Nancy Van Lauderback Tovar grew up in Chino, CA where she attended local schools for her formative studies, eventually graduating from UCLA. Following graduation, she joined the staff of the Los Angeles graphics powerhouse: Saul Bass Associates, later named Bass/Yaeger. This agency was internationally known for creating iconic logos and packaging for Hollywood's major motion pictures, airlines, telephone, and food industries. After an illustrious 40-year career she retired as Vice President and Director of Production. Ms. Tovar was an active member of the Vestry for the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany located in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Lincoln Heights. She was a creative force organizing classes that produced artistic banners, streamers, posters, and urban photography that reflected the Mexican heritage of the community. As an activist, Ms. Tovar was also a participant and supporter of the 1970 Chicano Moratorium. She wrote several books including: Diary of a Ruko (her husband's journey as a civil rights activist and WWII Veteran), The Parks Family Home in Chino, Tales from the Tovar Garden, as well as journals of her life in the barrio and her personal battle with cancer. Ms. Tovar lost this battle and passed away on March 13, 2010. The photographs in this collection represent her passion for documenting art and life in Los Angeles, and her commitment to the struggle of la Raza.
This collection includes electronic copies of documents related to the review of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department investigation into the death of Ruben Salazar on August 29, 1970. The investigation report was completed on February 22, 2011. Mr. Salazar was a columnist for the Los Angeles Times and a news director at KMEX, Los Angeles’ pioneering Spanish-language television station. He was killed by a tear-gas canister fired by a deputy during a raid on the Silver Dollar bar in East Los Angeles. At the time, he was covering the Chicano Moratorium against the Vietnam War. This collection was donated to the UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center in August 2011 by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Following their accession, the LACSD confirmed the status of the materials as being in the public domain and approved the dissemination of these records through the UCLA Digital Library. The collection consists of the 2011 report as well as electronic copies of photographs, redacted documents, and audio recordings from the 1970 investigation.
