California has established an official state holiday in honor of César E. Chávez. The holiday will be celebrated on March 31 of each year.
This holiday commemorates the life of a man who dedicated his energy to helping improve the plight of the American farm workers and to pointing out the dangers of pesticide use on food. His deep belief in nonviolence and in the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. won him the admiration and respect of leaders throughout the world.
CTA has agreed to help publicize some of the events scheduled around this new holiday. We urge all local affiliates to organize activities in schools to honor César E. Chávez.
Recently the State Board of Education adopted a Model Curriculum on the Life and Work of César E. Chávez; the curriculum is an internet-based program that appears on the California Department of Education website.
For more information, visit the following websites:
César E. Chávez Model Curriculum
United Farm Workers Union
United Farm Workers Store
César E. Chávez Foundation