Cesar Chavez' home will become a national monument, designated by President Barack Obama. The Keene, California home of the deceased labor leader is known as La Paz, which is short for Nuestra Señora Reina de la Paz, or Our Lady Queen of Peace and is where Chavez is buried.
The monument will be called Cesar E. Chavez National Monument. It once served as the national headquarters of the United Farm Workers union and was Chavez's home from the early 1970s until his death in 1993.
According to the AP, President Obama said in a statement that Chavez "gave a voice to poor and disenfranchised workers everywhere," adding that La Paz was at the center of significant civil rights events. By designating his home as a national monument, "Chávez' legacy will be preserved and shared to inspire generations to come."
During Chavez's career as the head of the UFW he staged mass boycotts that raised awareness of farmworkers, that were primarily Latino. His work has served as groundbreaking in the fight for better educational opportunities, housing and political power for Latinos.
This year is the 50th anniversary of the founding of the National Farm Workers Association which became UFW.
La Paz is the fourth national monument designated under Obama with the Antiquities Act. In the past he has designated California's Fort Ord, Virginia's Fort Monroe and Colorado's Chimney Rock as national monuments.
See some interesting footage of Chavez and his work here:
Related Articles:
Barack Obama Makes Chimney Rock a National Monument in Colorado
New Unesco World Heritage Sites 2012: 26 Stunning Additions Are Added to the List
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in China Threatened Due to Tourism
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
