Dolores Huerta, United Farm Workers co-founder and civil rights icon, dies at 96

Dolores Huerta, the labor organizer and civil rights activist who co-founded the United Farm Workers with Cesar Chavez, died Wednesday at her home in Bakersfield, California. She was 96. Her family said she died of cancer and was surrounded by family, according to AP and NPR reports and a memorial notice from the Dolores Huerta Foundation.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered flags flown at half-staff in her honor.

Who was Dolores Huerta?

Huerta began her working life as a teacher, working with the children of farmworkers, as Newsom’s statement recalled. She left the classroom to organize, becoming a leader in the National Farm Workers Association and later the United Farm Workers, where she fought for workers’ rights, civil rights and gender equity.

NPR described her as an influential labor leader, feminist and civil rights icon. The Dolores Huerta Foundation, which carries on her organizing work, posted a memorial notice after her death.

What was her role with Cesar Chavez?

Huerta and Chavez built the farmworker movement together in the 1960s. Newsom’s statement credited her with the rallying cry “Sí, se puede,” and pointed to protests and marches including the Delano grape boycott, which he said “fundamentally reshaped California as we know it.”

How are people remembering Dolores Huerta?

“Dolores represented the best of us,” Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom said. “California — and the United States — would not be what we are today without her resolute spirit, her passion for justice and fairness, and her commitment to those overlooked and forgotten.” They added that her legacy lies “in the people who follow in her footsteps.”

Huerta was a member of the California Hall of Fame, the governor’s office noted.

Why her death matters now

Huerta’s life spanned the modern history of American labor organizing, and her death closes a direct link to the founding generation of the farmworker movement. Details about memorial services had not been announced in the sources we reviewed as of Wednesday evening.

FAQ