It was on Thanksgiving day, 1960 that Edward R. Murrow aired his eye-opening documentary, "Harvest of Shame," on CBS Reports.
This was the first glimpse many Americans had into the plight of migrant farm laborers in this country.
The film documented the deplorable housing, low pay and lack of access to education that the men, women, and children working the fields faced.
The country was shocked to see that the people who provide the food that we eat every day were treated so poorly. This dismay led many to support legislation to reform migrant conditions.
One would think that today — on the film's 50th anniversary — the situation would be better for farmworkers. But this is not the case.
Migrant farm laborers receive no workers compensation, health benefits, retirement, or unemployment benefits. And yet, they hand harvest 85 percent of the food this nation produces.
This year, the Farmworker Advocacy Network is launching the Harvest of Dignity campaign to draw attention to the shocking fact that little has improved since 1960 for migrant laborers.
The 150,000 farmworkers who work in North Carolina each year average a paltry $7,500 a year. They are often forced to live in often dangerous and unsanitary conditions.
Murrow ended "Harvest of Shame" with these words: "The people you have seen have the strength to harvest your fruit and vegetables. They do not have the strength to influence legislation. Maybe we do. Good night, and good luck."
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