New National Park Honors Cesar Chavez & Farmworkers: Bill Expands Monument, Adds Historic Trail

This legislation officially establishes the Cesar E. Chavez and the Farmworker Movement National Historical Park, aiming to preserve sites and stories tied to the influential labor leader and the broader movement. It essentially upgrades and expands the existing Cesar E. Chavez National Monument in Keene, California, making it the core of this new, more comprehensive historical park spanning sites in California and Arizona.

More Than Just a Monument: Building the Park

The bill doesn't just rename the Keene site; it authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to potentially bring other key locations into the park's official boundary. Specifically named are The Forty Acres in Delano, California, the Santa Rita Center in Phoenix, Arizona, and McDonnell Hall in San Jose, California. However, adding these sites isn't automatic. According to Section 4, they can only be included if the federal government acquires the land (through donation, purchase from a willing seller, or exchange) or if a formal written agreement is made with the current landowners to manage the site according to the park's standards. This ensures property rights are respected while allowing for growth. The bill also allows the National Park Service (NPS) to provide technical help and interpretation for related historical sites outside the park's formal boundaries, broadening the educational reach.

Mapping the Movement: Management and Growth

Setting up a park involves more than just drawing lines on a map. Within three years of funding becoming available, the Secretary of the Interior must develop a General Management Plan. This plan, created in consultation with landowners, tribal governments, relevant organizations like the National Chavez Center, and the public, will be the blueprint for running the park (Section 4). Crucially, this plan will also evaluate other significant locations for potential future inclusion or formal association with the park. This includes sites in California's Coachella Valley and potentially locations in other states connected to the farmworker movement, based on findings from a 2013 NPS study and further research. Recommendations for additions will go to Congress after the plan is complete. The legislation also empowers the NPS to enter into cooperative agreements, essentially partnerships with state, local, private, or tribal entities to help preserve and interpret the park's resources together.

Walking the Walk: The Farmworker Trail

Beyond the park itself, the bill amends the National Trails System Act to designate the "Farmworker Peregrinacin National Historic Trail" (Section 5). This recognizes the historic 300-mile march route from Delano to Sacramento, California, undertaken by farmworkers in 1966. Designation as a National Historic Trail elevates the route's status, potentially leading to signage, interpretation, and preservation efforts along its path, ensuring this pivotal journey remains part of the public memory.