On May 2, 2003, the United States Postal Service in Salinas, California will be hosting an event for the unveiling of the Cesar Chavez stamp. This event will begin at 3 p.m. and end at 6 p.m. at the National John Steinbeck Center.

With this special stamp, we are paying tribute to a man who over thirty-one years would forge a legacy of service, conviction and principled leadership that serves as a beacon for all Americans. As President of the United Farm Workers of America (UFW), AFL-CIO, he founded and led the first successful farm workers union in U.S. history. Under his stewardship a broad coalition of unions, religious groups, students, minorities, and consumers joined together to pursue social justice. The late Senator Robert Kennedy called Cesar Chavez, “One of the heroic figures of our time.” As a testimony to his lifelong contributions to humanity, he received the highest civilian awards from the United States and Mexico, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Aguila Azteca respectively.

We have invited representatives from the California State legislature, U. S. Congress, officials from the city of Salinas, Alisal School District, Salinas Union High School District, Hartnell College, and other civil organizations to take part in this event.

The US Postal Service will be selling special first day issues of the Cesar Chavez stamp on a specialized envelope cache. Individual stamps will also be sold for the first time in the Salinas area. Along with the stamps, a number of Cesar Chavez memoralbilia authorized by the Cesar Chavez Heritage Foundation will also be sold. Hullaballo restaurant from Old Towne Salinas, will provide free refreshments along with donations from Starbuck's Coffee, Albertson's, Foods Co., Nob Hill, Safeway and other fine establishments. This event will be free to the public.

If you are a vendor and would like to donate to this special event or would like to be part of the entertainment, please contact Carlos Caguimbal at gacsolrac (at) aol.com or call (831) 770-7143.