Cesar Chavez was a Mexican-American peasant leader, activist in favor of civil rights for the American peasants.
In 1965, Chavez led a strike by grape pickers demanding better wages, supported by a grape boycott. Five years later, their efforts resulted in the first major victory for workers in the US. Influenced by the philosophy of Gandhi, he continued the fight against the larger companies, and participated in three peaceful hunger strikes, achieving better wages and working conditions for the American peasants. Prior to his death, he was preparing a boycott against the use of harmful pesticides.