Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Catholic
Careers, Workplace and Religion
The Deep Lesson from Chavez’ Downfall

The Deep Lesson from Chavez’ Downfall

Last updated on: August 3, 2026 at 10:09 am by William Droel

0 Comments

The Deep Lesson from Chavez’ Downfall 2026-08-03T10:09:25-06:00 William Droel

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

A charismatic leader can be important to a social improvement effort. The betterment will not last, however, if things devolve into a personality cult. The tragedy of Cesar Chavez (1927-1993) is a case study in the danger of a well-intentioned movement that allows a leader to become a quasi-divine, unaccountable force.

It is wrong to presume that farmworker unions did not exist until the saintly pioneer, Chavez, created the National Farm Workers Association in September 1962. Nor was it ever accurate to think that Chavez single-handedly brought the experience of Mexican-Americans to national attention. In fact, the laborers initially involved in striking grape vineyards were Filipino-Americans, not primarily Mexican-Americans.

Further, Chavez was not a self-developed champion, as was once imagined. In the early 1960s two priests, Fr. Donald McDonnell (1923-2012) and Fr. Thomas McCullough (1922-1989), with the permission of their bishop, became missionaries-at-large to California’s poor. They came upon Chavez and instructed him in theology and agriculture issues. In the late 1940s Saul Alinsky (1909-1972), founder of Chicago-based Industrial Areas Foundation, got involved with Mexican-American homeowners in California. In 1953 he hired Fred Ross (1910-1992) as his West Coast director. Ross structured the groups as the Community Service Organization. Ross identified Chavez as a leader. Within a year, Alinsky hired him too. After nearly a decade with CSO, Chavez turned his attention to farmworkers.

Larry Itliong (1913-1977), a Filipino-American, preceded Chavez in farm worker organizing, and even he was not an originator. The United Cannery, Agricultural, Packing and Allied Workers, affiliated with the CIO, was long active in the State of Washington, Alaska and California. Itliong was involved with UCAPAW and in the 1940s he led strikes among asparagus pickers. In 1959 an Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee was formed in the merged AFL-CIO. In the summer of 1965 Itliong led a successful AWOC strike in the Coachella Valley, southeast of Los Angeles.

In September 1965 Itliong gathered hundreds of workers into Filipino Community Hall in Delano, California for a vote to strike the area’s grape growers. It was a bold move and Itliong realized he needed help. As is common with ethnic groups, Filipino-Americans and Mexican-Americans did not easily mingle in the community. Plus the two ethnic groups competed for jobs. Yet Itliong approached Chavez to join in the strike. Until then, Chavez spent his time talking with farmworkers but had yet to launch any job action. Chavez realized the opportunity and joined forces with the Filipino-Americans. Thus began the now famous Delano Grape Strike and National Boycott. Four flags were prominent in the first demonstration: the U.S. flag of course plus the flag of the Philippines, of Mexico and the flag/banner of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

In time the group’s named was changed to United Farm Workers Organizing Committee and then to United Farm Workers Union. Itliong served the new union, including as director of national boycotts. However, Itliong was soon overshadowed by Chavez.

Jill Cowan recently spoke with Itliong’s relatives for New York Times (7/25/26). They and others say Itliong was muscled out of the way by Chavez and his loyalists. Aquilina Sariano of Pilipino Workers Center in Los Angeles draws the correct lesson from the disconcerting disclosures about Chavez: Society tends to “venerate individuals instead of the messy collectives who make change.” There is no need to swap Chavez’ name for another name on buildings and signs. The goal remains justice for workers.

Unlike Chavez, charismatic leaders do not normally engage in deviant behavior. Still, when a pastor, a community organizer, a union official, or another group leader exhibits excessive fondness for attention, let it serve as a warning that the goal of social improvement is giving way to self-promotion. Social improvement needs those who project confident qualities that will attract and retain busy and creative followers. Yet, the genuine change agent must stay out of the limelight and nurture the collective mission. “Loyalty to Chavez” superseded the development of farmworker leaders and the external mission of the organization, Mirian Pawel concludes in her excellent biography, The Crusades of Cesar Chavez (Bloomsbury, 2014).

Droel is an editor at National Center for the Laity (PO Box 291102, Chicago, IL 60629)

Uncategorized

Previous Post

July 23, 2026

Catholic Devotions Explained

Next Post

September 14, 2026 The Poor, You Are With Always: Making Poverty Visible

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"Bill-I observe that subsidiarity/localism is actually a big issue. Some of the alienation that is ..."

Chicagoan

Localism

"l think that this commentary by Bill Droel offers a perspective that can help the ..."

Chicagoan

Turning To Politics

"Droel commits the sin of lying to the innocent and unable to defend themselves. He ..."

I Love Libertarians

Strikes

"I propose that the best way to help working class people in the US is ..."

bill wald

Extreme Capitalism

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 May 2022 April 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 June 2021 May 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

The queen of Ethiopia in the time of the early church was …

Select your answer to see how you score.

Bernice Hatshepsut Candace Esther