Recent allegations concerning Cesar Chavez have spurred a critical reflection on the historical contributions of Filipino farmworkers in the United States. This moment highlights the need to center the trauma experienced by women within the labor movement, according to Dillon Delvo, executive director of Little Manila Rising in Stockton, California.

The Filipino Agricultural Workforce Legacy

Early Immigration and Hardship

Following the U.S. acquisition of the Philippines (1898–1946), many Filipinos were encouraged to study English and subsequently authorized to immigrate to America. From the 1920s through the 1960s, tens of thousands joined the agricultural workforce across the West, laboring in fields, canneries, and factories.

The initial wave of male workers, primarily from the Ilocano-speaking region, were affectionately known as “manong,” meaning older brother. These laborers endured significant discrimination, including substandard wages, poor housing, and difficult working conditions, often to support families back home.

The isolation was compounded by anti-miscegenation laws and the scarcity of female Filipino immigrants. This environment fostered deep loneliness among the workers.

Organizing for Dignity

By the 1960s, Filipino farmworkers had established the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee to strategize labor actions. Dennis Arguelles, Southern California director for the National Parks Conservation Association, noted that these actions “came out of necessity and desperation to protect themselves, to try to live in dignity.”

The Delano Grape Strike and Shifting Narratives

The Strike's Genesis

On September 8, 1965, leaders Larry Itliong and Philip Vera Cruz guided the Committee to vote for a strike against grape growers in Delano, California. Their primary demand was achieving at least the federal minimum wage.

Arguelles noted that Chavez was initially hesitant about launching the strike, believing the National Farm Workers Association was unprepared to confront powerful agribusiness interests. These structures frequently exploited ethnic divisions to undermine labor actions.

Formation of the UFW

One week after the Filipino-led vote, the groups officially merged, forming the United Farm Workers (UFW). The ensuing Delano grape strike persisted for five years, ultimately resulting in collective bargaining agreements for thousands of workers.

However, the popular historical account has often intertwined Itliong’s leadership directly with Chavez, as depicted in textbooks and murals. The current allegations against Chavez are prompting warnings against the deification of historical figures.

Delvo commented that there is “always seems to be a need to be like a main character,” but stressed that this mentality contradicts the core principles of union organizing.

Toward a More Comprehensive History

Reclaiming Filipino Leadership

Arguelles views the current situation as a positive opportunity to present a “more accurate and comprehensive narrative of what took place.” In response to the controversy, the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors recently considered steps regarding Cesar Chavez Day, with some suggesting moving the holiday to September 8 to honor the Filipino strikers.

Johnny Itliong, Larry Itliong’s son, stated at a public meeting that Chavez had attempted to “erase the history” of the strike’s origins. He affirmed his lifelong commitment to advocating for his father’s generation who “fed America.”

Centering Women in the Movement

The musical “Larry the Musical: An American Journey,” focusing on the Filipino farmworkers' movement, reportedly mentions Chavez only once, during a scene where Itliong calls him. Producers intentionally centered the story on the women in Itliong’s life and the community.

Co-producers Gayle Romasanta and Bryan Pangilinan stated that the musical always focused on women as the accountability keepers and knowledge transmitters for the next generation. This focus has been reaffirmed by recent events.

Vernadette Gonzalez, an ethnic studies professor at UC Berkeley, urged educators to use this moment to highlight unsung heroes. She pointed out that Hispanic female UFW members, who prepared food and managed logistics for meetings, are often omitted from official records. Gonzalez asked, “Who's missing from the story? In the United Farmworkers movement, folks will say ‘It’s Larry Itliong and the Filipino farmworkers.’ But I would also say ‘Where are the women?’”