Ask Onix
California lawmakers rename state holiday amid abuse claims
California has begun stripping the name of labor icon Cesar Chavez from public spaces after allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced, sparking a statewide reckoning with his legacy.
The allegations
In March, civil rights leader Dolores Huerta revealed in a New York Times investigation that Chavez raped her decades ago. Two other women, daughters of farmworkers, told the newspaper he molested them as minors in the 1970s.
Huerta, 95, said she stayed silent to protect the farmworkers' movement. She is also a revered figure in the movement, though far fewer schools and streets bear her name compared to Chavez.
Political and public reaction
State lawmakers unanimously voted last week to rename Cesar Chavez Day-observed annually on March 31-as Farmworkers Day. The decision followed emotional testimony from legislators, including Senator Suzette Martinez Valladares, who called the revelations "deeply personal" for farmworker families like hers.
"The legacy of farmworkers belongs to families like mine across California-not to any one individual."
Senator Suzette Martinez Valladares
Similar votes are underway nationwide, where Chavez's name appears on schools, streets, and public buildings. Statues of the activist have been removed, and murals vandalized.
A complicated legacy
Chavez co-founded the National Farm Workers Association and led the 1960s Delano grape strike, which triggered nationwide boycotts and secured better wages for workers. His slogan, "Sí, se puede" ("Yes, we can"), became a rallying cry for activists and was later adopted by Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign.
In 1994, President Bill Clinton posthumously awarded Chavez the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Two decades later, Obama designated March 31 as Cesar Chavez Day.
Artists and activists respond
In Los Angeles, artist MisterAlek replaced a 2021 Chavez mural in Watts with one of Huerta, calling the change a responsibility after learning of the allegations.
"It illustrates the type of person that she was-someone at the rallies doing activism and speaking loudly for people defending our rights."
Artist MisterAlek
Others, like muralist JD "Zender" Estrada, oppose complete erasure. Estrada's 1994 Boyle Heights mural depicts Chavez carrying farmworkers. He proposes updating murals to include Filipino and other immigrant laborers while reducing Chavez's prominence.
"We have to preserve and conserve murals. They are important in Los Angeles."
Artist JD "Zender" Estrada
Balancing history and accountability
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called the allegations "devastating" but acknowledged Chavez's role in inspiring her commitment to justice. Meanwhile, some farmworker descendants say the movement's broader achievements must not be overshadowed.
As California grapples with the fallout, the debate reflects tensions between honoring collective struggle and confronting the misconduct of its most famous leader.
