The music of America’s farmworkers | Cesar Chavez | American Masters | PBS

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When musician and composer Daniel Valdez first read the poem "Brown-Eyed Children of the Sun," he was reminded of his parents, who were migrant farmers from Mexico.

He was inspired to create a bolero, typically a romantic ballad, dedicated to farmworkers and their families. The refrain of the song “And what will you be giving to your brown-eyed children of the sun?” is a call to reflect—and a call to action.

Valdez joined the United Farmworkers Union in 1966.

Trace the life and legacy of labor activist Cesar Chavez. Through interviews with Maya Angelou, Joan Baez, Carlos Santana and more, see how music and the arts were instrumental to the success of the social movement Chavez helped found, which mobilized thousands of farmworkers across the U.S. American Masters and Latino Public Broadcasting’s VOCES present: A Song for Cesar premieres September 29 at 10 p.m. (check local listings) on PBS, pbs.org/americanmasters and the PBS App.

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Now in its 37th season on PBS, American Masters illuminates the lives and creative journeys of those who have left an indelible impression on our cultural landscape—through compelling, unvarnished stories. Setting the standard for documentary film profiles, the series has earned widespread critical acclaim: 28 Emmy Awards—including 10 for Outstanding Non-Fiction Series and five for Outstanding Non-Fiction Special—two News & Documentary Emmys, 14 Peabodys, three Grammys, two Producers Guild Awards, an Oscar, and many other honors. To further explore the lives and works of more than 250 masters past and present, the American Masters website offers full episodes, film outtakes, filmmaker interviews, the podcast “American Masters: Creative Spark,” educational resources, digital original series and more. The series is a production of The WNET Group.