Boycott Grapes

The Delano Grape Strike and Boycott lasted five years from 1965 to 1970. It was organized by Cesar Chavez along with the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee and the National Farm Workers Association. The movement drew widespread national attention and was supported by prominent figures including Martin Luther King and Senator Robert Kennedy. The strike and subsequent boycott arose as a response to the exploitation of mostly Latino and Filipino workers by table and wine grape growers in the Delano area in California. The short phrase “Boycott Grapes” became ubiquitous in cities and college campuses, and also became a symbol of unity for the workers who maintained the strike for five years before obtaining their demands.