When will Phoenix take down all its Cesar Chavez memorials?

On Wednesday, the Phoenix City Council will likely vote 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 will then spring 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 advocating 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.

If the council passes a measure to de-Chavez itself, the city 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.

Phoenix Cesar Chavez dedications that will come down immediately

Some Chavez dedications will come down quickly. 

The first to go will be 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 and can be covered up or taken down quickly after the vote, said city spokesperson Daniel Wilson. The plaza signs may be covered the night of the vote, but it’s unclear when the street signs will come down. 

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 immediate 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.

Phoenix Cesar 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 Thursday, the board is set to discuss renaming 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. If the board votes in favor of the renaming, it will hold 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. The Cesar Chavez statue is no exception. Whether the statue will be covered up in the interim is unclear.

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, it’s up to the Phoenix Union High School District, which is holding a special meeting on Thursday to discuss what to do both about the school name and the March 31 holiday in Chavez’s honor.