Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said he would work with lawmakers in the next legislative session to remove the holiday altogether.
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Wednesday that the state will no longer observe César Chavez Day, which is March 31. In a social media post on Wednesday, Abbott directed all state agency heads to comply and signaled a broader push to remove the holiday from state law.
The move comes in the wake of newly reported allegations against the labor rights leader, who died in 1993, detailed in a The New York Times investigation.
According to the investigation, at least two women alleged they were sexually assaulted by Chavez when they were minors. In a statement released Wednesday, labor leader Dolores Huerta said she remained silent for decades out of concern that speaking out could harm the farmworker movement. She described two encounters with Chavez, one where she was “manipulated and pressured” and another where she was “forced against my will.”
“I carried this secret for as long as I did because building the movement and securing farmworker rights was life’s work,” Huerta said, emphasizing that the cause extended beyond any one individual. She said she was unaware of other alleged victims at the time and condemned Chavez’s actions.
In the post, Abbott said, “The state of Texas will not observe the Cesar Chavez Day holiday. I am directing all Texas state agency heads to comply.”
He added that in the upcoming legislative session, he will work with lawmakers to eliminate the holiday.
Abbott pointed to “horrific and widely acknowledged sexual assault allegations” against Chavez, saying they “rightfully dismantle the myth of this progressive hero and undermine the narrative that elevated Chavez as a figure worthy of official state celebration.”
Abbott’s announcement follows several cancellations across Texas, including in Houston, where organizers scrapped a planned march in the East End. The event, which had been scheduled for March 28 at noon along Cesar Chavez Boulevard, was called off after organizers said canceling was “a wise thing to do” in light of the allegations.
In addition to cancellations in Texas, other states are now reconsidering events and public spaces named in Chavez’s honor, reflecting a broader national reckoning as the allegations continue to draw attention.
The Associated Press contributed to this report