Gallery Announcement: UFW Posters, 1960s-1980s

The Walter P. Reuther Library of Labor and Affairs is proud to showcase a selection of posters from the United Farm Workers collection. These posters represent important campaigns and events from the early history of the UFW.

The grape and lettuce strikes of the late 1960s and early 1970s, and the boycott campaigns that followed, attracted a host of skillful artists who used their craft to promote the union cause and rally the public’s support. Prominently displayed in several of the posters is the UFW flag, a black Aztec eagle in a white circle on a red background. The eagle was designed by Richard Chávez for the National Farm Workers Association, a predecessor of the UFW in 1962, and modified by the illustrator Andy Zermeño. The union's leader, César Chávez, selected the black and red colors and explained the flag in these words: "A symbol is an important thing. That is why we chose an Aztec eagle. It gives pride... When people see it they know it means dignity."

These posters, which date from the 1960s, the 1970s, and the early 1980s, showcase the graphic compositions of a variety of artists and illustrators, and chronicle the work of César Chávez and hundreds of others who worked tirelessly to champion the cause of justice for farm workers.

Reproductions of nine UFW posters are on display in the Reuther Library Woodcock Gallery. They can also be viewed in the Reuther Library's online image galleries. The Walter P. Reuther Library is the official archival repository of the United Farm Workers of America.