César Chavez Day events renamed, postponed or canceled after sexual abuse allegations

Labor rights activist Dolores Huerta revealed she was among those abused by the late farmworker leader

Mar. 19, 2026 at 4:18am

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Many of the upcoming celebrations and holidays honoring the late farmworker labor leader César Chavez are being renamed, postponed or completely canceled in the wake of allegations that he sexually abused women and girls while at the helm of the United Farm Workers Union. The allegations have prompted swift fallout, including from the United Farm Workers, which announced it would not take part in any events named after the organization's former leader.

Why it matters

The revelations about Chavez's alleged sexual abuse have shaken the farmworker movement and forced a reckoning over how to honor his legacy, given the severity of the accusations. The fallout highlights the challenges of reconciling complex legacies of influential historical figures who are later accused of misconduct.

The details

Several states recognize a day on or near Chavez's March 31 birthday as an annual holiday, including California, Colorado, Minnesota, Texas, Utah and Washington. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced the state would not observe the holiday this year, and that he would work to remove it from state law. Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs declined to recognize March 31 as César Chavez Day. California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he was still 'processing' the news and wouldn't commit to making any changes to the state holiday. Cities across the country, including Lansing, Michigan, Milwaukee, and San Jose, California, have canceled their annual César Chavez celebrations.

  • On March 18, 2026, labor rights activist Dolores Huerta revealed she was among those who say they were abused by Chavez.
  • On March 19, 2026, many of the upcoming celebrations and holidays honoring Chavez were announced to be renamed, postponed or canceled.

The players

Dolores Huerta

A labor rights activist who revealed she was among those who say they were abused by César Chavez.

César Chavez

The late farmworker labor leader who is accused of sexually abusing women and girls while at the helm of the United Farm Workers Union.

United Farm Workers

The organization founded by César Chavez that announced it would not take part in any events named after its former leader.

Greg Abbott

The governor of Texas who announced the state would not observe the César Chavez Day holiday this year and would work to remove it from state law.

Katie Hobbs

The governor of Arizona who declined to recognize March 31 as César Chavez Day.

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What they’re saying

“Our thoughts are first and foremost with any victims of assault and abuse who have described experiencing what no one — especially children — should ever have to survive. No legacy can excuse it.”

— Liz Shuler and Fred Redmond, AFL-CIO president and secretary-treasurer

“His name should be removed from landmarks, institutions and honors. We cannot celebrate someone who carried out such disturbing harm.”

— Ben Ray Luján, U.S. Senator, New Mexico Democrat

What’s next

The Lubbock Democratic Party in Texas has called on city leaders to rename César Chavez Drive to honor Dolores Huerta. In Milwaukee, discussions will begin soon on what to do about a street named after Chavez. In Portland, Oregon, a city councilor plans to start a petition to rename a city boulevard after Huerta.

The takeaway

The fallout over the allegations against César Chavez highlights the challenges of reconciling the complex legacies of influential historical figures who are later accused of misconduct. As the farmworker movement reckons with this difficult chapter, there are calls to shift the focus to honoring the contributions of other leaders like Dolores Huerta who fought for dignity and justice for farmworkers.