is very simple. They know that once our movement wins, it's going to have concrete power in terms of workers, in terms of things it can do for people" (César Chaves autobiography of la rasa 447). His movement was so strong that he went to Europe to talk to reformers. When Chaves went to Europe on
This article describes how Chavez determination was meaningful to his movement, “In July 1970 Chavez's union faced one of its most serious challenges when the Teamsters' union signed contracts that applied to farm workers with some 200 growers in California. Chavez met the challenge head-on, within 3 weeks the largest agricultural strike ever to hit California had spread over 180 miles along the coastal valleys (“Cesar Chavez”).” This statement shows how Cesar Chavez is determined because of how in only 3 weeks he managed to spread the largest agricultural strike, been about 180 miles long. This illustrates how one heroic trait of Cesar Chavez is been determined by putting his heart and mind into his cause and be able to succeed no matter what's the challenge. Another example of Chavez determination can be found in the same article, “Chavez's efforts were rewarded. From 1964 to 1980, wages of California migrant workers had increased 70 percent, health care benefits became a reality and a formal grievance procedure was established. Chavez continued to fight for the rights of workers up to the day of his death on April 22, 1993(“Cesar Chavez”).” This evidence illustrates one of the highlights that makes Chavez deserving of the title hero: Chavez determination of how
He sought to change the common exploitation of farm workers and institutionalized discrimination. Chavez organized marches, and boycotts to contribute to this cause, eventually resulting in his victory in creating the National Farm Workers Association in 1962 (Brooks). Chavez’s work and the union he left behind is a step towards economic and political standing for a group that was systematically exploited by our government and many of its people. America is working towards becoming a country that not only accepts diversity, but encourages it. Chavez’s work has helped millions in gaining the rights they deserve as laborers, and hopefully this trend will continue in creating more opportunities for Latinos and all
3. Dolores Huerta was the main negotiator during the Delano grape strike. In 1965 Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez were approached by Filipino members of the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee ("AWOC"). AWOC wanted higher wages from the Delano are grape growers. AWOC wanted to negotiate new contracts with their employers but they needed the help of Huerta and Chavez. The NFWA was still new and growing although Huerta thought that NFWA was not ready to attack corporate America she could not refuse to help AWOC. The two unions formed into one union called United Farm Workers union. Under this the union Dolores began the battle with the Delano grape growers. Dolores organized over 5,000 workers to walk off their job and to strike until they could reach an agreement with their employers.
During the 20th century, many social movements spread throughout Latin America pressuring for social, economic, and political change. Amongst many social revolutionaries in the region, the most notable are Zapatista movement in Mexico and Perónism in Argentina. Zapatism is the movement associated with rebel leader Emiliano Zapata about the ideas of agrarian land reform. Perónism is the phenomenon that came out of Juan Perón’s presidency that is linked to the “working class” of Argentinean society. While both of these social movements were noted in helping the lower social class, the leaders used different approaches to carry out their ideas, some being more successful than others.
I chose to write about Jorge Ramos because throughout his journalism career he has made sure that Latino voices are heard, especially when it comes to American politics. Jorge Ramos was born in the late 1950s in Mexico City. He attained a communications degree from Ibero-American University in Mexico. At the age of 24, Jorge migrated to the U.S. to attend the University of California. He went onto receive a master's degree from the University of Miami and an Honorary Doctorate degree from the University of Richmond. In 1986 he joined the Noticiero Univision as an anchorman. Since then, he has covered top stories on La Ultima Hora and on Al Punto and specializes in National and Global news. Jorge Ramos is also known to host controversial interviews