Truth About a Farm Worker Hero

A respected civil‑rights activist, who helped start the United Farm Workers union and worked closely with a famous labor organizer for many years, has said that he sexually assaulted her in the 1960s. She chose to speak out now because a long‑running investigation by a major newspaper revealed similar claims from other women. The organizer died in 1993 at age 66. The activist, now 96, said she kept quiet for years because she feared the revelations would damage a movement she has devoted her life to. She added that the organizer’s actions do not match the values of their community. After the investigation was published, the union that carries his name cancelled plans to honor him. Some cities also decided to rename or cancel events that celebrated the labor leader, even though his birthday is a federal holiday in several states.Several Latino groups reacted quickly. A congressional caucus said it would push for streets, post offices and other public symbols bearing the organizer’s name to be renamed in honor of farmworkers instead. A voter‑rights group stated that the organizer’s alleged misconduct should not erase the work of those who built the movement. The activist described two incidents in the 1960s. In the first, she said she was pressured into sex because she admired and respected him as a boss. In the second, she said she was forced into sex against her will and felt trapped. Both encounters led to pregnancies that she kept private, arranging for the children to be raised by other families. The foundation dedicated to preserving his legacy said it would work with the union to create private ways for anyone who may have been harmed by him to share their stories and get help.