From the Jaws of Victory. Matthew Garcia
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From the Jaws of Victory
The publisher gratefully acknowledges the generous support of the Humanities Endowment Fund of the University of California Press Foundation.
From the Jaws of Victory
THE TRIUMPH AND TRAGEDY OF CESAR CHAVEZ AND THE FARM WORKER MOVEMENT
Matt Garcia
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS
BERKELEY LOS ANGELES LONDON
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University of California Press
Berkeley and Los Angeles, California
University of California Press, Ltd.
London, England
© 2012 by The Regents of the University of California
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Garcia, Matt.
From the jaws of victory : the triumph and tragedy of Cesar Chavez and the farm worker movement / Matt Garcia.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-520-25930-0 (hbk. : alk. paper)
1. Chavez, Cesar, 1927–1993. 2. United Farm Workers—History. 3. Labor leaders—United States—Biography. 4. Migrant agricultural laborers—Labor unions—United States—History. I. Title.
HD6509.C48G37 2012
331.88'13092—dc23
2012011880
Manufactured in the United States of America
21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
In keeping with a commitment to support environmentally responsible and sustainable printing practices, UC Press has printed this book on Rolland Enviro100, a 100% post-consumer fiber paper that is FSC certified, deinked, processed chlorine-free, and manufactured with renewable biogas energy. It is acid-free and EcoLogo certified.
In Memoriam
Tam Ngoc Tran and Peggy Pascoe
For
Timotea
CONTENTS
3 • Workers of the World, Unite!
7 • Rotting from the Inside Out
8 • Some Were More Equal Than Others
ILLUSTRATIONS
MAP
1. California growing areas and locations of UFW activity
FIGURES
1. A child in an undisclosed farm labor camp, date unknown
2. Members of the Community Service Organization, ca. 1950s
4. AFL-CIO and AWOC members march in support of farm workers during the Delano strike, 1965
5. Cesar Chavez at an unidentified event with Reverend Jim Drake, ca. 1970s
6. Cesar Chavez and Marshall Ganz at United Farm Workers rally, 1971
7. Jerry Brown on a grape strike picket line, Delano, California, ca. 1968
8. Supporters of the grape boycott demonstrate in Toronto, 1968
9. Elaine Elinson distributes flyers on the London docks, ca. 1969
10. Dolores Huerta and Larry Itliong, ca. 1970s
11. Jerry Cohen testifies before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Labor, date unknown
12. Cesar Chavez at a United Farm Workers rally, 1971
13. Governor Jerry Brown visits with Cesar Chavez and members of the United Farm Workers at LaPaz, Keene, California, 1976
14. The “No on 14” poster, featuring Harry Kubo, 1976
15. Members of the National Executive Board, June 10, 1976
16. Cesar and Helen Chavez with their six children, 1969
17. Philip Vera Cruz, vice president of the United Farm