Civil Rights Movement Research Paper

In his first large protest, Cesar went on a long march. When reflecting upon the march Chavez remarked that, “We marched alone at the beginning, but today, we count men of all creeds, nationalities, and occupations in number.” (Chavez, 2) From the very beginning, Chavez brought groups of people together by uniting his small group of protesters with a group of Filipino strikers to create the United Farm Workers. Uniting his group of protesters with the group of striking Filipino workers allowed the protest to become bigger, and therefore more successful. The large numbers also attracted more attention from the media. By uniting groups of strikers, Chavez created a strong protest organization that lasts even today. Another essential group of people Chavez got to join his cause were the consumers. Chavez and his partner Dolores Huerta once wrote, “We called upon our fellow men, and were answered by consumers.” (Chavez, Huerta, 1) Consumers helped the protest by participating in a grape boycott, and did not buy grapes until the grape workers’ needs were met. With this boycott, Chavez tried to weaken the business of the grape growers until they complied, and it worked. When thousands of citizens would not by grapes, the media covered the issue. Through the media coverage, the boycott spread rapidly, uniting people from all over the United States. With the popularity of the boycott, the protest evolved into not just a protest, but a civil rights

This was motivation for Chavez to rise up and do something for the farmworkers. The pesticides that were being used were harmful to the workers. This addresses the credibility of being a first hand witness because of pesticide use. In that same year Cesar Chavez founded the National Farm Workers Association that later became United Farm Workers (“The Story Of Cesar Chavez”). Chavez informed the people of the working conditions and the bad pay. Chavez strategy was to have non violent marches, strikes and fasts. He encouraged the Farm Workers be be nonviolent and do things right. The conditions they were working in where harmful to their health because of the pesticides. The marches, strikes, and fasts led to a success in the grape boycott In 1970. “Table grape growers at long last signed their first union contracts granting workers better pay, benefits and protection (Kim).” But 20 years later the fight started again. This led for to a second boycott

No matter varying ideas as to success, it is difficult to ignore that American culture has undergone immense changes since the 1950s. The Civil Rights movement, the emergence of feminism, and gay activism have literally revolutionized the society and how it functions, with many changes going to the promotion of equality and heightened awareness of the needs of others. At the same time, unfortunately, sexual criminality and violence remain critical issues, with women being the primary victims. The patriarchal foundation of the society has diminished, yet norms still providing men with entitlement remain in place, and this is a reality supported by modern research still referring to a “rape culture.” This same research also presents disturbing evidence of how young college students widely maintain norms affirming male dominance and aggression. No simple solution is then possible, and any effective course must rely on as in-depth research as may be conducted. To that end, the following assessment of study on the subject concludes with a research proposal, and one utilizing Structural Functionalism Theory and the innate value in interviewing students in both collective and individual ways.

Chavez joined his parents to help harvest carrots, cotton, and grapes under the blazing California sun. During this period Cesar Chavez experienced the corrupt labor contractors, extremely low wages, and poor living and working conditions that the migrant workers had to endure. Around this time as well, he got his first glimpse of union organizing when his father became active in several union activities. (Ramakrishnan; Russell) It is believed that Chavez’s father and uncle actively supported unions. Therefore he learned at a young age firsthand about strikes, organizing operations, and also picket lines. (Gale Encyclopedia)

César Chávez, a civil rights activist in the mid-1900s, stood up and made his voice heard for what he thought was wrong. In the twentieth century he noticed that farmers were being treated unjustly and he wanted to give them the rights that they deserved. He led many strikes and ended up being a great role model to the farmworkers who wanted more rights and better wages. His voice spoke to the people, especially the farmworkers, about injustice and what is right for them. César Chávez led with determination by fighting for the rights of farmers by orchestrating an organization for worker’s rights, battling the government, and never giving up from his cause.

