12 April 2nd - April 8th, 2026 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | WHEN WILL PHOENIX TAKE DOWN ALL ITS CESAR CHAVEZ MEMORIALS? The Phoenix City Council voted to take down its Cesar Chavez memorials. Some have come down already, but others will take time. BY CLARISSA SOSIN O n March 25, the Phoenix City Council voted to strip the name of now-disgraced activist Cesar Chavez from its various places of honor around the city. But that doesn’t mean city staff sprang out of City Hall to topple the statue of Chavez in South Phoenix. In fact, Phoenix may be stuck with some vestiges of Chavez’s likeness and name for a few months, despite efforts to remove dedications to the activist from public view. There’ll be a lot to take down. Chavez’s name is all over Phoenix — and the rest of the Valley. He was born in Yuma and died in 1993. In between, he became a prominent figure in the 1960s and 1970s, when he advocated for the rights of farmworkers. Last week, though, a damning investigation by the New York Times revealed that at the height of his fame, Chavez had allegedly sexually abused multiple women, including at least two minors. After the council passed a measure to de-Chavez the city, Phoenix will take down everything from library dedications with his name to public art and statues with his likeness. Here’s what will come down, and when. CESAR CHAVEZ DEDICATIONS THAT HAVE ALREADY COME DOWN Some Chavez dedications came down quickly. The first to go were the markers naming the Cesar Chavez Plaza outside City Hall, as well as the ceremonial street signs along Baseline Road that bear his name. Those are controlled by the council — after the vote, workers covered up Chavez’s name on the plaza sign, and the street signs started coming down on the night of March 25. Cesar Chavez Plaza will be renamed, but not immediately. The streets, which the council voted to name after Chavez in 2021, won’t be. But that’s it for a city demanding imme- diate justice. Everything else will stay as is while the city jumps through bureaucratic hoops — some that will take around 90 days — to complete the removal process. CHAVEZ DEDICATIONS THAT WILL TAKE LONGER TO REMOVE There are other, bigger dedications to Chavez that cannot be erased so quickly, at least according to city rules. Here’s a primer on a few of them. Cesar Chavez Park: To rename a park, the Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department must bring the proposal to its board, which must vote to approve it. On March 26, the board voted to rename, the Laveen Village park and everything related to it, such as the Cesar Chavez Dog Park, Cesar Chavez Skate Park and Cesar Chavez Community Center. There will now be a period of public comment for residents to give their opinions, though it’s not yet clear how long that period will last. Cesar Chavez Library: Unlike with the park, which counts the library among its attractions, there is no set process for renaming a city library. The Phoenix Public Library system will have to look to the city council for guidance on when and how to take down the sign for Cesar Chavez Library and rename it. The Cesar Chavez statue: There will be no grand toppling of the Chavez statue in his eponymous park in Laveen Village. In fact, it will be around for at least another 90 days after the vote. If the city wants to remove a piece of artwork for any reason, it must provide 90 days’ notice to the artist. However, following the vote, the city covered the statue with a tarp. Cesar Chavez High School: The council vote has no influence over whether the high school located next to the park gets a new name. Instead the Phoenix Union High School District, held a special meeting on March 26, at which it voted to temporarily rename the school “Champions Circle High School” until a new official name is chosen. A statue of Cesar Chavez at his eponymous park in Laveen Village. (City of Phoenix)
