United Farm Workers of America (UFW)

Lesson 4.2 Learning Materials

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Lesson Overview

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

Describe the identity conflicts associated with the United Farm Workers organization and its efforts.
Analyze the role that identity played in mobilization of farm workers and ultimately the United Farm Workers of America.

The Farm Worker Movement: Pride and Prejudice (16:17)

The PBS video, The Farm Worker Movement, provides insight into the conditions of farm workers and also details about the life of Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, the founders of the United Farm Workers of America. This information also offers insight into the challenges of mobilizing people around the identity of "farm worker" and the complicated issues that racial and ethnic identities played. This highlights the way that identities can mobilize people, but also cause conflict.

Transcript: The Farm Worker Movement: Pride and Prejudice

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Learning Materials

To successfully complete the assignments, study the materials below, which present the important concepts of this lesson.

The Union Within the Union: Filipinos, Mexicans, and the Racial Integration of the Farm Worker Movement - A. Cruz

This article provides an overview of the merger of the labor unions representing the Mexican and Filipino farm workers. This article discusses questions of identity and explains how Filipinos and Mexicans worked to reduce divisions caused by their racial identities to form one organization that represented their identity as farm workers.

This historically-based discussion of how identity can be constructed is critical to understanding Dr. Koppell's larger argument about how identity can be created around shared experiences

Congressman Ed Pastor Interview "Civic Engagement, Identity, and Mobilization"

In this video excerpt, Dr. Koppell interviews the late Congressman Ed Pastor. Congressman Pastor discusses the role his identities of being pro-union and involved in Alianza Hispanoamericana [cultural organization] played in his civic work and the importance of mobilizing coalitions to effect social change.

Transcript: Civic Engagement, Identity, and Mobilization

"Civil Rights" including "Equal Protection for Other Groups" and "Civil Rights for Indigenous Groups" in American Government 2e

In this excerpt from Chapter 5 of American Government, the authors discuss the civil rights of Hispanic/Latino Americans, which provides important background for organizations such as the UFW. This chapter also provides an overview of Asian American Civial Rights (which includes information from Module 1 on the history of Chinese Americans). Also included is the section discussing civic rights for indigenous groups: Native Americans, Alaskans, and Hawaiians.

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Optional Materials

The United Farm Workers of America

United Farm Workers of America is the largest union of farm workers in the United States. Founded in 1962 by individuals such as Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta, and Gilbert Padilla, it continues to work on behalf of farm workers today. Its primary focus for its efforts is in the state of California.

The Cesar Chavez Foundation

The Cesar Chavez Foundation includes a number of resources about Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers of America (UFW). In the 40 years since their founding, they have worked to improve the lives of farm workers and Latino families through programs focused on housing, education and other valuable services.

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Suggested Interaction Prompt for Yellowdig

Consider the following:

Based on the assigned materials for this section, discuss how you see the concepts of civic engagement that you have learned about so far in the history of Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta, and the United Farm Workers of America.
One of the major themes is how identities lead to mobilization. Discuss the role that identity played in mobilization of farm workers and ultimately the United Farm Workers of America. Were there tensions or challenges? What were they? How were they overcome?

Go to the Yellowdig Discussion

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