Pasadena Unified Schools Close Today in Honor of Late Civil Rights Leader, Labor Organizer César Chávez

Pasadena Unified schools and offices join California state offices in closing Friday to honor the late Mexican-American labor leader César Chávez. 

City of Pasadena offices and services remain open and are unaffected. Federal offices and services such as the United States Postal Services are also unaffected. Banks will be open.

Chávez, along with Dolores Huerta, co-founded the National Farm Workers Association which later became the United Farm Workers.

The two leaders were instrumental in helping farm workers receive higher wages, family health coverage, pension benefits and other contract protections. Eventually, they each received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor awarded in the United States. 

California first recognized the holiday in 1995, making it the first state to do so.

Pasadena Unified said the annual school holiday is designed to promote education, celebration and recognition in honor of their service to the communities of California and the entire nation.

State offices including the California Department of Motor Vehicles will be closed. Despite the closure of physical locations, Californians will still have access to various online state services.