Cesar Chavez and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Prize
Atlanta, Georgia, January 15, 1974 – The first MLK Jr Peace Prize was awarded to Cesar Chavez at what used to be the Omni Arena in downtown Atlanta. That night as he made the announcement former U.N. Ambassador and Atlanta Mayor and King aide Andrew Young said, “Cesar Chavez is the non violence heir to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” Coretta Scott King, who had worked with Chavez on a series of issues beginning with her visit with him in 1970 when he spent 25 days in the Salinas jail for saying “Boycott lettuce, boycott the hell out of them,” and helped his union win contracts for Minute Maid Orange Juice workers in Florida (who were overwhelmingly Black) presented that first award.
The day began with a service at Ebeneezer Baptist Church with Papa King and then thousands lined the morning parade route led by Coretta Scott King and her family, Young, and then Mayor Maynard Jackson.
Later that night the Ramsey Lewis Trio entertained a crowd of thousands who attended the first MLK Jr. Peace Prize event. Also in attendance that evening was Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter who congratulated Chavez and chatted with him for few minutes during the ceremony. Accompanying Chavez that evening were Bill Kircher, AFL-CIO Organizing Director and close friend, a nephew and a son in law.
