Dolores Huerta, civil rights legend and former UC regent, passes away at 96
November 2, 2026 •
Dolores Huerta, legendary civil rights activist and Californian, passed away on October 28 (Credit: Tom Hilton, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic)
A civil rights hero whose influence is felt in nearly every part of California’s fabric, Dolores Huerta passed away at her Bakersfield home surrounded by family on Wednesday, October 28.
Huerta is primarily known for her work as a political organizer and cofounder of United Farm Workers, but her commitment to public service stretched deeply into the state’s public education system, including as a UC regent appointed by Gov. Gray Davis in 2003.
