Today, March 31, is the 90th day of the year (91st day in leap year) on the Gregorian Calendar. The Zodiac sign for individuals born on this day is Aries.
March 31st is Cesar Chavez Day. Cesar Estrada Chavez was the founder and president of the United Farm Workers of America. A Mexican American, he worked for the equality of the Latino worker. He faced America’s powerful industries in his battle.
Chevez was born on a farm near Yuma, Arizona on March 31, 1927. His family was forced off their farm and became migrant workers. Chavez was forced to leave school at eighth grade and become a field worker along with his family. He joined the army in 1945.
In 1966, Chavez was the leader of a 340-mile march from Delano to Sacramento. The march was to bring attention to the plight of farm workers and to allow them to organize a union and allow collective bargaining agreements. To show the nonviolent attitude of the strikers, he went on a water only fast in 1968. In the 1970’s, he called for a boycott of grapes and forced the grape growers to accept union contracts for the first time.
Up to the day of his death on April 23, 1993, Chavez was fighting for his cause. At that time, he was helping attorneys defend the union again Bruce Church, Inc. a Salinas, California lettuce and vegetable producer. http://www.cesarchavezholiday.org/aboutcesarechavez.html
The 2000s
2004: Four American private military contractors working for Blackwater USA, are killed and mutilated in Fallujah, Iraq.
The 1990s
- 1991: The Islamic Constitutional Movement, or Hadas, is established in Kuwait.
- 1995: The longest labour disagreement in Major League Baseball history ends.
The 1950s
- 1951: First UNIVAC I computer delivered by Remington Rand to the United States Census Bureau.
- 1959: Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama escapes China on foot by crossing the Himalayas on foot towards India.
The 1940s
- 1949: Newfoundland entered the confederation as Canada's 10th province.
The 1800s
- 1889: The Eiffel Tower is completed in Paris, France overtaking the Washington Monument as the worlds tallest structure.
Holidays and Observances
Famous Birthdays
- 1948: Al Gore - An Inconvenient Truth
- 1943: Christopher Walken - The Deer Hunter
- 1928: Gordie Howe - Detroit Red Wings
- 1927: Cesar Chavez - Activist
- 1596: Rene Descartes - Philosopher
Famous Deaths
- 1995: Selena - Musician
- 1993: Brandon Lee - The Crow
- 1980: Jesse Owens - Olympian
- 1945: Anne Frank - World War II victim
- 1727: Sir Isaac Newton - Scientist
