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Dolores Huerta cause of death: All we know as co-founder of United Farm Workers dies at 96
Dolores Huerta, a pioneering labor organizer and civil rights activist, has died at 96.
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Dolores Huerta, the trailblazing labor organizer and civil rights champion who established the United Farm Workers movement alongside Cesar Chavez during the 1960s, passed away at the age of 96, according to an announcement released by her family on Wednesday.
“We are deeply saddened to announce that our beloved mother, Dolores Huerta, has passed away today,” the statement said.
The family has requested privacy during this time of grief while acknowledging that people across the globe are joining them in their sorrow. They indicated that forthcoming arrangements to honor and commemorate her life's work and enduring impact will be announced subsequently.
Dolores Huerta's cause of death
According to the New York Times, Huerta died due to cancer.
Huerta entered the world on April 10, 1930, in Dawson, New Mexico, a mining community, before relocating to Stockton, California, alongside her mother and siblings. During her career as an elementary school educator, she witnessed the difficult circumstances faced by farmworker households, which motivated her to engage with the Community Service Organization as a volunteer—an organization where she would eventually encounter Cesar Chavez.
A look at Dolores Huerta's career
In 1962, Huerta and Chavez established the National Farm Workers Association, which would later evolve into the United Farm Workers. Their efforts were instrumental in coordinating the 1965 Delano grape strike and orchestrating an international boycott that successfully secured improved labor conditions, access to clean water, designated rest periods, and collective bargaining rights. Throughout her activism, she experienced arrest on 22 occasions while participating in peaceful demonstrations.
Chavez and Huerta maintained a professional association as labor leaders throughout many decades. However, she disclosed last year that Chavez had committed rape against her in the distant past, joining several other women in making allegations of sexual misconduct against him. Chavez passed away in 1993.
In 2012, President Barack Obama presented her with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America's most prestigious civilian award. She maintained her commitment to social change through the Dolores Huerta Foundation located in Bakersfield. Upon reaching age 95 in April 2025, Los Angeles County designated a special day to recognize her contributions and legacy.
