A work crew installs a new Cesar Chavez Boulevard sign in place of a Ventura Avenue sign at C Street in Fresno on Friday, June 14, 2024. Cesar Chavez Boulevard will now be the name of the road starting from California and Marks in west Fresno, continuing east along Ventura through downtown and then down Kings Canyon Road ending at Peach Avenue for a total of 10 miles.
CRAIG KOHLRUSS
ckohlruss@fresnobee.com
Throughout Northern California, the impact that the late labor leader Cesar Chavez has had is evident. Parks, monuments, schools, streets and other spaces proudly hold Chavez’s name.
But after a deep investigation by The New York Times released Wednesday uncovered years of sexual abuse toward children and young women, his name has taken on a different meaning.
According to The San Francisco Standard, officials around the Bay Area have begun discussions on whether to change the names of buildings and events honoring Chavez.
These are some of the places throughout Northern California that have been named in honor of Chavez.
Parks and public spaces
In the capital city, Mayor Kevin McCarty announced Wednesday afternoon that the city has started the process of removing Chavez’s name from the downtown Sacramento Cesar E. Chavez Plaza. The Sacramento Bee reported that McCarty appointed a renaming committee for the plaza.
Cesar Chavez Park at 11 Spinnaker Way, BerkeleyThe Solar Calendar — A Cesar E. Chavez Memorial at 11 Spinnaker Way, BerkeleySan Joaquin County Cesar Chavez Clinic at 500 West Hospital Road, French CampCesar E. Chavez Park at 615 Sierra Drive, ModestoCesar Chavez Park at1835 38th Ave., OaklandCesar E. Chavez Plaza at 910 I St., SacramentoCesar Chavez Family Home at 53 Scharff Ave., San JosePlaza de Cesar Chavez at 1 Paseo de San Antonio, San JoseCesar Chavez Central Library at 605 North El Dorado St., Stockton 
César E. Chavez Park in Modesto in 2024. Andy Alfaro aalfaro@modbee.com K-12 schools
Fifteen schools under the California Department of Education in Northern California bear Chavez’s name. There are 38 total schools named for Chavez, according to the state department of education’s website.
Cesar Chavez Junior High School, 2701 Eastgate Blvd., CeresCesar Chavez Ravenswood Elementary/Middle School, 2450 Ralmar St., East Palo AltoCesar Chavez Middle School, 27845 Whitman Road, HaywardCesar Chavez Elementary School, 2600 East Pecan Ave., MaderaCesar E. Chavez Elementary School, 50 Tuolumne St., ParlierCesar E. Chavez Middle School, 161 South Plainsburg Road, PlanadaCesar E. Chavez Elementary School, 960 17th St., RichmondCesar E. Chavez Elementary School, 7500 32nd St., SacramentoChavez Elementary School, 825 Shotwell St., San FranciscoCesar Chavez Early Learning Center, 2000 Kammerer Ave., San JoseCesar Chavez Language Academy, 2480 Sebastopol Road, Santa RosaCesar Chavez High School, 2929 Windflower Lane, StocktonCesar Chavez Middle School, 2801 Hop Ranch Road, Union CityCesar E. Chavez Middle School, 440 Arthur Road, WatsonvilleCesar Chavez Community School, 255 West Beamer St., Woodland 
Cesar E. Chavez Middle School in Planada in 2023. Andrew Kuhn Merced Sun-Star file Major streetsCesar Chavez Boulevard in FresnoCesar Chavez Street in San Francisco
According to The Fresno Bee, Fresno City Councilmember Miguel Arias called on the city to change the name of Fresno’s Cesar Chavez Boulevard.
A work crew installs a new Cesar Chavez Boulevard sign in place of a Ventura Avenue sign at C Street in Fresno in 2024. City officials have called to change the street’s name following a bombshell report published by The New York Times alleging Chavez abused young women and girls for years. CRAIG KOHLRUSS ckohlruss@fresnobee.com Colleges and universities
Buildings, memorials and honorary scholarships at higher education institutions across the state are named for Chavez.
The Fresno Bee reported Wednesday that a statue of Chavez at Fresno State University will be removed following the published report.
The statue of Cesar Chavez located in Fresno State’s Peace Garden was covered up following allegations that he sexually abused women and girls. Fresno State said the statue will eventually come down. Nick Fenley The Fresno Bee
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This story was originally published March 18, 2026 at 2:33 PM.
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Camila Pedrosa is a service journalism reporter at The Sacramento Bee. She previously worked as a summer reporting intern for The Bee and reported in Phoenix and Washington, D.C. She graduated from Arizona State University with a master’s degree in mass communication.
The Sacramento Bee
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado is a service journalism reporter at The Sacramento Bee. She previously worked at the Star Democrat in Annapolis, Maryland. Veronica graduated from Georgetown University with a master’s degree in journalism.