Fields of Hope

From Delano to Dolores: Grapes, Grit, and the Unyielding Acts of Impact

Our history is so tangled up with itself that every situation—no matter how small—ends up bumping into something else, revealing just how connected everything is.

When ranking the Trader Post scandal (remember when we ranked scandals?), we learned that William Belknap became the first cabinet-level person to be impeached for his corrupt actions as Secretary of War.

He was caught in part of the press looking to investigate other administration cabinet members. Before landing on Belknap, they took down the Secretary of the Interior, Columbus Delano.

The Delano family has deep roots in American history, having arrived on the earliest ships from Europe, such as the Mayflower. The Delanos prospered across the country, with Columbus as Interior Secretary, and his distant cousin, who became the 32nd president of the United States, and our third-ranked Okay History President.

But this Unyielding story begins in Delano, California, a city founded in 1869 named after Columbus. It was a railroad town, the last stop for trains arriving from San Francisco. It was here, amongst the lush land, that migrant farm workers took a stand and got organized.

Just last week, 77 miles north of Delano in Fresno, a $12 million National Park was named in honor of a civil rights champion who began her fight right here among the fields.

Let’s dive into the impact of Dolores Huerta.

Unyielding is a special series of essays dedicated to those who generously support Okay History.