Valley Residents Remember Cesar Chavez
Posted: March 31, 2008 10:27 AM PDT
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Residents around the Central Valley will honor the late civil right’s leader, Cesar Chavez, on Monday.
Monday marks the birthday of the late Chavez, who is responsible for founding the first successful farm workers union, "The United Farm Workers Union." Chavez would have been 81-years-old.
This year, calls to make Chavez’s Birthday a national holiday are reaching a fever pitch. On Sunday, Roberto Bustos joined hundreds in Lindsay to celebrate Chavez’s life and legacy during a "Festival of Peace".
The retired farmworker met Chavez in the 1960’s. Bustos says he was so inspired by Chavez that he joined him in a march in 1966, after Chavez helped him to understand the importance of the farm workers union.
Bustos, and organizers of Sunday’s march. are circulating a petition to make Chavez’s birthday a national holiday. Currently Chavez’s birthday is only recognized in eight states; Arizona, California, Colorado, Michigan, New Mexico, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin.
Fresno State University will be closed on Monday to honor the late leader.