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The United Farm Workers flag has a storied history, from humble beginnings as a symbol of the fight of migrant California farmworkers under Cesar Chavez to becoming a unifying symbol of “La Causa”. The United Farm Workers flag transcended its original purpose, which was likely more short-sighted in its approach and ideals, into becoming  a general unifying symbol for all chicanos, regardless of occupation.

The color choice on the flag is decidedly provocative, and the first symbol that would come to the mind of many on first impression is that of the Nazi Swastika, and although the goals of these causes are radically different, I don’t believe that the creators of this flag adopted a color scheme reminiscent of the Nazi symbol by coincidence. I believe that the shock value of the similar color scheme in their logo was a strategic choice in order to catch the eyes and attention of the media, in order to have their message taken seriously. 

In time, the image of the black eagle became a symbol of cultural pluralism, a

flag for disenfranchised Mexican-Americans to fly and feel as if they truly belonged, as they had for years been outcasted from American Society, and had strayed from their Mexican roots to the point where they no longer felt as if they were Mexicans, nor did Mexicans accept them as their own.

The flag was created in 1962 by Richard and Manuel Chavez, brother and cousin of Cesar Chavez when he and Dolores Huerta founded the National Farmworkers Union, an early conception of the United Farm Workers. The marches under Chavez being planned needed a symbol to rally behind, so Cesar recruited Richard and Manuel to design their flag, who supposedly sketched the first iteration of a flag design, which would end up becoming the adopted symbol, on a brown paper bag. 

According to United Farm Worker legend, each color on UFW the flag chosen holds a symbolic significance and relays its own message in it of itself. Richard and Manuel chose black to represent the dark, grim plight the farmworkers faced under white supremacy, white to signify an innocence and hope for a brighter future for the union workers, and red to represent the blood of those union workers who will likely sacrifice much in their fight for fair treatment.

Another important symbolic aspect of the flag of the United Farm workers is that of the eagles wings which resemble an inverted pyramid, a powerful symbol of Meso-American ingenuity and pride, which many Chicanos Identified with. Eagles have been adopted as symbols of pride and power by the United States and Mexican flags, and it makes sense that it would be a natural choice for those who felt stuck in the crossroads between being Mexican and American.