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By Anna Commander
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Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott said the Lone Star State will not observe Cesar Chavez Day—a holiday celebrating the labor leader who died in 1993—amid sexual misconduct allegations aimed at the civil rights icon.
Why It Matters
The announcement came as the United Farm Workers (UFW) labor union said it would also withdraw from all Chávez Day events scheduled for March 31, and as El Paso renamed its March 31 observance to Community & Labor Heritage Day, local station KFOX 14 reports.
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The actions reflect an escalating response to allegations that, according to a statement from the Cesar Chavez Foundation, involve inappropriate sexual behavior with women and minors.
What To Know
In a post to X on Wednesday, Abbott said, "The state of Texas will not observe the Cesar Chavez Day holiday. I am directing all Texas state agency heads to comply. In the upcoming legislative session, I will work with Texas lawmakers to remove Cesar Chavez Day from state law altogether.
"Reports of the horrific and widely acknowledged sexual assault allegations against Cesar Chavez rightfully dismantle the myth of this progressive hero and undermine the narrative that elevated Chavez as a figure worthy of official state celebration."
The allegations of sexual abuse involving Chávez emerged after a New York Times investigation, with responses including the UFW describing the claims as “deeply troubling” and incompatible with the movement’s values.
"We have not received any direct reports, and we do not have any firsthand knowledge of these allegations. However, the allegations are serious enough that we feel compelled to take urgent steps to learn more and provide space for people who may have been victimized to find support and to share their stories if that is what they choose," a statement from the UFW read in part.
In a statement sent to Newsweek, the family of Chavez said: "Our family is devasted [sic] by today’s New York Times article about our father Cesar Chavez. This is deeply painful for our family. We wish peace and healing to the survivors and commend their courage to come forward. As a family steeped in the values of equity and justice, we honor the voices of those who feel unheard and who report sexual abuse.
"We carry our own memories of the person we knew. Someone whose life included work and contributions that matter deeply to many people. We remain committed to farmworkers and the causes he and countless others championed and continue to champion. We ask for understanding and privacy as we continue to process this difficult information."
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What People Are Saying
Congressman Joaquin Castro, Texas Democrat, on X Wednesday: "The acts committed by Cesar Chavez against girls and women are reprehensible. I hope the victims are able to find the justice and peace they deserve. The movement that Cesar Chavez helped lead was always larger than one person or legacy. As with most things, progress is an ensemble effort. The faces in the news aren’t the totality of the movement. The celebration of that progress toward justice, fair wages, and civil rights continues. The tributes to the man, however, should not. Therefore, we should begin a public community process to rename tributes to Cesar Chavez’s legacy."
Laura Powell, civil liberties attorney, also on X Wednesday: "The key questions about the Cesar Chavez allegations are: Why are they only emerging now, many decades after the alleged events? Why did the accusers withhold this information until long after his legacy had been formally honored? What changed?"
Dolores Huerta, activist and co-founder of UFW with Chavez, in a statement in part on Wednesday: "I am nearly 96 years old, and for the last 60 years have kept a secret because I believed that exposing the truth would hurt the farmworker movement I have spent my entire life fighting for. I have encouraged people to always use their voice. Following the New York Times' multi-year investigation into sexual misconduct by Cesar Chavez, I can no longer stay silent and must share my own experiences. As a young mother in the 1960s, I experienced two separate sexual encounters with Cesar. The first time I was manipulated and pressured into having sex with him, and I didn't feel I could say no because he was someone that I admired, my boss and the leader of the movement I had already devoted years of my life to. The second time I was forced, against my will, and in an environment where I felt trapped."
Huerta added in part, "I had experienced abuse and sexual violence before, and I convinced myself these were incidents that I had to endure alone and in secret. Both sexual encounters with Cesar led to pregnancies. I chose to keep my pregnancies secret and, after the children were born, I arranged for them to be raised by other families that could give them stable lives."
Update 3/18/26, 8:36 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
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