Similarities Between Cesar Chavez And Martin Luther King Jr

Martin Luther King (MLK) was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia and changed his name from Michael to Martin so he could honor a German reformer, Martin Luther. Martin was a middle child with an older sister, Willie Christine King, and younger brother, Daniel Williams King. He loved to sing and listen to music so his Mother, Alberta took him to various churches to sing. King was educated in Atlanta, graduating from Booker T Washington high school. After graduating, he enrolled in Morehouse College, where his grandfather studied. He was going to at first, study medicine or law but decided to major in sociology later he found ministry irresistible, so he served as an assistant to his father at Ebenezer while

Cesar Chavez, a civil rights leader fighting for improving pay and working conditions of farmers, employs the use of nonviolence resistance in his role as a leader of the United Farm Workers. As a child, Chavez and his family worked as farmers on a field as migrant workers who were most likely treated in an unjust manner and thus, he dedicated his life to improving the conditions for all farmers. To honor Martin Luther King Jr. on the 10th anniversary of his death, Chavez wrote to a religious magazine that helps people in need about the benefits of nonviolent resistance. Throughout his letter, Chavez applies rhetorical devices such as pathos, diction, and juxtaposition to persuade and inform people about how powerful and effective nonviolence techniques can be for civil rights.

Disobedience is the failure or refusal to obey rules or someone in authority. Disobedience like obedience becomes a virtue. Disobedience can prove that a person can stand against what they think is wrong and what they believe. In the past, there has been people that fought for what they thought was correct and made a change in the world. Like Irish Oscar Wilde once said, “It is through disobedience that progress has been made…,” I believe only the courageous will stand for themselves and for what they believe. Just like Cesar Chavez and Martin Luther King did.

Cesar Chavez was a civil rights leader and a labor union organizer who delivered a carefully crafted speech by acknowledging the perspective of his audience in order to vouch for the use of nonviolence over violence. While Chavez is arguing against the use of violence, he refrains from blaming anyone who had ever used violence. He manages to gain the trust of the audience by presenting himself as an understanding and compassionate individual, which allows them to be more receptive to his message.

Cesar Chavez was an extremely influential individual in the Latino civil rights movement. Born in March 1927, he preached unionism and aggressive non violence, and cofounded the National Farm Workers Association. Being a major player in the civil rights movement, he recognized the obvious influence of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and on the tenth anniversary of his assassination Chavez published an article in Maryknoll Magazine. While writing about nonviolence, Chavez appealed to logos and pathos to have the message of the article connect with the reader’s emotions and reasoning.

Henry David Thoreau's Civil Disobedience and Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Letter from a Birmingham Jail were written approximately 114 years apart. However, both publications share a common theme. Each of these authors express their opinions on government injustices. The political environments in which each author lived provided their inspiration for their writings. Although many years separate these two works, there are similarities as well as differences between Thoreau's and King's written opinions.

Cesar Chavez, a labor leader and civil rights activist, wrote an article that discusses his strong stand on how using nonviolent resistance is the better way to go rather than using violent acts. Inspired by the tenth anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Chavez writes an article about his argument on nonviolent resistance; he accomplishes that by using rhetorical choice like allusions, pathos, and tone.

Cesar Chavez once explained the horrors of society when he said, “When the man who feeds the world by toiling in the fields is himself deprived of the basic rights of feeding, sheltering and caring for is family, the whole community of man is sick.” (ufw.org) That means that the whole of humanity is sick and cruel when the man who works the fields all day long to feed the all of the citizens of the entire world can’t even provide for himself. It was not a small amount of people it affected, it was millions, and millions of citizens across the world. Chavez was a large factor in beginning to abolish racism, or also called the Civil Rights Movement.

In another case, “however important the struggle is and however much misery, poverty and exploitation exists, we know that it cannot be more important than a human life” which also shows Chavez’ familiarity to the emotions of his audience frequently experience (37-39). He brings up a moral factor as people are starting to consider harmful tactics. He is well aware of how hatred can lead to harmful effects, and he reminds his audience that it would be immoral to potentially take the life of a human being just because they are frustrated with the injustice system. Chavez is only trying to ease his audience because he is familiar that there is a widespread feeling of impatience and anger.

Many of us today know about Martin Luther King Jr. “I have a Dream” speech; yet, Cesar Chavez gave a similar speech about a different crisis and we fail to recognize it. Martin Luther King, Jr. became a leader in the Civil Rights Movement to end racial segregation and discrimination in America during the 1950's and 1960's. He hoped to obtain equality through nonviolent actions. Cesar Chavez was the leader of the United Farm Workers of America, who saw the hopes for better lives for Mexican, Mexican American, and Hispanic workers in the United States. Although Martin Luther King Jr. and Cesar wrote about two very different topics they tend to have many similarities throughout their speeches discussing what we as a nation need to do to solve each problem.

Labor unions have been instrumental in the lives of workers throughout American history, and have led to important advances in the American workforce. Throughout history there have been patterns of exploitation of immigrant workers by businesses in order to increase profits; the Mexican migrant workers of southern California are the most recent historical group to fall into this pattern of exploitation mostly from their lack of organization. Cesar E. Chavez was a great organizer and leader of the United Farm Workers labor union. Robert Kennedy referred to him as “one of the heroic figures of our time.”

After all Chávez persisted active in the fight for justice and in his proficiency to organize nonviolent demonstrations for workers and civil rights his entire life, the battle he began continues today through the United Farm Workers Union which protects and advocates for the rights of farm workers. In addition, Chávez's example and the accomplishments of UFW inspired

Cesar Chavez published an article on the tenth anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This article consisted of the importance of nonviolent change, and how the outcome will always be for the better. Chavez effectively justifies the morality of nonviolence, as well as demoralizing “senseless violence.”

Cesar Chavez viewed his civil rights issues as “not just another movement, but a movement to change the conditions of human life” (Houle 95). He followed the teachings of Gandhi, who helped India obtain their independence from England through nonviolent actions (“Cesar Chavez 2”). When landowners threatened Chavez he called a boycott on grapes throughout the whole country which was a great success because though this he obtained support from various organizations and people (“Cesar Chavez 2”). His perseverant and nonviolent strategies caught the attention of the people and proved to be a success.

Cesar Chavez is an advocate for farm workers and opponent of oppression who writes an article to validate nonviolence instead of violence. In the past, violence had become a huge issue and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Chavez wanted that to change. Violence isn’t the answer and change in all aspects is what is needed to better the world as we know it.