Editor's Choice
What are similarities and differences between the United Farm Workers and the American Indian Movement?
Quick answer:
The United Farm Workers (UFW) and the American Indian Movement (AIM) both aimed to improve conditions for their respective groups; UFW focused on Hispanic farm workers' wages and working conditions, while AIM sought broader Native American rights. A key difference is that UFW employed nonviolent tactics, similar to Martin Luther King Jr., whereas AIM sometimes resorted to violence, as seen in the 1973 Wounded Knee incident.
The United Farm Workers and the American Indian Movement were groups that had some similarities and some differences. One similarity is that both groups worked to improve conditions for the people they represented. The United Farm Workers worked to improve conditions for Hispanics while the American Indian Movement worked to improve conditions for Native Americans.
The United Farm Workers tried to help migrant farm workers get better wages and better working conditions. They worked long hours for low pay. They didn’t have bathrooms in the fields, and they were exposed to pesticide spraying while they were working. They organized a strike against the California grape farm owners. They encouraged people not to buy California grapes or products, like wine, that were made from California grapes. After a long struggle, they got recognition for their union, better wages, and better working conditions.
The American Indian Movement worked to help Native Americans....
Unlock This Answer Now
Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.
Already a member? Log in here.
Native Americans were facing high unemployment, lower income levels, discrimination, and limited education opportunities and job training. The American Indian Movement worked to protect treaty rights of the Native Americans. They were somewhat successful in doing this. They also have recently worked to draw attention to the names of sports teams and the use of mascots that they feel wrongly portray the Native Americans.
One significant difference between the movements is that there has been more violence associated with the American Indian Movement. The incident at Wounded Knee in 1973 is an example of a more aggressive policy followed by the American Indian Movement. They took over the town for about 70 days, but the takeover was largely unsuccessful. The United Farm Workers had protests that were mostly nonviolent.
The major similarity between these two movements is that they were part of the cultural ferment of the 1960s. Both movements arose during the 1960s in the United States. Both were also aimed at achieving the goals sought by racial minority groups.
Beyond that, these were rather different movements. They had goals that were pretty different. The UFW was aimed largely at issues of working conditions and wages while the AIM was aimed more broadly at Native American rights and dignity. In addition, the two used different tactics. The UFW was more like Martin Luther King’s wing of the Civil Rights Movement, using nonviolent methods. By contrast, the AIM’s tactics included violence.