Beyond the Fields Cesar Chavez, the UFW, and the Struggle for Justice in the 21st Century

“Shows the enduring value of the UFW’s approach of rank-and-file organizing, consumer appeals and the spiritual backdrop to justice on the job and in the community. That lasting influence remains alive as a wellspring for many who struggle for reform and democracy in the 21st century.”—Bill Knight Labor

“Shows the enduring value of the UFW’s approach of rank-and-file organizing, consumer appeals and the spiritual backdrop to justice on the job and in the community. That lasting influence remains alive as a wellspring for many who struggle for reform and democracy in the 21st century.”—Bill Knight Labor

“Invaluable for anyone interested in the evolution of unionization over the past forty years.”—The Washington Monthly

“[An] important study.”—Steve Early Z Magazine

“Shaw does a stellar job of writing the history of the UFW and its key figures. . . . Shaw's timely look back at the farmworker movement reminds us what solidarity and sacrifice mean, offering both lessons learned and strategies that can still work for us.”—Victor Corral Colorlines: Race Culture Action

The UFW and the movements that grew from it were as significant as [this book claims. It gives] us a more serious and reflective account than perhaps was possible during the heady days of the 1960s and 1970s.—Labor Studies Journal

“Shaw’s book provides valuable history to guide activists in the battles to come, and is an inspiring read.”—Chris Tiedemann Talking Union Blog

“A useful resource for anyone interested in organizing, activism, or social movements -- whether because the Obama campaign has made these things freshly relevant or due to a longer-standing interest.”—Misslaura Vot3r Blog

"If the Documentation Project could enforce a required reading list, Randy Shaw's Beyond the Fields would top the list. For former UFW Volunteers, whether their service was one month, one year, or a decade, Randy Shaw's book is a MUST READ."—LeRoy Chatfield, Farmworkers Documentation Project

"An important, stunningly original, and forcefully argued book."—Ruth Milkman, Director of the UCLA Institute of Industrial Relations and author of L.A. Story: Immigrant Workers and the Future of the U.S. Labor Movement

"The most powerful social earthquake in California history struck the farm town of Delano in 1965 and, as Randy Shaw explains in this fascinating, invaluable study, its aftershocks are still shaking workplaces and elections across America."—Mike Davis, author of In Praise of Barbarians

"Offers a powerful and moving account of how the UFW transformed people's lives, instilling a lifetime commitment to social justice. Shaw shows how the spirit, strategies, and tactics of the UFW in its heyday still provide workers, immigrants, faith-based activists and others seeking social justice with a roadmap to win local struggles and national campaigns. If you want to understand the roots of 'Si se Puede' (Yes, We Can), read this book."—Fred Ross, Jr, UFW community and labor organizer