When César Chávez and Dolores Huerta Came to Napa

Abstract

This story is seemingly about César Chávez, Dolores Huerta, and an event in the Napa Valley. The event involved the unveiling of two statues commemorating the historic presence of these Chicana/o freedom fighters in the valley. Yet as Michel-Rolph Trouillot argues, in historical accounts, there is always a story within a story. This essay aims to examine the layered narratives that surrounded this event and the purposes served by this particular commemoration. It offers a broader critique of how historical commemorations can compartmentalize the past and constrict the present, and how selective celebration of a sanitized version of historical social justice struggles can protect and perpetuate injustice in the present.