FRESNO, Calif. (FOX26) — The statue of Cesar Chavez on the campus of Fresno State was covered by a black tarp and black plastic on Wednesday.
The move comes after revelations of sexual misconduct by the American labor leader and civil rights activist.
Fresno State’s President sent a campus-wide statement out on Wednesday:
Dear Campus Community,
I am deeply saddened and disturbed by the allegations being reported about César Chávez; this reporting is compounded by the painful statement made by Dolores Huerta this morning. These profoundly troubling claims about the rape of women and minors call for our full attention and moral reckoning by removing his statue from our campus.
The monument to César Chávez in our Peace Garden was erected in 1996 to honor the spirit of peaceful assembly and the broader labor movement that has shaped this region. In light of the seriousness of the current revelations, as a first step, we are covering the statue while we determine appropriate next steps for its removal.
At Fresno State, our values are grounded in dignity, respect, and care for one another. When we become aware of reports of such a serious nature, we must acknowledge their weight and hold space for those who have been harmed.
Our university is part of the Central Valley, a region directly shaped by the farmworker movement and its enduring impact on labor rights, opportunity and justice. The legacy of those struggles continues to shape our identity – to instill pride and recognize the strides we’ve made towards securing greater dignity across our community. Indeed, we must now honor that history by acknowledging the harm done to the victims while we continue to highlight the immense value of the farmworkers whose hard work and sacrifice continue to feed our nation.
With that responsibility as our guide, I will convene our Peace Garden committee, who will provide updates moving forward. Together, we will approach this moment with care, mindful of our commitment. We will take the time to listen, to learn, and to act in a way that honors our history and respects our ongoing responsibility to one another.
Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval, Ph.D.
President
Earlier in the day, Fresno City Councilman Miguel Aries announced Fresno would be removing the Chavez name from the streets of Fresno.
On Tuesday, the Cesar Chavez Foundation says it has learned of “disturbing allegations” that labor leader Cesar Chavez engaged in inappropriate sexual behavior with women and minors during his time as president of the United Farm Workers of America.
“We are deeply shocked and saddened by what we are hearing,” the foundation said.
Then on Wednesday, civil rights leader Dolores Huerta released a statement saying she was sexually assaulted by Chavez.
“Both sexual encounters with Cesar led to pregnancies,” said Herta. “I chose to keep my pregnancies secret and, after the children were born, I arranged for them to be raised by other families that could give them stable lives.”
It’s unknown at this time if Fresno State plans to remove the Cesar Chavez memorial.