Saturday, Sept. 26, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; program at 10 a.m.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. joins grape strike veterans 50 years after his father; workers from big union ranches thank ’65 strikers for the gains of today
U.S. civil rights milestone marked at Delano’s historic ‘Forty Acres’
Delano, Calif.—Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks at the 50th anniversary of the Delano Grape Strike on Saturday, returning to the historic site where his father greeted Cesar Chavez during Chavez’s fast for nonviolence. Also participating will be farm worker leaders from a number of California unionized ranches—including some of the largest in the state and nation—who are living out the 1965 grape strikers’ legacy and will thank them for making possible the gains they enjoy today.
The present as well as the past is being celebrated during the 50th anniversary of the start of the Delano walkouts on Saturday, Sept. 26 just outside Delano at the farm workers’ “Forty Acres” complex, now a National Historic Landmark. Grape strike veterans who walked out of wine and table grape vineyards in September 1965 will gather to observe a milestones of the American civil rights movement begun by Filipino and Latino farm workers in a dusty Kern County farm town. It spread across North America and western Europe as millions boycotted grapes and other products.
The 1960s strikers and boycotters will be joined by farm worker leaders from companies under United Farm Workers’ contracts, workers fighting for union contract protections and some who have recently walked out on strike. They represent thousands of workers in wine and table grapes, tomatoes and vegetables, and strawberries and mushrooms. Senator Kennedy’s widow, Ethel Kennedy, sent a letter that will be read at the occasion: http://www.ufw.org/pdf/ESKfinUFWletter.pdf
Highlights of the day will be ceremonies and programs, entertainment—including singing of old Huelga songs by the famed El Teatro Campesino and Danny Valdez—historical exhibits of period photographs from the 1960s and tours of historic sites preserved at the Forty Acres where many landmark events took place. (http://www.ufw.org/_board.php?mode=view&b_code=cc_his_research&b_no=8988&page=1&field=&key=&n=31 ) For more on the Sept. 26 UFW event: http://delanograpestrike.org
The Delano strike followed by six months another civil rights breakthrough, “Bloody Sunday,” the 1965 Selma voting rights march. Delano was a pivotal event in the Latino civil rights movement, inspiring a revolution in Latino empowerment plus political and social activism by millions of Americans from all walks of life.
Who: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., grape strike and boycott veterans plus farm workers from ranches organizing and negotiating UFW contracts who are living out the legacy today.
What: All-day 50th anniversary celebration of the 1965 Delano Grape Strike.
When: 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015 (program starts at 10 a.m.)
Where: Just outside Delano at the farm workers’ “Forty Acres” complex, now a National Historic Landmark, 30168 Garces Hwy. (corner of Mettler Ave.), Delano, CA 93215.
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