Melon Strike of 1966

In 1966 for about 90 days hundreds of men, women and children from Starr County began a strike that change workers’ rights in Texas. This march began from our side of the world (RGV) to the state capitol (Austin, TX) where over 15,000 people, including Cesar Chavez, voiced their opinions.

The strike for fair wages began the summer of 1966, when The National Farm Workers Association in Texas called attention to harsh working conditions and low pay. The strike began against the Starr County melon growers who were paying workers between 40 - 85 cents an hour. The strikers demanded a minimum wage of $1.25, workers shut down every packing shed in the county in the middle of the melon harvest season. The melon strike sparked the Chicano movement in Texas which led to Texas civil rights movement.

NOTE: The students have provided a description of the United Farm Worker's Melon Strike of 1966. However, the primary sources provided relate to the Texas Farm Worker's Melon Strike of 1976.