For decades, César Chávez has been a prominent figure in California history, regarded as a hero and advocate for farmworker’s rights. A New York Times investigation, published on March 18, 2026, revealed the testimonies of three women — Ana Murguia, Debra Rojas, and Dolores Huerta, with Huerta co-founding the United Farm Workers (UFW) along with Chávez — accusing Chávez of sexually abusing girls as young as 12 years old. In a statement issued on the same day, Huerta described two instances when Chávez pressured and raped her, both of which led to her getting pregnant. Now almost 96 years old, Huerta said that she had not previously come forward because she “believed that exposing the truth would hurt the farmworker movement I have spent my entire life fighting for.”
Following the report, institutions and landmarks honoring Chávez have been renamed or taken down, and César Chávez Day was changed to Farmworkers’ Day in California.
Chávez was a civil rights activist and co-founder of the National Farm Workers Association, later known as the UFW. In 1994, Chávez received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States. For years since, Chávez was admired and revered as a civil rights icon by many.
Since then, statues and signs have been taken down throughout California, and buildings, parks, and streets are in the process of being renamed. This includes the University of California, Berkeley César Chávez Student Center, with Chávez’s name being removed from the building on Thursday, April 16, 2026. The change came after a review by a campus committee, with many public comments supporting the renaming and suggesting possibilities for a new name. “It is unfortunate to know that César Chávez, being a huge role model for the Latino community and for California, was not actually someone with good intentions,” Anastasia Babusenko, a UC Berkeley student, said.
The Berkeley City Council has voted to rename César Chávez Park, with one possibility being to name the park after Huerta. Additionally, a bill renaming César Chávez Day, which falls on his birthday, to Farmworkers’ Day, passed unanimously in the California Senate.
The allegations have elicited strong emotions and reactions within the community, sparking some controversy. Many, especially those for whom Chávez had been a personal hero, expressed feelings of disappointment and pain. Nonetheless, there have been many calls to action, encouraging the renaming of landmarks and other establishments. “What’s happening with César Chávez is the same thing that should happen with everybody in this country who is accused and there’s real, clear evidence of sexual abuse and sexual violence,” Susi Lopez, a Berkeley High School Spanish teacher and co-leader of the World Languages Department, said.
With the changes, city officials hope to make a positive change while continuing to highlight the importance of the Farmworkers’ Movement. Some scholars and activists are portraying this as an opportunity to shift from excessively centering on one particular person and instead focusing on the collective action and influence of movements. “We’re learning time and time again that we shouldn’t put people on pedestals, because no one is perfect, no one is a perfect person to idolize, and everybody is complex,” Itzel Vasquez Calvo, a BHS Ethnic Studies teacher, said.
The allegations led to a reevaluation of Chávez’s complex legacy, shifting the general public opinion from worship to criticism and condemnation. Renaming the landmarks, while continuing to honor the achievements of the Farmworkers’ Movement and what it stands for, is a step towards accountability and understanding in the eyes of the community.