Dolores Huerta, leader of the fight for US farmworkers' rights, has died

American civil rights activist Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers union, has died at the age of 96. Her family confirmed her death and asked for privacy. Earlier this year, Huerta publicly accused Chavez of coercing her into sexual contact.

Otabek YusupovFirst published on tafs uz 28 October 2026 at 21:322 min read

The key facts

Dolores Huerta has died at the age of 96, her family announced
Together with Cesar Chavez, she founded the United Farm Workers union in the 1960s
Earlier in 2026, Huerta accused Chavez of coercing her into intimate relations in the 1960s

Death and recognition of her contributions

Dolores Huerta, one of the key figures in the movement for the rights of agricultural workers in the United States, has died at the age of 96, her family said. BBC News reported the death of the civil rights activist citing a family statement. Family spokesperson Eric Olvera asked for privacy on Wednesday: “As you can imagine, this is an incredibly difficult time for us, and we ask for privacy as we grieve this incredible loss to our family.”

Legacy in the labor movement

In the 1960s and 1970s, Huerta, together with another labor movement leader, Cesar Chavez, fought for the rights of agricultural workers; together they founded the United Farm Workers (UFW) union. Through her foundation, Huerta continued her activism, working on immigration and voting rights issues.

Accusations against Chavez

Earlier this year, Huerta said that Chavez, who died in 1993, had “manipulated and pressured” her into sexual contact, and on another occasion in the 1960s used force. This came after a New York Times investigation that cited statements from Huerta and two other women, who said that Chavez coerced young women involved in the labor movement into sexual relationships and committed sexual violence against them. Huerta said that both encounters with Chavez resulted in pregnancies, which she decided to keep secret, arranging for the children to be raised by other families. Chavez's family said at the time that it was “devastated” by these reports and praised the women for their “courage in coming forward.”