Long Beach Council Launches Process To Possibly Remove Cesar Chavez's Name From City Facilities

LONG BEACH, CA — During its most recent meeting, the Long Beach City Council took three actions that could erase the name of Cesar Chavez from the city's infrastructure, including beginning a review and renaming process for all facilities named for Chavez.

On March 24, the Council voted to have City Manager Tom Modica work with all appropriate departments including: Parks, Recreation and Marine; Community Development; and the Office of Equity, as well as engage with the Parks and Recreation Commission and community stakeholders, to initiate a review and renaming process for City-owned parks, facilities, and other assets currently honoring the former civil rights leader, including Cesar E. Chavez Park in downtown Long Beach.

The City of Long Beach said in a statement that rather than Cesar Chavez, it wants names that are "more consistent with the city’s broader values of equity, inclusion, and justice."

The agenda item also directs the City to revise the city's designation of March 31 as Cesar Chavez Day and instead rename it Farmworkers Day.

In addition, the City plans to reach out to other major institutions in the city about renaming its Chavez-connected facilities, including the Long Beach Unified School District, Long Beach City College, and Cal State Long Beach.

Long Beach is just one of various municipalities and public and private institutions that have taken actions to divorce themselves from Chavez's name in the wake of accusations that the late civil rights leader sexually abused many girls and women in the late-to-mid 1970s during his time as head of the United Farm Workers labor union.

The vote to move forward on the actions was 8-0. Councilmember Joni Ricks-Oddie was absent.