H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N
PROCLAIMING MARCH 31ST, ANNUALLY, AS "CESAR CHAVEZ DAY"
WHEREAS, Cesar Chavez, born in Yuma, Arizona on March 31, 1927, grew up in a series of migrant labor camps in Arizona and California. After serving in the Navy from 1944 - 1945, Cesar Chavez returned to migrant farm work; and
WHEREAS, While working with the Community Service Organization in San Jose, California, Cesar Chavez led voter registration drives, helped Chicanos with immigration problems and organized CSO chapters in other cities. In 1962, when the CSO refused to create a farm workers union, he resigned; and
WHEREAS, During that same year, Chavez began to organize the National Farm Workers Association and, by 1965, 1,700 families enrolled. Always practicing non-violent tactics borrowed from Ghandi, Chavez invited arrest or fasted to call attention to his struggle with the growers; and
WHEREAS, In September 1965, Chavez' union joined migrant Filipino grape pickers on a strike against the growers that lasted into the 1970's. Under his leadership, the union organized boycotts of non-union farm products; and
WHEREAS, In 1966, the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) chartered the United Farm Workers Organizing Committee with Chavez as president; now, therefore be it
RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations hereby proclaims March 31st, annually, as "Cesar Chavez Day", and urges and invites all Rhode Islanders to observe this day in remembrance of the accomplishments of Cesar Chavez on behalf of our nation's farm workers; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he is hereby authorized and directed to transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Rhode Island Governor's Advisory Commission on Hispanic Affairs.