Leroy Chatfield 1963-1973
LeRoy Chatfield 1963–1973 The NFWA, etc. Documentation Project “Cesar Chavez and His Farmworker Movement” Dedication: To each volunteer in the farmworker movement who worked with such energy, dedication, and self-sacrifice to build the first farm labor union in the history of the United States. If I have anything to say about it, your good work will not go undocumented. Chapter One Interview with Professor Paul Henggeler In Memoriam: Paul R Henggeler Professor of History, University of Texas–Pan American December 12, 2004 I never met Professor Henggeler in person nor talked with him on the telephone. Our only communication was by way of letter and email. He first wrote in November of 2002, asking for my cooperation by answering some of his questions about Cesar Chavez. I agreed to do so, but only in writing. For the next six months he asked pages of questions, and I answered them. It was this exchange with Professor Henggeler that laid the groundwork for the creation of the farmworker documentation project, which began in May of 2003. Now, 20 months later, 188 essays have been written, several thousand emails have been exchanged, and almost 1000 former farmworker movement volunteers have been identified and contacted. All of this can be traced back to the research of one young academic historian. But now he is gone. Not yet 50 years old, he died of an apparent heart attack on July 22, 2004. What a great loss. I know nothing about him personally, except that he was married. I know from our correspondence that he spent the past six years of his life researching and writing about “Cesar Chavez’s leadership of the farmworker movement.” In one of my last communications with Paul, he wrote, “Hi, LeRoy: I can’t thank you enough for the CD-ROM (the essays) and your decision to get folks ‘talking’ about their experiences in the UFW before it all evaporates.” For my part, I cannot thank Paul enough for his support, and affirmation of the documentation project.
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