Cesar Chavez talks to striking Salinas Valley farm workers at a
rally in… (Paul Sakuma / Associated…) Cesar Chavez died in 1993,
but the Mexican American labor leader's prominence continues to
grow. Streets in many American cities bear his name; his face
appeared on a postage stamp; President Obama embraced Chavez's
slogan, "Sí, se puede" ("Yes, it can be done") in his 2008
campaign; and Apple featured the United Farm Workers founder in
its "think different" campaign. These honors have all served to
heighten public awareness of Chavez, who for a time seemed to be
winning the battle to bring justice to the farm fields of
California. But they have obscured another part of his legacy,
one of miscalculation and failure. That legacy is also important
to consider as the UFW celebrates its 50th anniversary this
month. For more than a decade, starting in 1962, Chavez fought
against the odds to achieve union recognition for farmworkers in
California. In 1975 the UFW achieved collective bargaining
rights for these work