Disgraced union titan Cesar Chavez is being wiped off the face of the earth as iconic monuments are covered up and cities mull stripping his name off streets and buildings.

A statue of the labor leader on the campus of California State University, Fresno, was completely covered on Wednesday in a black tarp and black plastic bags, according to KMPH Fox 26.

The huge bust sits on the campus in the Peace Garden, alongside other civil rights leaders leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi. Chavez died in 1993.

Fresno State President Dr. Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval told The Post that the statue will be removed.

“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 statement read.

“We are covering the statue while we determine appropriate next steps for its removal,” the statement added.

Fresno City Councilman Miguel Aries also announced the city would be removing the Chavez name from numerous streets in Fresno.

The scrubbing of Chavez from the city comes one day after celebrations in his name were canceled across the state, following bombshell rape accusations against Chavez.

A report from the New York Times detailed accounts from multiple women, two of whom said they were children when Chavez began sexually abusing them.

Ana Murguia claimed the abuse started when she was just 13, while Debra Rojas said she was first assaulted at 12 and later raped at 15.

In response, officials in cities across the Golden State have said they’ve started taking steps to remove the name of the farm labor leader from various parks, schools, memorials, and buildings.

Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty released a statement to The California Post about renaming Cesar E. Chavez Plaza park across from city hall.

He said that as someone who “supported and participated in UFW and Chavez Day marches for 30 years, I’m personally saddened and disturbed by the allegations against Cesar Chavez.”

The statement said the city took the “allegations seriously” and would ensure the “naming of our City facilities aligns with our values.”

“I am appointing a Council subcommittee – Vice Mayor [Karina] Talamantes, Mayor Pro Tem [Eric] Guerra, and Councilmember [Phil] Pluckebaum – to guide the renaming of our downtown plaza park.”

Sacramento city council member Caity Maple issued a statement to The Post that she supported renaming the plaza, following the shocking allegations of child sexual abuse and rape.

“To prevent further harm, I support renaming Cesar Chavez Plaza, and the city should work with impacted communities to get it right,” Maple wrote in a statement.

“We must also separate the individual from the movement.”

City officials in Riverside, where a community center is named after Chavez and a statue of the leader sits on the Main Street Mall, told The Post that “The City of Riverside is aware of the reports involving the alleged conduct of the late Cesar Chavez. Like a lot of Californians, we are shocked by the reports and processing potential next steps.”

In a stunning revelation, longtime activist Dolores Huerta — Chavez’s closest ally — also alleged he sexually assaulted her, a claim she had never previously made public.

She described an incident in 1966 and said she later bore two of his children, which she kept secret.

Huerta said she hid the pregnancies with loose clothing and ponchos, later giving birth to the girls and arranging for them to be raised by others.

“The first time I was manipulated and pressured into having sex with him, and I didn’t feel I could say no because he was someone that I admired, my boss and the leader of the movement I had already devoted years of my life to,” she said in a statement after the investigation was made public. “The second time I was forced, against my will, and in an environment where I felt trapped.”

On Wednesday, California Rising announced it will host a press conference calling for the renaming of Cesar Chavez Avenue in Los Angeles to Dolores Huerta Avenue. 

There are more than 100 libraries, parks, schools, education centers, memorials, monuments, and boulevards named in Chavez honor throughout the state.

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee responded to The Post about what the city plans to do with the Cesar E. Chavez Park.

“We stand unequivocally with Dolores Huerta and the survivors who have come forward. Their courage in speaking out must be met not only with words, but with action, accountability, and an unwavering commitment to justice and dignity,” Lee said.

“This moment calls for clarity and conviction: no individual, regardless of their stature or legacy, is above accountability.”

The University of California, Davis, has removed Cesar Chavez’s name from a youth leadership conference, the Times reported.

Several other California State Universities have statues, murals, and buildings on their campus named in honor of Chavez.

The California State University (CSU) issued a statement to The Post and said it is “deeply troubled by the recent allegations concerning Cesar Chavez.”

“As a significant historical figure, his legacy is honored in various ways across CSU universities, including through statues, murals and building names. At the same time, the CSU is firmly committed to fostering university environments centered on respect, integrity and the safety and dignity of all members of our campus communities. We are carefully reviewing this information and considering appropriate courses of action.”

The California post has also reached to various city officials, schools, and more to find out if they too plan to remove/rename their iconic sites following the horrible claims against Chavez.

A Los Angeles Unified spokesperson told the Post that it’s “aware of the recent, troubling allegations related to Cesar Chavez. 

“The District is reviewing curriculum and resources to ensure the emphasis remains on the important work of the farmworker movement, not on any one individual.”

City officials in San Diego confirmed that they were “currently evaluating any City-owned assets that bear his name.”

Democratic gubernatorial candidate San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan said he was “deeply troubled by the serious and disturbing allegations.”

“We recognize that Chavez’s ties to San José come with a responsibility to ensure we are not further traumatizing survivors. We have cancelled City events associated with the state holiday and will identify ways to honor the legacy of the farmworker movement without celebrating individuals who caused such profound harm to the community.”

The mayor said he along with other council members “will initiate a process to identify locations, monuments, and other sites bearing Chavez’s name or likeness and drive a community-driven initiative that appropriately honors the broader farmworker justice movement without causing further harm to survivors.”

Cesar Chavez Day, celebrated on March 31, remains a legal holiday and paid day off for state employees.

California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedIn
California Post SportsFacebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X
California Post Opinion
California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!
California Post App: Download here!
Home delivery: Sign up here!
Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!