Fort Worth city leaders and Latino groups are disassociating themselves from César Chávez after sexual abuse allegations emerged against the civil rights icon.
City officials removed street toppers honoring Chávez from a section of N.E. 28th Street between Main and Beach streets the morning of March 19, Mayor Pro Tem Carlos Flores announced at a press conference.
A New York Times investigation published Wednesday detailed allegations that Chávez, who died in 1993, groomed and sexually abused underaged girls, women and United Farm Workers co-founder Dolores Huerta — who confirmed the allegations — during the 1960s and 1970s.
Chávez’s actions do not align with Fort Worth’s values, and keeping the street toppers sends “a wrong message,” Flores said.
Fort Worth and community leaders had gathered for the unveiling of the César Chávez and Dolores Huerta street toppers in the Northside in 2020. (Courtesy | Rachel DeLira Pictures)
The councilman championed the installation of street toppers in his Northside district in 2020 to honor both labor leaders. Huerta’s designation on Ephriham Avenue will remain, he said.
“The integrity of honoring someone is not only for the present day, but it also applies to the future,” Flores said. “Now that we’re learning these new things about César Chávez, we have to take appropriate action for the integrity of the process.”
The César Chávez & Dolores Huerta Committee of Tarrant County — which has honored the civil rights leaders locally for over 25 years — is rebranding itself as the ¡Sí Se Puede! Committee of Tarrant County. The new name references the famous slogan coined by Huerta that roughly translates to “Yes, we can.”
Organizers with the Tarrant committee said they take the allegations seriously and need time to “process, reflect and determine all of our next steps.” The group’s name will take a while to permanently change since it is a registered nonprofit, according to a statement from its leaders.
“We hope that, as an organization, we can create a safe space and serve as a resource for the community,” the statement read. “Our local organization is led by a majority of women, and we will continue our organization’s work rooted in integrity, dignity, innovation, and a ‘Sí Se Puede’ attitude.”
The committee’s “No Kings, No Ice” protest in Fort Worth will continue as scheduled on March 28 in place of its traditional March for Justice honoring Chávez.
The César Chávez & Dolores Huerta Committee of Tarrant County, which hosts annual marches honoring the labor leaders’ work, is rebranding to include ¡Sí Se Puede! in its name as it distances itself from Chávez. (Courtesy | ¡Sí Se Puede! Committee of Tarrant County)
Founded in 2000, the Tarrant County committee has hosted annual marches, birthday celebrations and advocated for citywide recognitions to honor the labor leader. The group added Huerta to its name in 2025 to honor the legacies of women in the farmworker and civil rights movements, according to a statement.
César Chávez Day celebrations honoring his March 31 birthday have been canceled as communities across the state and country grapple with how to reconsider the civil rights leader’s legacy.
Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare is exploring legal options to immediately stop the county from recognizing the holiday and would call a special meeting, if necessary, he said in a statement on Wednesday.
David Moreno is the arts and culture reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at david.moreno@fortworthreport.org or @davidmreports.
The Fort Worth Report’s arts and culture coverage is supported in part by the Meta Alice Keith Bratten Foundation and the Virginia Hobbs Charitable Trust. At the Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
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