Will California celebrate César Chávez Day amid sex allegations?
NYT details new abuse allegations against Cesar Chavez
Allegations of sexual misconduct involving women and minors have emerged against César Chávez, dating to his time leading the United Farm Worker
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - California was the first state to establish César Chávez Day as a statewide holiday.
But as allegations have emerged that the late labor rights icon sexually abused women and children — including Dolores Huerta, a renowned labor leader in her own right — questions are mounting over whether the state will continue to honor the day bearing its now-embattled namesake.
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Labor icon Dolores Huerta confirms César Chávez sex allegations, says he impregnated her twice
Dolores Huerta, one of the country's most influential labor activists, responded on Wednesday to the explosive allegations against Latino civil rights activist Cesar Chavez, saying he forced her into two sex encounters and that he impregnated her twice.
Move to rename César Chávez Day
Assemblywoman Alexandra Macedo, a Republican from Tulare County, on Wednesday announced she is introducing legislation to rename Chávez Day, and instead honor farmworkers.
"Farmworkers are ESSENTIAL to our everyday lives — from the food we eat to the economy we enjoy," Macedo wrote on social media. "The fight for dignity in the fields was never about just one person—it’s about the millions of workers who sweat, toil and aspire for a better life. Let’s rename #CesarChavezDay to Farmworker Day."
Newsom open to change
A mural of Cesar Chavez is displayed at San Francisco State University on March 18, 2026 in San Francisco, California. Labor activist Cesar Chavez has been accused in an investigation of sexual abuse of women and minors. Photo by (Benjamin Fanjoy/Ge
Speaking Wednesday at a news conference on literacy in San Leandro, Gov. Gavin Newsom said he is still processing the allegations.
"It’s been hard to absorb this," Newsom said, adding that he has known Huerta for decades. "All of us are processing it."
Newsom said he is open to the possibility of changing the name of César Chávez Day. However, as it stands, the holiday is in the state statute, requiring the governor to proclaim it annually.
"The farmworker movement is much bigger than one man, and we should celebrate that, make that our focus as we process what the next steps are," Newsom said. "This is a sensitive moment."
César Chávez family 'shocked' to learn about sex allegations
The family of the late Latino labor leader César Chávez responded on Wednesday to a damning investigation into their father, saying they were "shocked and saddened" to learn the news that their father "engaged in sexual impropriety with women and minors nearly 50 years ago."
A legacy widely recognized
California designated March 31, Chávez’s birthday, as a day to commemorate the labor leader.
Other states followed.
In 2014, then-President Barack Obama proclaimed March 31 as National César Chávez Day, urging Americans to honor his legacy.
Chávez’s name is embedded across the state and nation. Streets, schools and parks bear his name, including César Chávez Street in San Francisco, formerly known as Army Street.
Allegations cast shadow
Labor icon Dolores Huerta confirms César Chávez sex allegations, says he impregnated her twice
Dolores Huerta, one of the country's most influential labor activists, responded on Wednesday to the explosive allegations against Latino civil rights activist Cesar Chavez, saying he forced her into two sex encounters and that he impregnated her twice.
But recent allegations first unearthed by the New York Times of sexual misconduct and abuse have cast a shadow over Chávez’s legacy.
Among the claims are accusations that he forced Huerta to have sex on two separate occasions and impregnated her twice.
Newsom said he hopes for some level of "grace" as the state grapples with the allegations and considers next steps.
"For young kids, this is hard," he said. "Their identity is tied to their school, to this icon that they thought one thing of, and how we process that shift."
At the same time, Newsom underlined that it does not dismiss the allegations.
"We’re for justice. We’re for the truth. We’re for transparency. We want to have the backs of victims. But it’s a sensitive, sensitive moment," he said.
Newsom said the core of Chávez Day is equality for farmworkers.
"It’s about social justice, economic justice, racial justice — all things that the movement has inspired and that we should all be celebrating," he said.
The Source: This story was written based on information from a news conference held by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Assemblywoman Alexandra Macedo, Dolores Huerta statement, New York Times.