KEENE, Calif. (KERO) — The fallout from recent allegations against civil rights leader Cesar Chavez is continuing to grow, with calls emerging to rename buildings, streets and schools that bear his name.
Now, state lawmakers are also pushing for broader changes, including legislation that would rename Cesar Chavez Day as “Farmworkers Day.”
At the Cesar Chavez National Monument in Keene, a display featuring a cutout of Chavez was prominently shown inside the visitor center ahead of a New York Times report detailing allegations of abuse. Within 24 hours of the report’s publication, however, the display and similar materials were removed.
In Sacramento, lawmakers are responding with proposals of their own.
“As a son and grandson of farm workers who raised my brother and I, as a father and as a Latino, I’m shocked, I am angry, and I’m deeply, deeply disappointed,” said State Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas. “But let me be clear about something. The farm worker movement was never, ever about one man.”
Assemblymember Alexandra Macedo, a Central Valley native representing Tulare, has introduced legislation to rename March 31 — currently observed as Cesar Chavez Day — as Farmworkers Day.
“But let me be clear about something. The farm worker movement was never, ever about one man,” Macedo said.
She added that the moment reflects a broader shift in how the movement is recognized.
“Sometimes a specific instance of things will trigger a bigger conversation that’s much overdue, and now I think it’s time to give farm workers the credit that they are due,” Macedo said.
Back in Keene, questions remain about whether the name of the Cesar Chavez National Monument itself could change. The U.S. Department of the Interior did not respond to requests for comment.
However, individuals close to the Chavez Foundation said additional changes are expected in the coming months, with a renewed focus on honoring farmworkers more broadly rather than a single figure.
“Farmworkers are resilient. They are strong people, and they have a sense of community, and this will not hinder their ability to honor what they have achieved, for our ability to honor them, for what they achieve, and be so grateful for what they do, and that is feed the entire world,” one supporter said.
On Wednesday, the Cesar Chavez Foundation said it is actively engaged in conversations about the organization’s identity moving forward.
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