California Renames Cesar Chavez Day as Farmworkers Day

Communities across California and beyond marked March 31, traditionally César Chávez Day, as Farmworkers Day this year, following allegations of sexual assault against the late labor leader that prompted a swift overhaul of his commemorations. The change, driven by a New York Times investigation published on March 18, highlighted claims from two women who said Chávez assaulted them as teenagers in the 1970s, as well as revelations from his United Farm Workers co-founder Dolores Huerta that he raped her in the 1960s.

In California, where the date is a state holiday, the Legislature unanimously approved renaming it Farmworkers Day to honor the broader contributions of agricultural laborers, with Governor Gavin Newsom signing the measure into effect. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued a proclamation on March 19 establishing the shift in the city, where government offices closed for the occasion. Similar actions unfolded nationwide: statues of Chávez were removed in San Fernando, murals were painted over in Los Angeles, and street signs bearing his name were targeted for change in Fresno. In Milwaukee, planned celebrations were canceled, while Arizona and Texas officials distanced...