The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum Remembers Dolores Huerta

A pioneering labor leader and civil rights icon, Dolores Huerta dedicated her life to advancing justice, equality, and the rights of working people across the United States and beyond.

Born Dolores Clara Fernandez in 1930 in Dawson, New Mexico. Her father was a miner and union activist who served in the state Legislature. Following her parents’ separation in 1933, she moved with her mother and brothers to California.

Huerta played a pivotal role in building the United Farm Workers movement, organizing strikes and boycotts that helped improve conditions for thousands of farmworkers. In 1960, she organized the Agricultural Workers Association, and two years later, joined Cesar Chavez in forming the National Farm Workers Association. Through her leadership of nationwide boycotts in the early 1970s, Huerta helped create the economic pressure and political climate necessary for California to pass the nation’s first state law recognizing farmworkers’ right to collective bargaining.

Her contributions to labor and civil rights have earned widespread recognition. Among her many accolades, Huerta was the first Latina inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame, and she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012.

Ms. Huerta’s legacy extends far beyond the labor movement, inspiring people throughout the U.S. and beyond. The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum honors Huerta’s courage, joining people around the world in remembering Huerta’s devotion to justice and pursuit of an equitable society.