Dolores Huerta dies at 96: How her grape boycott put California’s farmworkers’ fight in the national spotlight

A nationwide call to stop buying grapes helped bring attention to the working conditions of California’s farmworkers. Dolores Huerta, who passed away at the age of 96 on October 28, 2026, played a leading role in that campaign, helping organize support for workers and taking their demands to consumers and retailers across the country.

On Wednesday her family shared that, “We are deeply saddened to announce that our beloved mother, Dolores Huerta, has passed away today,” as quoted by CNN. They said, “As you can imagine, this is an incredibly difficult time for us,” adding, “and we ask for privacy as we grieve this incredible loss to our family. We know that many of you around the world share in our mourning, and we will be following up on plans to recognize and celebrate her incredible life and legacy.”

How Dolores Huerta Helped Build Support for the Boycott

The grape boycott began in 1965 when the National Farm Workers Association urged distributors and consumers to stop buying grapes in protest against conditions in the fields.


She reportedly had said that, "I would like to be remembered as a woman who cares for fellow humans," adding, "We must use our lives to make the world a better place to live, not just to acquire things. That is what we are put on the earth for," as per BBC's multiple sources.

Huerta co founded the National Farm Workers Association with César Chávez in 1962. When the grape boycott began three years later, she directed the campaign on the East Coast, while Chávez led efforts on the West Coast.

According to the National Park Service, Huerta moved to New York for four years to build support for the boycott. She began by approaching smaller stores before extending the effort to larger chains, including Safeway.

Her work helped bring the campaign to consumers and retailers far from California’s grape-growing areas. Organizers asked people across the country to stop buying grapes as a way to protest the treatment of farmworkers.

Issues Behind the Grape Boycott

The campaign focused on working conditions in the fields. Pesticide dangers to grape pickers were also among the concerns associated with the national boycott.

By appealing to consumers and distributors, the organizers sought to build wider support for farmworkers’ demands. The strategy made the boycott a central part of the effort to draw attention to conditions in California’s table grape industry.

The U.S. Department of Labor credits the national grape boycott with helping change practices across the industry. Huerta’s work was also tied to the wider push for better wages and working conditions for agricultural laborers.

The 1970 Collective Bargaining Victory

The grape strike resulted in a collective bargaining victory for farmworkers in 1970. It marked an important development in the movement’s efforts to secure better employment terms through negotiations.

Huerta’s contribution extended beyond organizing the boycott. She served as a lobbyist and lead contract negotiator, helping advance the workers’ demands in discussions with agricultural businesses.

Her work combined public organizing with efforts to negotiate better conditions for farmworkers. The 1970 victory became a significant milestone in the movement’s campaign for improved wages and working conditions.

Dolores Huerta’s Role in Farmworkers’ Movement

The National Farm Workers Association later joined with the Filipino led Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee to form the United Farm Workers.

Huerta helped build that movement through organizing, lobbying and contract negotiations and her role in the grape boycott brought her work to a national audience and helped draw attention to the challenges faced by farmworkers.

United Farm Workers Union (UFW) said that, "Her life's work was to empower her community to face and overcome injustices, and she has left farm workers and the entire Latino community stronger and more organised than she found it," adding that, "Her commitment to civic engagement and bringing political power to disenfranchised people is a lesson we all should carry to the ballot box," as quoted by BBC report.

FAQs

What was the California grape boycott

The California grape boycott was a campaign launched in 1965 to protest working conditions in the fields. Organizers urged consumers and distributors across the United States to stop buying grapes in support of farmworkers.

When did the grape boycott begin

The boycott began in 1965 as part of the farmworkers’ campaign for better working conditions.

What role did Dolores Huerta play in the grape boycott

Huerta directed the boycott on the East Coast, while César Chávez led efforts on the West Coast. She worked to build support among retailers and consumers.

Why did the boycott target grape consumers

Organizers wanted consumers to stop buying grapes in protest against conditions faced by farmworkers. The strategy helped bring the dispute beyond California and encouraged people across the country to support the campaign.