Women’s History Month: Dolores Huerta, a Civil Rights Icon
March 29, 2010
by C. Espinosa
|The opinions expressed herein are those of the author, and not necessarily those of The New Agenda.
When it comes to the Civil Rights movement, we know and teach our children a great deal about male leadership. We hear little about the great women who contributed and strengthened, and even in some cases, led this movement. This is the case of Dolores Huerta, one of last century’s most powerful and influential civil rights leaders, who through a tireless lifelong work has contributed to improve the condition of millions of Americans. Dolores is said to have helped Cesar Chavez form the UFW, but it could be argued that she formed and guided the movement along with him.
Dolores Huerta was born in 1930 in New Mexico, and at 80 she still is at the forefront of women’s and civil rights for all Americans. She was a school teacher, but she understood that the plight of the children she taught reflected the conditions in which an entire population of migrant workers faced. As a leader of Community Service Organization, she met Cesar Chavez and both learned they had the common vision that the migrant workers problem was that of addressing their civil rights through consistent and community based organizing, and building and leveraging their political power at the ballot box.
Dolores considered herself an equal partner of Cesar Chavez, and thus their famous and continuous vigorous arguments which she considered necessary for the healthy advancement of their cause.
Although Dolores Huerta’s initial perception of the Women’s movement was that it was a middle class centered struggle, she later recognized the common issues with feminism and incorporated the challenge to gender discrimination to her work. She was a courageous woman whose life was always under threat, and at 58 she was assaulted by a police officer during a protest. After a lengthy recovery from this, she came back into action to focus on Women’s rights, and advocating tirelessly throughout the country on behalf of the Feminist Majority’s “Feminization of Power 50/50 by the year 2000” Campaign, also encouraging Latinas to run for office. She also served as National Chair of the 21st Century Party whose goal was to achieve 52% women of the party’s candidates, as well as to reflect ethnic representation.
She advocated non-violence and all family participation in the movement, and encouraged migrant families to take the children out of the fields and focus on their education.
After all this struggle, the need to continue on her work is shown by the fact that Dolores Huerta was removed from third grade Texas standards, some argue as a clear attempt to wipe out her ethnic representation in education. However, absent from the discussion is that this also diminishes women’s presence in teaching standards.
Let’s celebrate Dolores Huerta as a Woman Leader, and as a leader of all Americans.
Cristina, I absolutely love this piece. It is so moving to me because I realize now that I only taught my students half the story when I taught them about Cesar Chavez. The other half was Dolores Huerta who is as every bit a phenomenal civil rights leader and worthy of being celebrated in the classroom (as well as outside the classroom).
After reading this, I checked out Wickepedia on the California Grape Strike and they only mention Cesar Chavez. No mention of Dolores!
I also like the parallels with New Agenda in regard to Huerta’s 52 percent solution
That’s amazing! I’d heard of Cesar Chavez, but never about her.
Indeed, it seems Dolores Huerta was ahead of her time in many respects. Thinking about improving women’s proportional representation in power as a priority, and seeking this representation in all parties.
And she did this all with 11 children!
Alison, that is my experience too. if you start looking where womens accomplishments are silenced, you see it everywhere.
This is wonderful, Cristina. Thank you for reminding us of this great Latina activist. I too was ignorant of her, so I thank you for introducing us to her. You’ve written her back into history!
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