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Back to To the Point

To the Point

Cesar Chavez Gets Close-up in a First-of-Its-Kind Biography

Ten states recognize this as Cesar Chavez Day . In California, Colorado and Texas it's an official holiday. Arguably the most important Latino leader in US history, in the 1960's Chavez organized poor Mexican farm workers against rich California farmers using boycotts, marches and other forms of nonviolent action.

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By Warren Olney • May 12, 2014 • 1 min read

Ten states recognize this as

Cesar Chavez Day

. In California, Colorado and Texas it's an official holiday. Arguably the most important Latino leader in US history, in the 1960's Chavez organized poor Mexican farm workers against rich California farmers using boycotts, marches and other forms of nonviolent action. In the process, he inspired a generation of activists for other causes as well as his own. This weekend, an admiring

new biopic

was released, but a new biography tells a more complex story.

Miriam Pawel is author of

The Crusades of Cesar Chavez

.

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Warren Olney

    former KCRW broadcaster

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Benjamin Gottlieb

    Reporter, Fill-in Host

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Jenny Hamel

    KCRW

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Gideon Brower

    Independent Producer

  • KCRW placeholder

    Miriam Pawel

    author, journalist, and historian

    NewsNationalPolitics
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