Julian Nava

1927 - 2022
Julian Nava (6/19/1927- 7/29/2022) lived a remarkable life dedicated to family, education and service. He was a champion for justice, civil rights and the importance of Latinos in American society.

One of eight children born to immigrants from Zacatecas, Mexico, Nava grew up in east Los Angeles, attending ethnically diverse public schools and actively participating in sports and church youth activities. During World War II, Nava (aged 17) volunteered for the Navy Air Corps. After basic training, where he excelled in gunnery, Nava's crew was ready to deploy from San Diego to the Pacific theater when the end of the war was announced over the loudspeaker. After an honorable discharge, Nava worked with the Community Service Organization in Los Angeles with his elder brother Henry Nava and Cesar E. Chavez. Nava attended East Los Angeles Community College, where he was elected student body president.

After graduating from Pomona College (1951), Nava earned a PhD in Latin American history from Harvard (1955). Nava's academic work took him to Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Spain, and Colombia. He joined the History Department at California State University Northridge as a founding faculty member in 1957 and retired as professor emeritus in 2000.

Nava was elected to three consecutive terms on the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education (1967-1979). The first Mexican-American elected to the board, Nava promoted bilingual education and multicultural curriculum amidst other reforms, and was board president when the court ordered the district to implement school busing to desegregate schools. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter appointed him US Ambassador to Mexico, the first Mexican-American to hold the position. In 1992, he ran for mayor of Los Angeles.

Nava authored academic publications, K-12 and university textbooks, an autobiography and produced two documentary films (Song of the Basque, 1995, and Voices of Cuba, 1996.)

Nava participated in numerous community and academic organizations, such as President Lyndon Johnson's Inter-Agency Cabinet Committee on Mexican American Affairs, the Plaza de la Raza, and the US-Mexico Chamber of Commerce. He also served on the board of trustees of Pomona College and the advisory committee for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF). He helped establish the UC Mexus (University of California Institute for Mexico and the United States), a bi-national research institute. Two Los Angeles schools are named after him-the Dr. Julian Nava Learning Academy and the Nava College Preparatory Academy. Retiring in San Diego, Nava volunteered at the San Diego Children's Discovery Museum and Encuentros Leadership, a mentorship program for young Latinos.

Nava enjoyed photography, painting, gardening, and woodwork. His children and grandchildren treasure the bookcases he crafted. His passion for learning through travel led him to visit more than 20 countries on four continents.

Julian Nava was congenial, optimistic, and generous. He mentored and inspired generations of students, community activists, and future teachers. He is survived by his beloved wife of sixty years, Patricia, children Carmen Nava, Katie Stokes and Paul Nava, six grandchildren, sister Rosemarie Herzig, and many nieces and nephews.