Cesar Chavez: A Brief Biography With Documents

This brief biography of César Chávez documents the life of one of the most important labor organizers of the last half of the 20th century — a reformer and activist who personified the American struggle for democracy. His story is told through an evocative biographical essay accompanied by several types of documents: Chávez in his own words, Chávez in the words of his contemporaries, Chávez as seen by historians in a group of secondary sources, and finally a visual portfolio of 20 photographs and cartoons. The secondary sources focus on critical questions about the labor unions he helped to found and the impact he made on the Chicano population as well as the rest of the world. All of these materials are accompanied by a helpful chronology, bibliographic essay, and questions for consideration.