Cesar Chavez Day Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids César Chávez Day
Poster of Cesar Chavez Day
Observed by	(1) A formal holiday in US states of Arizona, California, Michigan, New Mexico, Washington, Utah, and Wisconsin state holiday (2) An optional holiday in US states of Colorado and Texas, state offices open with limited staffing (3) A festival day in Nebraska and Nevada (4) A commemorative proclamation holiday by the United States
Date	March 31
Next time	March 31, 2026 (2026-03-31)
Frequency	annual

Cesar Chavez Day is a special day in the United States. It is a commemorative holiday, which means it's a day to remember important events or people. President Barack Obama officially announced it in 2014. This holiday celebrates the birthday and important work of Cesar Chavez. He was a leader in the civil rights movement and worked to improve conditions for workers. We celebrate Cesar Chavez Day every year on March 31.

States That Observe Cesar Chavez Day
Who Was Cesar Chavez?
History of the Holiday
- Official Proclamations
- Efforts for a National Holiday
Images for kids
See also

States That Observe Cesar Chavez Day

Many states in the U.S. observe Cesar Chavez Day. Some states close their government offices and schools. Other states recognize it as an "optional holiday." This means offices might stay open, but some people can choose to take the day off.

State	How it's Observed
Arizona	State offices are closed.
California	State offices and schools are closed on March 31.
Colorado	It's an optional holiday on March 31.
Michigan	State offices and schools are closed.
New Mexico	State offices and schools are closed.
Texas	It's an optional holiday on March 31.
Utah	State offices and schools may choose to close.
Wisconsin	State offices and schools are closed.
Washington	March 31 is recognized as Cesar Chavez Day.
Minnesota	March 31 is recognized as Cesar Chavez Day.

Who Was Cesar Chavez?

Cesar Chavez in 1974

Cesar Chavez was born on March 31, 1927. He passed away on April 23, 1993. He was an American farm worker and a very important leader. He helped start the National Farm Workers Association. This group later became the United Farm Workers (UFW) union.

Cesar Chavez worked hard for civil rights. He wanted fair treatment and better pay for farm workers. These workers often faced very difficult conditions. The holiday encourages people to do good deeds for their community. This honors Cesar Chavez's life and his important work.

Many government offices, colleges, libraries, and public schools might close for the day. In some states like Arizona, Michigan, Nebraska, and New Mexico, there are special celebrations. California has observed the day since 1995. Texas started in 2000, and Colorado in 2003.

History of the Holiday

Official Proclamations

In 2008, when he was a senator, Barack Obama supported the idea of a national holiday for Cesar Chavez. Obama said Chavez was a leader for education, the environment, and civil rights. He believed Chavez's work still helps us make America better.

Obama said that farm workers still struggle for fair treatment. He felt that Chavez's accomplishments give us strength. He supported making Cesar Chavez's birthday a national holiday. He believed it was time to honor this American hero.

On March 30, 2011, as president, Obama again showed his support. He said that everyone can learn from Cesar Chavez's life. Since 2003, Cesar Chavez Day has been celebrated in Reno, Nevada. In 2009, a law in Nevada made it a requirement for the governor to declare March 31 as Cesar Chavez Day every year.

On March 28, 2014, President Obama officially declared March 31 as Cesar Chavez Day each year.

Efforts for a National Holiday

Carlos Santana, a musician who supports making Cesar Chavez Day a national holiday

Many people want Cesar Chavez Day to be a national holiday for everyone. Famous musician Carlos Santana supports this idea. Civil rights leaders and labor leaders also agree. In 2006, rallies were held in Los Angeles. The goal was to make more people aware of the holiday outside of California.

Making it a national holiday is a big step. There are rules in Congress that make it hard to introduce bills for new national holidays. Supporters are working to overcome these challenges. They hope that one day, Cesar Chavez Day will be celebrated across the entire country.