Cesar Chavez quotes

Born
March 31, 1927 Yuma, Arizona, U.S.

Died
April 23, 1993.

Occupation
Labor leader, civil rights activist.

Cesar Chavez was an American labor leader and civil rights activist who, with Dolores Huerta, co-founded the National Farm Workers Association (later the United Farm Workers union, UFW) in 1962. Originally a Mexican American farm worker.

We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community… Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own.
– Cesar Chavez

We farm workers are closest to food production. We were the first to recognize the serious health hazards of agriculture pesticides to both consumers and ourselves.
– Cesar Chavez

To be a man is to suffer for others. God help us to be men!
– Cesar Chavez

We learned many years ago that the rich may have money, but the poor have time.
– Cesar Chavez

The end of all knowledge should be service to others.
– Cesar Chavez

If you want to remember me, organize!
– Cesar Chavez

From the depth of need and despair, people can work together, can organize themselves to solve their own problems and fill their own needs with dignity and strength.
– Cesar Chavez

We draw our strength from the very despair in which we have been forced to live. We shall endure.
– Cesar Chavez

Preservation of one’s own culture does not require contempt or disrespect for other cultures.
– Cesar Chavez

You are never strong enough that you don’t need help.
– Cesar Chavez

Our language is the reflection of ourselves. A language is an exact reflection of the character and growth of its speakers.
– Cesar Chavez

Real education should consist of drawing the goodness and the best out of our own students. What better books can there be than the book of humanity?
– Cesar Chavez

There is no such thing as defeat in non-violence.
– Cesar Chavez

In some cases non-violence requires more militancy than violence.
– Cesar Chavez

Students must have initiative; they should not be mere imitators. They must learn to think and act for themselves – and be free.
– Cesar Chavez

As long as we have a poor country bordering California, it’s going to be very difficult to win strikes.
– Cesar Chavez