Isabelle Xu

Block 1
1/31/11

Dolores Huerta

Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez worked together for many years helping poor farm workers
who weren’t being treated fairly. They dedicated their whole lives to this job. Soon they became 2 of
the most famous union organizers during the 1960s and 1970s. She helped people which hard work to
them doesn’t equal success.
Dolores Huerta was born in a mining town, Pawson, New Mexico on April 10 th, 1930. Her
childhood was hard, because it was during the Great Depression. Her father worked as a miner, and
when he wasn’t mining he was farming. In 1936 her parents divorced, and her father brought her to
Stockton, California for a better life. Dolores finally faces prejudice in high school because of World War
II.
When Dolores grew up, she married Ralph Head and had 2 daughters, Celeste and Lori. But they
divorced; the marriage didn’t work out. So Dolores returned to school and earned an Associate’s
Degree. She had many jobs, she worked at: a grocery store, as a Secretary at a naval supply base, the
Sheriff’s office and finally a teacher. But then she met Fred Ross, who worked for Community Service
Organization (CSO). CSO is for helping Americans build better lives. Dolores joined CSO and met
Ventura Huerta; they married and had five kids. But then again, because of her constant traveling for
CSO, they broke up.
Soon it was clear that the CSO was not working. In 1962 Cesar, another man who worked at
CSO and Dolores quit to start a new organization: National Farm Workers Association, or NFWA.
Dolores was elected Vice President.
One of the biggest events that they organized was the National Grape Boycott. The harvesters
were underpaid and treated badly. They wouldn’t be told that if they were working with poisons or not,
and when they knew they were too scared to lose their job then to speak out against it. Also if they
went on strike, the growers hired men to beat them. The police wouldn’t protect them; instead they
arrested them for “disturbing the peace.” Most people who bought the grapes didn’t know where they
came from, and who picked them. So Dolores and Cesar protested outside the stores holding signs that
said to boycott grapes. The grape growers were losing money, and finally in 1970, vineyards were
paying fair wages.
In 1970, the NFWA had over 100,000 members. And in the 1980s Dolores often spoke before
the Congress. She helped found a radio station named Radio Campesina. Dolores also married Cesar’s
brother, who also worked for the same cause. They had four children. Dolores has a total of 11 kids! In
1933 Dolores trusted partner Cesar died of a heart attack. He was only 66 years old. And in the end
members began to feel that if Cesar, the leader of the organization died, the organization died with him,
but Dolores told them to keep on going.
Isabelle Xu
Block 1
1/31/11

Why is Dolores Huerta famous?

 She helped 100,000’s of farmers who weren’t being treated fairly.

 She dedicated her entire life to her job helping people.
 She won many peace awards, even when others who disagree with them brought it to violence.

Some Interesting Facts:

 Dolores Huerta was one of the strongest union leaders during 1960- 1970.
 She has 11 children, by 1933, the age difference between the oldest and the youngest kid is 26
years.
 She suffered a life- threatening injury once in a protest because of some police who disagreed
with her reason and beaten her.

Spanish sentences:

 Dolores hablo a los agricultores.

 Los agricultores necesitan ayuda.
 Dolores escucha a ellos.