A California museum is moving to strip Cesar Chavez of one of the state’s highest honors following newly published allegations of sexual abuse.
According to Sacramento’s news outlet ABC10, the California Museum in Sacramento said its board of trustees plans to remove Chavez from the California Hall of Fame after a New York Times investigation detailed claims that the labor leader sexually abused multiple girls and engaged in misconduct with women tied to the United Farm Workers.
The decision would mark the first time the museum has rescinded the honor.
In a statement, the museum said it was taking the step in response to the seriousness of the allegations while acknowledging Chavez’s role in advancing farmworker rights. The board also said it is developing a formal process for any future removals.
The Times investigation, based on interviews with more than 60 people and a review of internal union records, found accounts from multiple women who said Chavez abused them as minors in the 1970s, as well as allegations of sexual misconduct involving adult women within the movement. Some of the accounts describe repeated abuse over several years.
The reporting has triggered a wider reassessment of Chavez’s legacy. The United Farm Workers has canceled public events tied to his birthday, and officials in multiple states have said they are considering renaming schools, streets, and other institutions that bear his name.
California Governor Gavin Newsom said he would discuss with lawmakers whether to revisit the state holiday honoring Chavez.
