Within hours of explosive sexual abuse allegations against labor leader César Chavez, officials at a California university took swift action and covered a statue of him. It is one of scores of monuments, city streets and schools nationwide that honor Chavez’s name and his labor movement legacy. Overnight, his name has become more of a stain. Some of the institutions and local governments started the process Thursday of erasing it. Officials in various cities are also moving to rename César Chavez Day, a federally proclaimed holiday on March 31, his birthday. The New York Times first reported Wednesday that it found credible evidence that Chavez sexually abused young girls.

Dolores Huerta and the late César Chavez are both credited with leading a movement that got growers to negotiate for better wages and working conditions for farm workers. Their legacies as United Farm Workers of American co-founders and leaders are now getting new attention after allegations emerged that Chavez sexually abused girls and women, including Huerta. Cornell University labor history professor Paul Ortiz says the movement's rise is one of the most important events in U.S. history and is the most important event in U.S. Latino history. He says agricultural workers had tried to organize for centuries but almost every effort failed until the success of United Farm Workers.

Allegations that César Chavez sexually abused women and girls are reshaping how many communities honor him. The United Farm Workers says it will not join any event named for its late leader. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says state agencies won't celebrate César Chavez Day. Cities including Milwaukee and Lansing, Michigan, are canceling dinners or other celebrations commemorating the labor leader. Others are pushing to rename streets, schools and landmarks after civil rights leader and farmworker advocate Dolores Huerta instead.

Democrats are banking on Tejano music star Bobby Pulido to help them win back Hispanic voters in a South Texas congressional district that favors Republicans. In Tuesday's party primary, Pulido faces Ada Cuellar, a doctor and law student who's running to the left of the singer. Pulido campaigns like a hometown celebrity, greeting voters in English and Spanish and saying fame gets attention but not votes. He runs as a moderate on issues such as abortion. He also faces scrutiny over old, crude social media posts. The winner takes on Republican Monica De La Cruz in a district favorably redrawn for the congresswoman.