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H.R. No. 11
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, It has long been the custom of the Texas House of
Representatives to honor exceptional individuals who have made this
world a better place in which to live, work, and raise a family; and
WHEREAS, Cesar Chavez, who died on April 23, 1993, was one
such person whose legacy will continue to live on for generations of
Texans; and
WHEREAS, The founder and leader of the first successful farm
workers union in the United States, Mr. Chavez was born near Yuma,
Arizona, on March 31, 1927, to a farming family that lost its land
during the Great Depression; as a small child, he experienced the
harsh working conditions and crushing despair that characterize the
lives of many of this country's migrant workers; and
WHEREAS, At the tender age of 10, Mr. Chavez began traveling
with his family from farm to farm throughout the Southwest and left
school after completing the eighth grade so he could join his
parents and siblings in the harvesting of row crops, grapes, and
tree fruits; and
WHEREAS, During World War II, this patriotic American
answered his nation's call to arms and served with honor and
distinction as a member of the United States Navy; on his return to
civilian life, he met Helen Fabela while working in the vineyards of
Delano, California, and the couple soon married and settled in San
Jose; and
WHEREAS, While working in the nearby apricot orchards,
Mr. Chavez became involved with the Community Service Organization
and began coordinating voter registration drives in the
Mexican-American community and forming new chapters of the
organization throughout the states of California and Arizona; and
WHEREAS, He served as the group's national director during
the late 1950s and early 1960s, leaving the position in 1962 to
found the National Farm Workers Association, an organization that
soon grew to include more than 1,000 member families; in 1965, the
association joined with the AFL-CIO's Agricultural Workers
Organizing Committee in a strike against Delano grape growers that
was the first of many peaceful attempts to secure improved working
conditions for farm laborers; and
WHEREAS, One year later, the two groups merged to form the
United Farm Workers of America (UFW), and the able leadership of
Mr. Chavez sustained the organization through a five-year strike
and boycott that rallied the support of labor unions, churches, and
student, minority, and consumer groups throughout the country; and
WHEREAS, By 1970, the boycott had forced most table grape
producers to sign contracts with the United Farm Workers, an
affiliate of the AFL-CIO, but in 1973, most growers attempted to
undermine the power of the organization by signing new contracts
with the teamsters union, sparking the largest farm labor strike in
the history of the United States; and
WHEREAS, With nearly 17 million Americans honoring the
UFW-led boycott of California table grapes, Red Coach lettuce, and
Gallo wines, California agricultural producers were forced to
support the state's historic 1975 collective bargaining law that
extended labor union protection to farm workers; and
WHEREAS, His dedicated efforts were part of a national quest
for Mexican American equality and justice that became known as "La
Causa," and effects from that movement are still being felt today;
many of the idealistic young people who joined his movement nearly
three decades ago have become prominent and respected leaders in
our state, including Senator Gonzalo Barrientos, Southwest Voter
Education Project founder Willy Velasquez, La Raza Unida founder
and political activist Jose Angel Gutierrez, and political
columnist Carlos Guerra; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Chavez's inspirational leadership, unwavering
commitment, and courageous personal sacrifices have helped
American farm workers earn decent wages and attain improved working
conditions, medical benefits, and protection from dangerous
pesticides; and
WHEREAS, In recognition of his ability to find solutions to
our country's most pressing social and economic problems through
nonviolent means, Mr. Chavez was posthumously awarded the nation's
highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, on
August 8, 1994; and
WHEREAS, Few people have had so profound an effect on society
as Cesar Chavez, thus it is indeed appropriate to reflect on the
legacy of this true American hero and to look forward to a future in
which agricultural workers are given the recognition and support
they deserve for performing one of our society's most important
roles; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life and work of Cesar Chavez
on the 13th anniversary of his death; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for the family of Mr. Chavez as an expression of support
and highest regard by the Texas House of Representatives.
Chavez
Castro
Herrero
Hodge
Craddick Giddings Menendez
Allen Gonzales Merritt
Alonzo Gonzalez Toureilles Miller
Anchia Goodman Moreno
Anderson Goolsby Morrison
Bailey Griggs Mowery
Berman Grusendorf Naishtat
Blake Guillen Nixon
Bohac Haggerty Noriega
Bonnen Hamilton Oliveira
Branch Hamric Olivo
Brown of Kaufman Hardcastle Orr
Brown of Brazos Harper-Brown Otto
Burnam Hartnett Paxton
Callegari Hegar Pena
Campbell Hernandez Phillips
Casteel Herrero Pickett
Castro Hilderbran Pitts
Chavez Hill Puente
Chisum Hochberg Quintanilla
Coleman Hodge Raymond
Cook of Navarro Homer Reyna
Cook of Colorado Hope Riddle
Corte Hopson Ritter
Crabb Howard of Travis Rodriguez
Crownover Hughes Rose
Davis of Harris Hunter Seaman
Davis of Dallas Hupp Smith of Tarrant
Dawson Isett Smith of Harris
Delisi Jackson Smithee
Denny Jones of Lubbock Solis
Deshotel Jones of Dallas Solomons
Driver Keel Strama
Dukes Keffer of Dallas Straus
Dunnam Keffer of Eastland Swinford
Dutton King of Parker Talton
Edwards King of Zavala Taylor
Eiland Kolkhorst Thompson
Eissler Krusee Truitt
Elkins Kuempel Turner
England Laney Uresti
Escobar Laubenberg Van Arsdale
Farabee Leibowitz Veasey
Farrar Luna Villarreal
Flores Madden Vo
Flynn Martinez West
Frost Martinez Fischer Wong
Gallego McCall Woolley
Gattis McClendon Zedler
Geren McReynolds
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 11 was adopted by the House on April
21, 2006, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House