Historical Significance
of the
Edison Social Club
and the founding of the
National Farm Worker
Association
September 30, 1962
Dr. Paul A. Garcia
Eddie Varela, President,
El Concilio de Fresno
(Commemorative Plaque)
On this site on September
30, 1962, a group of mostly
immigrant farm workers
met to hold the inaugural
convention of the National
Farm Worker Association.
…..
2/23/2023 1
Edison Social Club: Evidence to support the
existence of the facility
Edison Social Club
1405 E. California
Fresno, CA
Image source: Fresno County Library
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Edison Social Club: Evidence to support the
existence of the facility.
Realtor’s Plot Map:
Parcel location of
Edison Social Club
Image source: Fresno County
Library.2/23/2023 3
Current use of the site located at 1405 E.
California Ave.
Residential home.
Image source: Dr. Paul Garcia
2/23/2023 4
The National Farm Worker Association
(NFWA)
Purpose of the National Farm Worker Association.
• Empower migrant farmworkers
• Improve their wages
• Improve working conditions
• Promote nonviolence, and
• Educate members on political and social issues.
Button Image source: Eliseo Medina
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Evidence to support NFWA organizational meeting held at the Edison Social Hall.
NFWA newsletter announcing meeting and purpose.
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Evidence to support NFWA organizational
meeting held at the Edison Social Hall.
Minutes of NFWA meeting.
English version.
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Evidence to support NFWA organizational
meeting held at the Edison Social Hall.
Minutes of NFWA meeting.
Spanish version
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Evidence to support NFWA organizational meeting held
at the Edison Social Hall.
Listing of delegates attending NFWA
meeting.
Image Source: United Farm Worker archives, Wayne State University. 2/23/2023 9
Evidence to support NFWA organizational
meeting held at the Edison Social Hall.
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Delegates to the
Fresno 1962
NFWA convention.
Image Source: Copy of image provided by Gilbert
Padilla former Secretary/Treasurer of UFW
Original source unknown.
Evidence to support NFWA organizational
meeting held at the Edison Social Hall.
NFWA delegate credential
authorization to represent a
farmworker committee from the
City of Stockton, County of San
Joaquin.
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Evidence to support NFWA organizational
meeting held at the Edison Social Hall.
Official ballot tally of
the election of NFWA
officers.
Image Source: United Farm Worker
archives, Wayne State University.
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Major Convention Events
• The convention was a one-day event that was conducted under Robert’s Rules of Order.
• Election of officers was conducted
• Monthly dues were set $3.50
Motions were approved to establish a:
• Credit union
• Hiring hall
• Group insurance
• According to the meeting minutes, La Causa was adopted as the official motto and the thunderbird eagle as its iconic symbol. 2/23/2023 13
Major Convention Events
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• It was a daunting struggle to organize laborers who
lived in small isolated rural communities, most spoke
only Spanish, many were migrant workers, and some
lived in labor camps.
The location of the NFWA convention has been
corroborated.
About 150 workers and their families
gathered at 10:00 am on Sunday at the
Edison Social Hall at 1405 California Street in
Fresno…
He [Cesar Chavez]asked for a motion to
formally organize the Farm Workers
Association. P. 8 8
The crusades of Cesar Chavez
Miriam Pawel, 2014
2/23/2023 15
Federal government recognition of Chavez’
contributions.
National Park Service:
Statement of
recognition of the
contributions of Cesar
E. Chavez.
¡Si, Se Puede! Yes, we can.
Widely recognized as the most important Latino Leader in the United States during the twentieth century, Cesar E. Chavez led farm workers and supporters in the establishment of the country’s first permanent agricultural union. His leadership brought sustained international attention to the plight of U.S. farm workers and secured for them higher wages and safer working conditions.
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Federal government recognition of Chavez’
contributions.
National Park Service:
virtual Tour of Cesar
E. Chavez National
Monument.
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Criteria: Associated with lives of persons significant in our past…(Fresno City Regulation, Art. 16, Sec. 12)
Persons of significance in our past:
Criterion met!
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Criteria: Associated with events that made a significant contribution to our history…(Fresno City Regulation, Art. 16, Sec. 12)* Criterion met!
• Signed first farmworker-led union contract, Schenley Inc. • Unlike many other attempts to organize farmworkers, the NFWA was a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic
organization.
• Successful nation-wide grape and lettuce boycott led to improved working conditions and wages for
farmworkers.
• Led the establishment of the first state Agricultural Labor Relations Board that gave farmworkers the right to
collective bargaining and union representation.
2/23/2023 19* Partial list
Properties Associated with Cesar Chavez and the
Farm Labor Movement.
Properties of interest
related to Cesar
Chavez and the Farm
Labor Movement.
Source: National Park Service
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Article: Birthplace of National Farmworkers Union
GV Wire: Time to Honor
Fresno Birthplace of
National Farmworkers
Union.
Source:
https://gvwire.com/2022/10/19/after-60-
years-time-to-honor-fresno-birthplace-of-
national-farmworkers-union
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We appreciate your thoughtful consideration
and support of our proposal.
¡Si Se Puede!
It Can Be Done!
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