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On June 1, 1966,700 Starr County Melon Farm workers went on strike in protest of wages beneath the national minimum wage and harsh working conditions. Eugene Nelson of the National Farm Workers Association came to south Texas, organized the affiliated Independent Workers Association, and led the strike against La Castia Farms and other area growers. Two local men who called for reform years prior, Margil Sanchez and Lucio Galvan, joined Nelson in his efforts. Received no satisfaction from the growers and amid violence from local authorities, farm workers began a 380-mile march to the state capitol in Austin to urge officials there to create a statewide minimum wage. The group began on July 5, 1966, in Rio Grande City, stopping to rest at homes along the way and gaining support from each community encountered. The marchers received supplies and financial support from the Texas AFL-CIO. The marchers reached Robstown on July 29, 1966, where supporters held a rally at the Knights of Columbus Hall and a mass at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, and provided food and lodging. The next morning, they marched into Corpus Christi along Hwy 44 (Agnes Street), spurred on by hundreds of local supporters. Mass was held at the Corpus Christi Cathedral and a rally at the Peoples Street T-Head to benefit the strike and march was attended by more than 800 people, with over $1,000 raised. From Corpus Christi. They marched on to Austin, meeting obstacles but gaining support along the way. The march culminated in Austin with a rally on Labor Day 1966 with more than 10,000 people in attendance. Among the significant effects of the march and rallies was the eventual passage of the 1971 state minimum hourly wage law, though it did not apply to farm workers that augmented the number of Mexican American elected officials and further mobilized the Chicano Civil Rights Movement in Texas. |
