Though Cesar Chavez Day isn’t until Thursday, the Northern Hispanic Latino Coalition will celebrate the late civil rights leader’s life and accomplishments Sunday in Anderson.

For the ninth year in a row, the coalition will lead a march through Anderson starting at 1 p.m.

Marchers will begin on Douglas Street and head east on South Street, crossing Highway 273.

The march will turn north on Martha Street, west on North Street and finally south on Douglas Street to conclude at Anderson City Hall.

"It’s really intended to promote service to the community in honor of Chavez’s life," said Alan Ernesto Phillips of the Northern Hispanic Latino Coalition.

The march will be followed by a small reception at Anderson City Hall beginning between 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Salvador Valdivia, a retired Spanish professor at Shasta College, will give a bilingual talk on Chavez’s life and accomplishments, emphasizing education and community service, Phillips said.

The coalition will also honor six Shasta County high school graduates with a total of $1,500 in scholarships for continuing their education, Phillips said.

The honorees include Maria Frietas and Ricardo Cuautle of Cottonwood, Maria Dionicio and Marie Schall of Redding, Priscilla Frescas and Maria Sierra of Bella Vista and Norma Mercado of Burney.

"Chavez said ‘The end of all education should surely be service to others,’" Phillips said. "That’s the meaning of the event and why we tie in the Latino grad celebration."

Chavez, an Arizona native and Navy veteran who died in 1993 at age 66, founded the United Farm Workers in 1965 and is credited through his nonviolence movement with raising agricultural wages throughout California and bringing farmworkers medical insurance, employer-paid pensions, unemployment insurance and other benefits.

In 1994, Chavez became the second Mexican American to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S.

It was awarded posthumously by President Bill Clinton.

In 2000, California designated March 31 — the labor leader’s birthday — as Cesar Chavez Day.

At least seven other states celebrate the holiday.

The event is free to attend and local restaurant Los Gordos will provide an enchilada, rice and bean plate at the reception for $1.99, Phillips said.