Cesar Chavez championed for unionization of grape farm workers. Chavez employed strikes, fasts, and boycotts to raise awareness for their cause. Violent retaliation was needless to Chavez so much he believed that the most audacious thing to do was to “sacrifice” one’s self “for others” in the name of justice (Alarcon). Cesar Chavez and his associates were targets of increasing acts of violence. By not meeting violence with violence, their cause fell on listening ears. Cesar and the farm worker’s retaliation consisted of increased dedication and more strikes. Drawing from peaceful protest historical figures such as Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., Cesar Chavez was successful with many labor strikes. Chavez could have raised awareness much more rapidly by using violence. However, he “fasted for twenty-five days” for the unerring choice of peaceful protest (Cesar Chavez Gains Grounds for Farmers). Belief in their cause fueled each protester. A single violent outburst from the workers would ripple outward and cause them to lose ground. The farm workers did not make gains without facing hardships. Cesar Chavez’s fast was the result of “increasing advocacy” calling for “violence” among fellow strikers (History.com Staff). As a leader, one must take responsibility for the actions of their supporters. The strikes were beginning to strain. Careful steps were to be taken in order to preserve the strikers’ reason and renew support. Cesar had to challenge their oppressors

Chavez thought that they were dangerous for the chicanos who picked the grapes and also dangerous for the people who consumed them. This led him to form another boycott and eight years later he fasted again but this time for 36 days. This sacrifice did bring attention to the people and the fight for farm workers rights and more money wages continued. Chavez kept on working with the immigrants and the farmworkers movement which was later renamed as La Causa. After all these years of long and hard work he was rewarded. Chavez got what he wanted which was helping the immigrant farm workers getting paid more, because in 1980 they were getting better wages. California’s migrant farm workers went up 70% and were also provided with health care.Many mexican americans were thankful for Chavez because now they had good paying jobs and more

Cesar Chavez stood to corporate leaders lion-heartedly. On such an instance in Delano, California, Chavez and farm workers went against city officials: “police, judges, and politicians”, in a strike (Fighting for Farm Workers' Rights: Cesar Chavez, the Delano Grape Strike and Boycott). Powerful city figures blocked workers from their rights. Officials pressured them to give in. Farm hands on strike were spattered” with pesticides, threatened with dogs, verbally assaulted, and physically attacked” by corporate leader associates (Fighting for Farm Workers' Rights: Cesar Chavez, the Delano Grape Strike and Boycott). The workers endured adversities to attain congruent liberties as pickers. The barrages increased in scale as workers refused to return to work. Peaceful protests are seldom met with peer peace. In the same Delano grape strike where Chavez fasted for twenty-five days, the event became a boycott that lasted a grand five years in total. Across Canada and America, “millions” of consumers “stopped eating grapes” to support the farm workers on strike (Kim). The tactics used by the United Farm Workers of America brought national and international attention to their cause. Major grape growers were obligated to sign contracts providing farm workers with better working conditions and a standard pay. Through strikes, fasts, and boycotts, Cesar Chavez helped

Cesar was a humble man who gave 30 years of his life to the cause of the farm workers and other workers as well. In July and August of 1988, he conducted a 36 day “Fast for Life” to protect pesticide poisoning if grape workers and their family. Under Chavez’s leadership, farm workers won the union contracts for agricultural workers in the grape fields. Robert F. Kennedy, a U.S. Senator, called his “One of the heroic figures of our times (cesarchavezholiday.org). He truly was a hero for many

My research topic is about the Civil Rights Movement (Martin Luther King Jr. Vs Malcolm X) and will be focusing on two important icons that have an important part of African American History. I am going to further discuss in this research paper, “What were the views of Martin Luther King. Jr and Malcolm X during the Civil Rights movement? What were their goals and methods to achieve equality and peace?” Both leaders wanted to unite the black race with the white race and achieve equal rights. Martin Luther King. Jr and Malcolm X were both very powerful and influential leaders with different views and approaches to solving the issue of racism and equality.Starting off with some background information, Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15th, 1929 in the Atlanta hospital. He was the son of the rich, well respected minister and was loved by his family and community very much. Martin Luther King Jr.’s father was a Baptist preacher and he wanted to follow in his footsteps. Malcolm X did not have an easy childhood compared to King, instead his house burned down by the Ku Klux Klan (white supremacists) when he was very young , his father was killed in a streetcar by white supremacists, got called “nigger” and moved around foster homes after his mother was sent to an insane asylum.

