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LA CAUSA PARA LA RAZA: THE EDUCATIVE PROCESSES AND DEVELOPMENT OF KNOWLEDGE IN THE UNITED FARM WORKERS FROM 1962 TO 1970 Ellen Grace Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in Adult and Continuing Education H. W. Stubblefield, Chair M. Boucouvalas A. K. Wiswell L. Brooks L. Coombs February 16, 1997 Blacksburg, VA Key Words: Adult Education, UFW, Chavez, Social Movements LA CAUSA PARA LA RAZA: THE EDUCATIVE PROCESSES AND DEVELOPMENT OF KNOWLEDGE IN THE UNITED FARM WORKERS FROM 1962 TO 1970 by Ellen Grace Committee Chairperson: Harold W. Stubblefield Adult Education (ABSTRACT) This historical study examined the educative processes and development of knowledge in the social movement of the United Farm Workers from 1962 to 1970. Materials for this study were found in the archives of Labor History and Urban Affairs at the Walter Reuther Library at Wayne State University and from secondary sources. A conceptual framework for this study was built upon the theories and positions of those from adult education, educational history, and sociology. This study found that adult learning outside of formal, institutional education can be empowering and life changing as well as providing valuable skills. The learning that occurred in Cesar Chavez's adult life strongly influenced him to leave the migrant stream and establish a community union and social movement. Likewise, the educative processes within the United Farm Workers (UFW) were empowering and prompted farm workers collectively to takes risks to challenge the status quo in their quest for social change. In addition to empowerment, this study determined that the UFW provided numerous educational opportunities for its members to enhance their work, writing, speaking, leadership, and organizational skills. This study determined that Chavez's role in the UFW was inherently educative and that the UFW generated knowledge to society that affected social change. As the movement intellectual, Chavez defined the identity and interests of the social movement to society. Chavez's message was clear. La Causa Para La Raza sought dignity and economic and social justice for the farm workers. The purpose of la causa was for farm workers to gain greater control over their lives and to become more active participants in a democratic society. In 1970, for the first time in the history of farm labor, the UFW succeeded in gaining union contracts from twenty-six major growers in California. Social and economic justice had been won. Conclusions drawn from the study indicate that as a social movement during the period between 1962 and 1970 the UFW offered unique and diverse educational opportunities and experiences for Mexican American farm workers that would not have been possible in institutional education. The UFW demonstrated the diversity and power of educative processes in a social movement for those alienated from formal education. In the tradition of Dewey, Lindeman, and Freire, the UFW represented education for social change. iii For my parents, Arlene and Frederic Boyer and my children, Edan and Ian Ali iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Many individuals were significant to me in the development and completion of this dissertation. This is an appropriate place to express my deep appreciation and to thank them for their contributions. From the very beginning, this study was encouraged by Dr. Harold Stubblefield, educator and historian. I am very grateful for his invaluable help, guidance, and wisdom throughout the process. Throughout the doctoral program Dr. Stubblefield has been a source of professional and personal inspiration to me. I gratefully acknowledge the support from other committee members. My warmest appreciation to Dr. Marcie Boucouvalas. She has been a constant source of support throughout the program and has inspired me to think outside the lines and dare to take a different perspective. A word of special thanks and appreciation goes to Dr. Lester Brooks. He not only gave me invaluable insights into the writing of the dissertation, but he also "stayed on my case" to complete it. My appreciation also goes to Dr. Bert Wiswell and Dr. Letitia Combs for their support and able assistance. There are many other people who have inspired and supported me through my academic endeavors. To all of them I am grateful. I am particularly grateful to my parents, Arlene and Frederic Boyer who instilled in me a love of life-long learning and to my children, Edan and Ian Ali, who have supported mom throughout -- even when it meant less time for them. v TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER Page 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................... 1 Background of the Problem................................................. 2 Statement of the Problem ................................................... 6 Purpose of the Study......................................................... 8 Research Questions .......................................................... 8 Significance of Study ........................................................ 8 Definition of Terms.......................................................... 9 Education and Social Movements .....................................10 Social Movement ........................................................11 Research Method .............................................................12 Research Design .........................................................12 Sources of Data ..........................................................14 Data Collection...........................................................14 Data Analysis.............................................................15 Organization of the Study ..............................................15 2. RELEVANT LITERATURE IN BUILDING A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK................................................17 Sociological Context and Critical Theory.................................17 Sociological Perspective of Adult Education ........................17 Critical Social Theory...................................................19 Social Movement Theory ...................................................20 Collective Behavior Interpretation.....................................20 European Interpretation .................................................21 Resource Mobilization ..................................................22 New Social Movement (NSM).........................................23 vi Application of Resource Mobilization Theory to UFW ................24 Adult Education and Social Change in Democracies....................25 John Dewey...............................................................25 Eduard Lindeman ........................................................26 Paulo Freire...............................................................28 Contemporary Interests in Social Change ............................30 Sites of Learning, Skill-Building and Empowerment ...................31 Finger - Crisis of Modernity ...........................................31 Welton - Learning Sites.................................................33 Dykstra and Law - Educative Forces......................................34 Holford - Learning and Knowledge Construction...................35 Construction of Knowledge for Society.................................. .37 The Movement Intellectual .................................................38 Historiography of Social Movements and Education....................39 Free Spaces ...............................................................40 Southern Farmers' Alliance ............................................41 Myles Horton and Highlander .........................................43 Education as Empowerment for Hispanic Populations..................45 Summary ......................................................................47 3. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND ON FARMING, FARM WORKERS AND FARM LABOR ORGANIZING IN CALIFORNIA BEFORE 1962...50 Farming and Farm Workers ................................................50 Early Dependence on Migrant Farm Workers.......................51 Chinese Farm Workers..................................................52 Japanese Farm Workers.................................................53 Mexican Farm Workers.................................................53 Filipino Farm Workers..................................................54 East Indian, European Farm Workers ................................55 Dust Bowlers .............................................................55 vii Agribusiness ................................................................. .57 Exclusion From wagner and Fair Labor Standards Act................ .60 The Bracero Program....................................................... .61 Farm Labor Organizing Attempts Before 1962 ......................... .64 International Workers of the World.................................. .66 Mutual Aid and Communist Organizers ............................. .67 CAWIU, UCAPAWA, and FALA................................... .69 National Farm Laborers Union ....................................... .72 Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee........................73 Summary ..................................................................... .73 4. THE LEARNING PROCESSES THAT INSPIRED CHAVEZ TO FORM THE UFW .............................................................. .75 Lessons of Poverty, Discrimination and Powerlessness