Cesar Chavez's Union Jacket
name: label: used by
content: Chavez, Cesar
notes: label: Description
content: 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.
label: Description
content: 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.
label: Description
content: Shortly after his death in 1993, his wife, Helen Chavez, donated his black nylon union jacket to the National Museum of American History.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
topic: label: general subject association
content: labor issues
setName: label: See more items in
content: Political History: Political History, Labor History Collection
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content: Food
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content: Government, Politics, and Reform
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content: Clothing & Accessories
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content: Agriculture
publisher: label: Related Publication
content: Kendrick, Kathleen M. and Peter C. Liebhold. Smithsonian Treasures of American History
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Helen F. Chavez
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1993.0409.01
label: accession number
content: 1993.0409
label: catalog number
content: 1993.0409.01
objectType: label: Object Name
content: jacket
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: black, red, white (overall color)
label: Physical Description
content: polyester (shell material)
label: Physical Description
content: nylon (lining material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 28 in x 23 in; 71.12 cm x 58.42 cm