Beyond the Fields

Cesar Chavez is the most prominent Latino in United States history books, and much has been written about Chavez and the United Farm Worker's heyday in the 1960s and '70s. But left untold has been their ongoing impact on 21st century social justice movements. Beyond the Fields unearths this legacy, and describes how Chavez and the UFW's imprint can be found in the modern reshaping of the American labor movement, the building of Latino political power, the transformation of Los Angeles and California politics, the fight for environmental justice, and the burgeoning national movement for immigrant rights. Many of the ideas, tactics, and strategies that Chavez and the UFW initiated or revivedand#151;including the boycott, the fast, clergy-labor partnerships and door-to-door voter outreachand#151;are now so commonplace that their roots in the farmworkers' movement is forgotten.

This powerful book also describes how the UFW became the era's leading incubator of young activist talent, creating a generation of skilled alumni who went on to play critical roles in progressive campaigns. UFW volunteers and staff were dedicated to furthering economic justice, and many devoted their post-UFW lives working for social change. When Barack Obama adopted and#147;Yes We Canand#8221; as his 2008 campaign theme, he confirmed that the spirit of and#147;Si Se Puedeand#8221; has never been stronger, and that it still provides the clearest roadmap for achieving greater social and economic justice in the United States.

and#8220;A useful resource for anyone interested in organizing, activism, or social movements.and#8221;

and#8220;Examines the enduring influence of the United Farm Workersand#8217; model of grassroots organization.and#8221; Starred Review

"[An] important study."--Z Magazine

and#8220;A seminal new work not only for historians and devotees of the Chicano Movement, and the UFW in particular, but for all those working for progressive causes.and#8221;

and#8220;Invaluable for anyone interested in the evolution of unionization over the past forty years.and#8221;

“A useful resource for anyone interested in organizing, activism, or social movements.” T. A. Frank - The Washington Monthly

and#8220;A thoughtful, informative, and provocative book.and#8221;

and#8220;Shows the enduring value of the UFWand#8217;s approach . . . on the job and in the community.and#8221;

and#8220;[An] important study.and#8221;

A serious and reflective account.

and#8220;Shawand#8217;s book provides valuable history to guide activists in the battles to come, and is an inspiring read.and#8221;

and#8220;Shaw does a stellar job of writing the history of the UFW and its key figures.and#8221;

"If the Documentation Project could enforce a required reading list, Randy Shaw's Beyond the Fields would top the list. For former UFW Volunteers, whether their service was one month, one year, or a decade, Randy Shaw's book is a MUST READ."and#151;LeRoy Chatfield, Farmworkers Documentation Project

"An important, stunningly original, and forcefully argued book."and#151;Ruth Milkman, Director of the UCLA Institute of Industrial Relations and author of L.A. Story: Immigrant Workers and the Future of the U.S. Labor Movement

"The most powerful social earthquake in California history struck the farm town of Delano in 1965 and, as Randy Shaw explains in this fascinating, invaluable study, its aftershocks are still shaking workplaces and elections across America."and#151;Mike Davis, author of In Praise of Barbarians

"Offers a powerful and moving account of how the UFW transformed people's lives, instilling a lifetime commitment to social justice. Shaw shows how the spirit, strategies, and tactics of the UFW in its heyday still provide workers, immigrants, faith-based activists and others seeking social justice with a roadmap to win local struggles and national campaigns. If you want to understand the roots of 'Si se Puede' (Yes, We Can), read this book."and#151;Fred Ross, Jr, UFW community and labor organizer

Randy Shaw is the Director of San Francisco's Tenderloin Housing Clinic, and is Editor of the online daily newspaper, BeyondChron.org. His previous books are The Activist's Handbook and Reclaiming America, both from UC Press.

List of Illustrations

Preface

Acknowledgments

Introduction

1. Cesar Chavez and the UFW: Revival of the Consumer Boycott

2. The UFW Boycott Transformed

3. Building the Clergy-Labor Alliance: Reviving the Fast

4. Yes We Cane: Miami's Janitors Struggle for Justice

5. The UFW Battles Pesticides

6. The UFW Grassroots Political Model: Legislative Advocacy and Voter Outreach

7. The Labor-Latino Alliance

8. Building the Immigrant Rights Movement: Sand#237; Se Puede!

9. The Immigrant Rights Movement Explodes

10. The Decline of the UFW

11. Harvesting Justice beyond the Fields: The Ongoing Legacy of

UFW Alumni

Conclusion: Fostering Social Justice in the Twenty-first Century

Notes

Index