Juan Martinez, a lifelong activist and archivist dedicated to the Salinas Valley's farmworker history, dies at 69.

Juan Martinez worked tirelessly to document and preserve farmworker history on the Central Coast. He was an activist, a storyteller and an energetic advocate for the Salinas Valley. After a years-long battle with cancer, Martinez died in his sleep on May 10. He was 69. 

Martinez, a Gonzales native, made it his mission to archive records related to farmworkers, the rise of the United Farm Workers and Cesar Chavez, particularly the UFW co-founder’s short time in Salinas—including the one time Chavez was jailed. Chavez spent 20 days in jail in Salinas in 1970 for refusing to call off a lettuce boycott. Martinez was among some 2,000 supporters who marched with Chavez to turn himself in at the jail, and Martinez, then 18, joined the group as a bodyguard to protect Chavez.  

These early events fueled Martinez’s passion to fight for marginalized people, and farmworkers in particular. He was determined to transform the old Monterey County Jail into a Cesar Chavez museum, partnering with historic preservationists. Martinez kept a collection of images, testimonies and artifacts he gathered over decades. “Some stories are so unique that if I tell the story, people wouldn’t believe me. These documents all prove what I’m telling them is the truth,” he said of his collection. 

It was displayed roughly a decade ago in Oldtown Salinas at what was called the Aguila Cultural Center. Martinez then turned his attention to asking the National Park Service to make the old county jail the site of Cesar Chavez National Monument. (The Park Service ultimately selected Keene, California.) 

Martinez never let up on his interest in the jail. He persisted in researching records and interviewing people who were involved at the time, such as Ted Brown,a retired law enforcement officer who worked at the jail during the time Chavez was incarcerated. 

The jail was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018 and despite local efforts to attract investors and restore the jail, it hasn’t attracted any interest. 

Martinez did other things to raise the profile of the Salinas Valley’s farmworker history. In 2013 he raised $10,000 to get signage on Highway 101 noting the segment that is designated as “Bracero Memorial Highway” to honor 32 seasonal farmworkers who died in a truck crash in Chualar in 1963.

Part of Martinez’s fascination with local history included protecting recreation opportunities along the Salinas River. He grew up tubing on the river, and also hunting for rabbits and quails. In recent years, Martinez was devoted to the idea of improving access points to the river and hoped to eventually create a boardwalk and/or park, as he discussed in this 2012 video: 

Martinez spent several years battling cancer. He was in and out of the hospital but spent his last days with his family in Gonzales. When he returned home in March, family and friends showed up to surprise him with music and roses and signs with messages like “We love you Juan” and “Team Martinez.” 

Martinez also served on the Hartnell College Board of Trustees from 1979 to 1991. 

He was also long involved as an activist pursuing pesticide safety and improved regulations to protect farmworkers. He spoke in December at an event celebrating the 40th anniversary of Monterey County’s first requirement to post pesticide application warning signs in the fields.

Part of his message that night, just five months ago, was to encourage a new generation of activists to get involved: “We’ve got to keep up the fight,” he said. “Where can you help, what can you do?”