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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California marked a historic milestone this week by officially proclaiming October 25 as “Larry Itliong Day,” honoring the Filipino American labor leader whose pivotal role in the farmworkers’ movement is finally receiving long-overdue recognition.
State Proclamation
Governor Gavin Newsom’s proclamation celebrates Itliong’s legacy as a trailblazer who helped organize the landmark Delano Grape Strike of 1965 and co-founded the United Farm Workers (UFW) alongside César Chávez and Dolores Huerta. The declaration coincides with Filipino American History Month and the 112th anniversary of Itliong’s birth in Pangasinan, Philippines.
“Larry Itliong was the spark that lit the fire,” said historian Dawn Bohulano Mabalon, whose research helped revive public awareness of Itliong’s contributions. “Without him, there would be no Delano Grape Strike, and perhaps no UFW.”
Itliong’s Labor Advocacy
Itliong immigrated to the United States at age 15 and spent decades working in the fields and canneries of the West Coast. He became a fierce advocate for labor rights, organizing strikes as early as the 1930s. In 1965, as leader of the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee (AWOC), Itliong led Filipino farmworkers in a walkout against grape growers in California’s Central Valley. He then persuaded Chávez’s predominantly Mexican National Farm Workers Association to join the strike, forging a historic alliance that transformed the labor movement.
Despite his central role, Itliong’s name was largely omitted from mainstream narratives. He resigned from the UFW in 1971 and died in 1977, his legacy overshadowed by more prominent figures. Recent efforts by Filipino American scholars, activists, and lawmakers have sought to correct that omission.
His Legacy Honored in San Francisco
In San Francisco, a cable car decorated with Filipino cultural symbols and a timeline of Itliong’s achievements now runs through downtown as a moving tribute. Stockton, once home to a vibrant Filipino labor community, is preparing to showcase Itliong’s legacy at the Smithsonian American History Museum in Washington, D.C., through an exhibit titled “How Can You Forget Me.”
“Larry Itliong represents the courage and resilience of the Manongs,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta, the first Filipino American to hold the office. “His story reminds us that Filipino Americans have always been part of the fight for justice in this country.”
“Isang Bagsak”
The phrase “Isang Bagsak”—Tagalog for “We rise and fall together”—has become a rallying cry for Filipino American civic groups, echoing Itliong’s call for unity across racial and cultural lines.
For Filipino American organizations, Itliong’s legacy offers a powerful narrative for civic education and cultural pride. His story is not just about labor—it’s about dignity, solidarity, and the enduring impact of immigrant leadership.
As California continues to elevate Filipino American voices, Larry Itliong stands as a beacon of resilience and justice—proof that even the most overlooked leaders can shape the course of a nation.
