Larry Itliong: A Forgotten Fighter for Farmworker Justice

Historical Context

Larry Itliong was a Filipino-American labor organizer who played a key role in the farmworker rights movement. He was born in the Philippines in 1913 and immigrated to the United States in 1929, during the Great Depression. Like many other immigrants, he came looking for opportunity but instead found poor working conditions, racism, and low wages. He spent years working in salmon canneries in Alaska and picking crops in California, where conditions were harsh and workers were often treated unfairly. Because of his background as a poor, nonwhite laborer, Itliong faced discrimination, but he also saw how powerful workers could be if they came together. He started organizing in the 1930s and helped found the Filipino Farm Labor Union in the 1950s. By 1965, he was a well-known labor leader and led a major protest called the Delano Grape Strike, where Filipino grape workers demanded better pay and treatment. Knowing they would be stronger together, Itliong reached out to César Chávez, who led a group of mostly Mexican farmworkers. Their decision to join forces was historic. In 1966, this partnership led to the creation of the United Farm Workers (UFW), a union that brought Filipino, Mexican, and other Latino workers together under one organization. The UFW became a powerful voice for farmworkers across the country. Itliong served as one of its key leaders and helped organize strikes, marches, and boycotts that pressured companies to sign contracts giving workers better wages, safer working conditions, and the right to form unions. Itliong’s work with the UFW showed how different racial and ethnic groups could unite for a common goal, even when employers tried to keep them apart. The UFW’s success came from this solidarity and helped bring national attention to the struggles of farmworkers, many of whom were immigrants or people of color. Although César Chávez became the most recognized figure from the UFW, Itliong’s leadership was just as important. He later left the UFW in 1971 but continued to fight for the rights of Filipino-American workers until his death in 1977. Larry Itliong’s story is often left out of textbooks, but he was a vital part of American labor history and made a lasting impact. He helped build a more unified, powerful labor movement and proved that farmworkers regardless of their race or background deserve dignity, fair treatment, and a voice.

Connection to History’s Habits of Mind

Larry Itliong’s leadership in the farmworker movement shows how the actions of one individual can have both immediate and lasting impact. His influence in uniting Filipino and Mexican workers during the Delano Grape Strike helped form the United Farm Workers (UFW), a labor union that improved the lives of thousands of farmworkers across the country. By organizing across racial lines and demanding dignity for some of the most marginalized laborers in the United States, Itliong helped spark a movement for economic and racial justice that continues to influence labor organizing today. His impact reminds us that change is not inevitable; it comes from the courage and choices of everyday people.

Discussion Question

• What motivated Larry Itliong to become a labor organizer, and how did his background as a Filipino immigrant shape his activism?
• Why was the Delano Grape Strike a turning point in the farmworker movement, and what role did Itliong play in starting it?
• How did Larry Itliong’s efforts to unite Filipino and Mexican workers challenge the divisions often used by employers?
• In what ways did the formation of the United Farm Workers (UFW) change labor organizing in the United States?
• Why do you think Larry Itliong is less well-known than César Chávez, even though both were important leaders?
• What are some unintended or lasting effects of Itliong’s activism for today’s labor or immigrant rights movements?
• How can we better honor and learn from the contributions of leaders like Larry Itliong in classrooms and communities today?

Suggested Activity

Materials:

• Printed or digital copies of the quotes and sheets of the historical context
• Farmworker Justice Quotes
• Chart paper
• Sticky notes

Step One: Historical Context [5 mins]

Give students or read the historical context aloud to introduce Larry Itliong’s role in labor organizing. It mentions his immigrant background, experience with racism and poverty, emphasis on multinational unity, and the launch of the Delano Grape Strike.

Step Two: Quote Analysis Carousel [30-35 mins]

Post large sheets of paper around the room with these headings:

• Impact on Filipino Workers
• Impact on Mexican Workers
• Impact on Labor Rights in America
• Unintended Consequences of the Strike

Students rotate around the room in small groups and add sticky notes to each chart paper based on their analysis of the quotes, using the questions provided and historical context as a guide. Encourage them to think about both short-term and long-term impact.

Step Three: Whole Class Debrief [10 mins]

Bring the class back together and ask:

• How did Larry Itliong’s actions show that impact can come from people society often overlooks?
• How did race and class influence both the visibility and erasure of workers like Larry Itliong and others?
• What lessons about solidarity and power can we take from these different voices today?
• What kind of impact do you think Larry hoped for in saying, “We have to do this for ourselves and for the others too”?