The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels is honoring civil rights leader Cesar Chavez with a mass. Annette Arreola reports for Today in LA on Sunday, March 30, 2025.
In honor of the late labor leader and civil rights activist's birthday, Los Angeles will observe César Chávez Day on Monday, March 31.
Several Los Angeles city and county agencies will close in observance of the holiday, including:
- Most Los Angeles city offices and bureaus
- Los Angeles Public Library
- Los Angeles County Library
- Los Angeles Superior Court
- Los Angeles Unified School District
- Department of Motor Vehicles
Los Angeles Metro buses and subways will operate on a regular Monday schedule.
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Chávez was born in 1927 in Yuma, Arizona, dropping out of school is eighth grade to help support his family. He made his lasting impression on American culture during his highly successful Delano grape vine strike from 1965 to 1970.
Alongside Dolores Huerta, he co-founded the National Farm Workers Association, later becoming the United Farm Workers Union.
Chavez and the UFW served a fundamental role in passing the California Agricultural Labor Relations Act in 1975 – making California the first state to give farm workers the right to seek union representation.
He died at the age of 60 on April 23, 1993, in San Luis, Arizona.
The Holiday is formally observed in California, Arizona, Washington, and Utah. It is an optional holiday in Colorado and Texas, and a festival day in Nevada and Nebraska.
Former Gov. Gray Davis signed the holiday into state legislation in 2000.
