UT Austin begins removing Cesar Chavez statue
The University of Texas at Austin began taking down a Cesar Chavez statue near Battle Hall on Thursday. The move follows renewed scrutiny of Chavez after allegations published in a New York Times investigation.
UT Austin began removing a 2007 statue of labor rights activist Cesar Chavez, which the university once described as its first campus statue of a Latino figure. The statue was created by Bolivian artist Pablo Eduardo and stood near Battle Hall after years of student effort to honor farmworkers and Chavez's role in the labor movement.
The decision comes as Austin institutions reconsider Chavez tributes, including canceled Austin ISD celebrations and possible changes to Cesar Chavez Street. Faculty and students connected to Mexican American and Latina/o Studies said they were not told about the removal in advance, and some want UT to replace the statue with a tribute focused on the labor movement rather than one person.