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# Cesar Chavez's Union Jacket

National Museum of American History

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                      -     DetailsRelatedObject Details- used by
- Chavez, Cesar
- Description
- Cesar Chavez inspired a nation to seek justice for the poorest of America's laborers. A migrant worker since childhood, Cesar Chavez pledged his life to improving the lives of his fellow workers, rather than escape the stark conditions of farm labor. Inspired by the tireless conviction of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., Chavez dedicated himself to the principles of self-sacrifice and nonviolent resistance.
- For decades the attempts of reformers and labor leaders to organize farm workers in America had met with failure. It was not until Cesar Chavez began organizing the predominately Latino-Californian migrant farm workers in 1962 that the first effective union was established. As founder and president of the United Farm Workers, he brought the plight of farm laborers to national consciousness. Through community organizing, strikes, marches, boycotts, and fasts, this small, dedicated union began to win better working conditions for the most downtrodden of American workers. The union continues to fight an uphill battle to provide farm workers with the benefits most Americans believe working people are entitled: a safe work place and a decent wage.
- Shortly after his death in 1993, his wife, Helen Chavez, donated his black nylon union jacket to the National Museum of American History.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Credit Line
- Helen F. Chavez
- ID Number
- 1993.0409.01
- accession number
- 1993.0409
- catalog number
- 1993.0409.01
- Object Name
- jacket
- Physical Description
- black, red, white (overall color)
- polyester (shell material)
- nylon (lining material)
- Measurements
- overall: 28 in x 23 in; 71.12 cm x 58.42 cm
- Related Publication
- Kendrick, Kathleen M. and Peter C. Liebhold. Smithsonian Treasures of American History
- See more items in
- Political and Military History: Political History, Labor History Collection
- Food
- Government, Politics, and Reform
- Clothing & Accessories
- Agriculture
- National Museum of American History
- general subject association
- labor issues
- Record ID
- nmah_694879
- Metadata Usage (text)
- CC0
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a5-2aba-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
Related Content-                    Don't Forget Your Jacket                 
-                    Labor Day                 
-                    Our Shared Future: Reckoning with Our Racial Past Collection Spotlight                 
  Cesar Chavez's jacketCC0Creative Commons - No Rights Reserved iconUsage Conditions Apply>download icon>          There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .        International media Interoperability FrameworkIIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.View manifestView in Mirador ViewerExpand to view image×                PreviousNext             Footer logo      
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