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In His Own Words:
The Life and Work of César Chávez
An exhibition of photographs and autobiographical reflections
César Chávez at work in the community garden at La Paz in Keene, California by Cathy Murphy, former staff photographer for the United Farm Workers, 1976. Photo reprinted with permission of the César E. Chávez Foundation and Cathy Murphy.
“All my life, I have been driven by one dream, one goal, one vision: To overthrow a farm labor system in this nation which treats farm workers as if they were not important human beings. Farm workers are not agricultural implements; they are not beasts of burden to be used and discarded. That dream was born in my youth. It was nurtured in my early days of organizing. It has flourished. It has been attacked." — César Chávez, address to the Commonwealth Club of San Francisco, November 9, 1984
Throughout his youth and into young adulthood, César Chávez experienced the hardships of being a migrant farm worker and the sting of racial discrimination. Motivated by a dream of justice and equality, Chávez dedicated himself to community organizing activities and, later, to founding the first farm workers’ union. He developed strategies to effect the change he envisioned inspired by the principles of his parents, the teachings of Catholicism and his mentors, and the study of successful civil rights leaders. Utilizing strikes, boycotts, marches and other nonviolent tactics, Chávez worked tirelessly to secure better pay, job safety, improved living conditions, and other essential protections for farm workers.
Exhibition
In His Own Words: The Life and Work of César Chávez is an exhibition by Humanities Texas, state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, curated in collaboration with John C. Hammerback, Ph.D., affiliate faculty member in communication at the University of Washington
Featuring thirty-eight photographs paired with excerpts from his dynamic speeches, interviews, and authoritative writings, “In His Own Words” documents the full course of Chávez’s remarkable career and examines the life experiences and philosophical influences that drove him to dedicate himself fully to improving the lives of American farm workers.
In His Own Words is made possible in part by a We the People grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
For more information on the life and legacy of César Chávez, visit the Cesar E. Chavez Foundation online.
Additional primary source documents and photographs related to César Chávez and the farm workers movement are available online through the Farmworker Movement Documentation Project.
Exhibition format
| Format: | Wall-hanging |
| Language: | English with Spanish translation guide |
| Content: | 38 – 24" x 24" framed and matted photograph/quote pairings 1 title panel 2 subtext panels Audio presentation (CD) Video presentation (DVD) |
| Space Requirements: | 130 linear feet of wall space |
| Shipping weight and dimensions: | TBD |
| Rental Period: | 6 weeks |
| Rental Fee*: | TBD |
*Rental fees are based primarily on the cost of shipping. Prices may vary based on current fuel surcharges or venue location within the state of Texas. Out-of-state rentals are priced on an individual basis. Please call for a rental fee quote specific to your venue.
Publicity materials
Press release
| In His Own Words press release | doc |
Publicity images
Publicity images are available for promoting this exhibition at your venue. Please contact the exhibitions coordinator to request an electronic file of this image.
Humanities Texas logos
Venues may request a CD with the Humanities Texas logo in a number of electronic file formats for use when developing print and and online promotional materials. Logo files are also available for download from our website.