1-1                                     1                                  
 1-2                          SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 595
 1-3           WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas takes pride in
 1-4     paying tribute to the life of Cesar Chavez on the occasion of
 1-5     Cesar Chavez Day on March 31, 2001; and
 1-6           WHEREAS, Born March 31, 1927, near Yuma, Arizona, Cesar Chavez
 1-7     grew up in a hardworking family of farmers, living first in Arizona
 1-8     and then moving to California to work in the fields; he learned
 1-9     about injustice at an early age and was subject to discrimination
1-10     throughout much of his childhood; Cesar and his brother attended 37
1-11     schools while traveling with their family from farm to farm, and in
1-12     1942, Cesar graduated from the eighth grade and became a migrant
1-13     farm worker; and
1-14           WHEREAS, In 1944, at the age of 17, Cesar joined the
1-15     United States Navy and served his country with distinction for
1-16     two years; he married Helen Fabela in 1948, and after living for
1-17     a while in Delano, the couple settled in San Jose, where Cesar
1-18     worked in apricot orchards and was influenced by Fred Ross, who
1-19     was head of the Community Service Organization; and
1-20           WHEREAS, Cesar quickly became an active leader in the
1-21     Community Service Organization; he organized voter registration
1-22     drives in the Mexican American community and formed new chapters
 2-1     of the organization throughout California and Arizona; he helped
 2-2     the organization to become the most effective Latino civil rights
 2-3     group of its time; and
 2-4           WHEREAS, After serving as the director of the Community
 2-5     Service Organization, he left the group in 1962, moved with his
 2-6     wife and eight children back to Delano, and founded the National
 2-7     Farm Workers Association with the goal of improving conditions
 2-8     for migrant workers; and
 2-9           WHEREAS, In 1965, Cesar's association voted to join a
2-10     strike against the Delano area grape growers; the strike had
2-11     been initiated by the AFL-CIO's Agricultural Workers Organizing
2-12     Committee; the two groups united to form the United Farm Workers
2-13     of America, and under Cesar's able leadership, the organization
2-14     sustained a five-year strike and boycott that rallied the support
2-15     of labor unions, churches, students, and minority groups throughout
2-16     the country; and
2-17           WHEREAS, By 1970, the boycott had forced most table grape
2-18     producers to sign contracts with the United Farm Workers, but in
2-19     1973, most growers tried to undermine the power of the organization
2-20     by signing new contracts, thus sparking the largest farm labor
2-21     strike in our country's history; and
2-22           WHEREAS, The boycott gained momentum and the support
2-23     of nearly 17 million Americans, and eventually, California
2-24     agricultural producers were forced to support the state's
 3-1     historic 1975 collective bargaining law that extended labor
 3-2     union protection to farm workers; and
 3-3           WHEREAS, The California grape growers continued for years
 3-4     to refuse to honor contract agreements until November, 2000,
 3-5     when the boycott against California table grapes was concluded,
 3-6     bringing a successful end to the boycott begun by Cesar Chavez;
 3-7     and
 3-8           WHEREAS, The United Farm Workers succeeded in making
 3-9     accomplishments of enormous historical significance; it was
3-10     responsible for establishing the first comprehensive union
3-11     health benefits for farm workers and their families, the first
3-12     functioning credit union for farm workers, and the first union
3-13     contracts requiring rest periods, clean drinking water, and
3-14     protective clothing against pesticide exposure; and
3-15           WHEREAS, Cesar Chavez used nonviolent tactics in pursuit of
3-16     his causes and gave tirelessly of his time to the plight of farm
3-17     workers; his efforts gave rise to La Causa and became a vital
3-18     part of the national quest for Mexican American equality and
3-19     justice; through incredible perseverance and sacrifices, including
3-20     his well-known lengthy fasts, Cesar Chavez accomplished his goals
3-21     and became not only a champion of the farm worker, but also a
3-22     champion of the civil rights movement in our country; he inspired
3-23     the farm workers with his motto "Si Se Puede!"; and
3-24           WHEREAS, Cesar Chavez was the 1991 recipient of the Aguila
 4-1     Azteca Award, the highest award Mexico can bestow on a person
 4-2     of Mexican heritage; after his death in 1993, his widow,
 4-3     Helen Chavez, accepted the Medal of Freedom, America's highest
 4-4     civilian honor, for her late husband at a White House ceremony
 4-5     in 1994; President Bill Clinton lauded Cesar Chavez for having
 4-6     "faced formidable, often violent opposition with dignity and
 4-7     nonviolence"; and
 4-8           WHEREAS, A true hero whose courage and determination
 4-9     served as an inspiration to millions of people throughout the
4-10     world, Cesar Chavez left an indelible imprint on our country and
4-11     on the lives of its citizens, and the schools of America should
4-12     continue to educate our children about the life of this great
4-13     man and his many accomplishments; and
4-14           WHEREAS, In 1999 the 76th Legislature adopted SB107 creating
4-15     a State Optional Holiday in Texas in memory and to commemorate the
4-16     life of a great American, Cesar Chavez; now, therefore, be it
4-17           RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
4-18     77th Legislature, hereby celebrate the remarkable life of
4-19     Cesar Chavez and his invaluable contributions to our country and
4-20     encourage all Texans to show appreciation for his achievements
4-21     on Cesar Chavez Day; and, be it further
4-22           RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in honor
4-23     of the birthday of Cesar Chavez and as an expression of esteem from
4-24     the Texas Senate.
 5-1                                                    Truan
 5-2           Armbrister           Gallegos            Ogden
 5-3           Barrientos           Harris              Shapiro
 5-4           Bernsen              Haywood             Shapleigh
 5-5           Bivins               Jackson             Sibley
 5-6           Brown                Lindsay             Staples
 5-7           Cain                 Lucio               Van de Putte
 5-8           Carona               Madla               Wentworth
 5-9           Duncan               Moncrief            West
5-10           Ellis                Nelson              Whitmire
5-11           Fraser                                   Zaffirini
5-12                      Ratliff, President of the Senate
5-13                                  ______________________________________
5-14                                          President of the Senate
5-15                                       I hereby certify that the above
5-16                                  Resolution was adopted by the Senate
5-17                                  on March 28, 2001.
5-18                                  ______________________________________
5-19                                          Secretary of the Senate
5-20                                  ______________________________________
5-21                                            Dean of the Senate