Cezar Chavez was born in a farm in Arizona and when he was 10 his parents lost the farm so they had to become migrant farm workers in California (Chavez, Cesar Estrada. Article. World book Advanced). Cesar dropped out of school in the 8th grade to help his family out. He went on to form the National Farm workers association which was a union for migrant workers. Its now known as the United farm workers of America. This union was for better wages/hours and working conditions for the workers (Cesar Chavez, Student Resources in context). Cesar Chavez believed in nonviolence tactics as means of negotiation which was one his policies in the union. The UFW started the grape boycott which was lead by Cesar Chavez, the boycott ended up gauranteeing union workers higher pay and the right to unionize (MiniBio: Cesar Chavez, Youtube). Cesar Chavez even fasted without food for 36 days in order for people to stop using pesticides in farm fields (Cesar Chavez Leader for Migrant Farm Workers, Pg 112) The fact that he went that long showed that he really cared for his cause and that gained him a lot of respect. But on April 23, 1993 Cesar Chavez dies and after Cesar’s death he was awarded the Presidential medal of freedom by president Bill Clinton (Cesar Chavez Leader for migrant Farm Workers, Pg 117). As you can see Cesar Chavez was extremely dedicated to his cause for migrant farm

Major politicians admired him, such as Senator Robert F. Kennedy who called Chavez “One of the heroic figures of our time.” During the Great Depression, jobs were hard to come by and money was very tight for most American families. The Chavez family was no exception, after not being able to pay rent for their house in Yuma, Arizona, they were evicted. Thus, they moved to California to become migrant farm workers. The life of a migrant farm worker was very hard with bad working conditions, low pay and cruel treatment from the farm owners. When Chavez met Fred Ross a Community Service Organizer (CSO) in 1952 it changed his way of thinking. He became a member of the CSO and they put him in charge of helping Mexican-Americans register to vote. In the end, Chavez registered about 4,000 people. After having great success in getting people to register to vote the CSO tasked him to start a new chapter in Oakland, California. In addition to Oakland Chavez also ended up starting new branches in Madera, Bakersfield and Hanford, California. Soon Chavez’s main focus was helping out migrant farmworkers. Cesar believed he could only be able to do this with a union whose sole purpose was helping migrant farmworkers, so after 10 years with the CSO Chavez set off to start the National Farm Workers Association. Not long after Chavez started the (NFWA) he entered the national stage with the 1968 boycott on table grapes, it

His strikes were meant to raise awareness to farmworkers. They started to protest the poor wages and working conditions the company provided. The companies did not provide hot water or access to bathrooms. With the help of Chavez, they were able to lead a very successful strike and boycott against the grape growing company. “Cesar insisted the Latino and Filipino strikers work together, sharing the same picket lines, strike kitchens and union hall.” (ufw.org). Together, they got thousands of people to tell their stories and get many more people to be more aware of the unsafe and unsanitary situations they faced. Farmworkers protested against wealthy companies and unfair treatments. With people boycotting the grape growers, they eventually gave in to what the grape workers were protesting for. The companies had lost a lot of profit when they had millions of Americans staying away from their company and not purchasing grapes. “Chavez and his union won several victories for the workers…” (biography.com). One of the victories they received, was getting a higher pay rate of $1.25 an hour. This boycott was the inspiration that led many to fight for what they thought they

Enslavement of African people has precise steps that must be different from Historical moments. From the fifteenth century going into the early 1600s, the trend to enslave African spiked reaching its peak in the eighteenth century. at least 30 Million brought as slaves to and maybe 14 Million Through the Indian Ocean. Over 80 Million Africans are a part of Modern and Contemporary Slave trade. Summing up the deaths in wars and slave ships. The classifications on groups "upper" and "lower" was the beginning of racist evolution. Theorist like Darwin and Gobineau, looked down on blacks and had them at the bottom of the scale.

By 1966, black protest involved the whole nation. They demanded legal equality and economic justice. Since the 1930s, African Americans have campaigned and fought for decent jobs, housing, and education in places outside of the South because they believed in equality. African Americans began to think that there was no hope for racism in the North and the black freedom struggle was beginning to be a bigger threat than the white race.