Marcey Jacobson
Encyclopedia
Marcella "Marcey" Jacobson (September 27, 1911 – July 26, 2009) was an American
photographer who moved to Chiapas
, Mexico
in the 1950s, and was best known for her photographs of the indigenous peoples of Southern Mexico.
. She had been on her first trip to Mexico and was in Taxco
when she first heard of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
, and she promptly returned to New York by bus. She saw a sign on a streetcar advertising government-funded courses and decided to take up drafting
. She first worked as a draftsman for Emerson Radio
on a top-project Radar
development project and worked on the designs of various industrial equipment in the ensuing years.
She was a socialist who became involved in political causes, protesting at the White House
against the planned execution of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg
. Her friend, painter Janet Marren had "fallen in love with San Cristobal" upon her arrival there and invited Jacobson to visit. In September 1956, Jacobson had been working as a mechanical drafter in New York City
and had visited Mexico several times before, but a planned 10-day trip to Mexico to follow up on Marren's invitation — taken in the wake of the difficulties she experienced as a Communist supporter and lesbian
at the height of McCarthyism
— ended up with her settling in Chiapas with Marren, her companion and partner. Though she occasionally returned to New York to do some spot work and earn some money, she would return to Mexico and made Chiapas her home for the remainder of her life.
camera and taught herself how to take and develop pictures, using how-to books as a source of instruction. The bulk of her 14,000 negatives represented photos of everyday life, providing details of the local people, their business and religious practices, taken in the marketplace and along its narrow streets, focusing on people and on landscapes. She would ask Americans coming to the area to bring the photographic chemicals and paper she needed to print her photos.
A retrospective that included 75 of her photographs was included in a bilingual work published by Stanford University Press
in 2001 that was called The Burden of Time / El Cargo del Tiempo. The 168-page book, edited by Carol Karasik includes pictures taken in the 1960s and 1970s of the day-to-day life of the native Maya
and Ladino
peoples. Her portfolio of negatives will be given to Casa Na Bolom
, a museum in San Cristóbal de las Casas
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
photographer who moved to Chiapas
Chiapas
Chiapas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Chiapas is one of the 31 states that, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 118 municipalities and its capital city is Tuxtla Gutierrez. Other important cites in Chiapas include San Cristóbal de las...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
in the 1950s, and was best known for her photographs of the indigenous peoples of Southern Mexico.
Early life
Jacobson was born on September 27, 1911, in the BronxThe Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
. She had been on her first trip to Mexico and was in Taxco
Taxco
Taxco de Alarcón is a small city and municipality located in the Mexican state of Guerrero. The name Taxco is most likely derived from the Nahuatl word tlacheco, which means “place of the ballgame.” However, one interpretation has the name coming from the word tatzco which means “where the father...
when she first heard of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
, and she promptly returned to New York by bus. She saw a sign on a streetcar advertising government-funded courses and decided to take up drafting
Drafting
Drafting or draughting may refer to:* Campdrafting, an Australian equestrian sport* Drafting , slipstreaming* Technical drawing, the act and discipline of composing diagrams that communicates how something functions or is to be constructed. E.g.:** Architectural drawing** Electrical drawing**...
. She first worked as a draftsman for Emerson Radio
Emerson Radio
Emerson Radio Corporation was founded in 1948. It is one of the United States’ largest volume consumer electronics distributors and has a recognized trademark in continuous use since 1912...
on a top-project Radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
development project and worked on the designs of various industrial equipment in the ensuing years.
She was a socialist who became involved in political causes, protesting at the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
against the planned execution of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg
Ethel Greenglass Rosenberg and Julius Rosenberg were American communists who were convicted and executed in 1953 for conspiracy to commit espionage during a time of war. The charges related to their passing information about the atomic bomb to the Soviet Union...
. Her friend, painter Janet Marren had "fallen in love with San Cristobal" upon her arrival there and invited Jacobson to visit. In September 1956, Jacobson had been working as a mechanical drafter in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and had visited Mexico several times before, but a planned 10-day trip to Mexico to follow up on Marren's invitation — taken in the wake of the difficulties she experienced as a Communist supporter and lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
at the height of McCarthyism
McCarthyism
McCarthyism is the practice of making accusations of disloyalty, subversion, or treason without proper regard for evidence. The term has its origins in the period in the United States known as the Second Red Scare, lasting roughly from the late 1940s to the late 1950s and characterized by...
— ended up with her settling in Chiapas with Marren, her companion and partner. Though she occasionally returned to New York to do some spot work and earn some money, she would return to Mexico and made Chiapas her home for the remainder of her life.
Photography in Mexico
In Mexico she borrowed a RolleiflexRolleiflex
Rolleiflex is the name of a long-running and diverse line of high-end cameras originally made by the German company Franke & Heidecke, and later Rollei-Werk. The "Rolleiflex" name is most commonly used to refer to Rollei's premier line of medium format twin lens reflex cameras...
camera and taught herself how to take and develop pictures, using how-to books as a source of instruction. The bulk of her 14,000 negatives represented photos of everyday life, providing details of the local people, their business and religious practices, taken in the marketplace and along its narrow streets, focusing on people and on landscapes. She would ask Americans coming to the area to bring the photographic chemicals and paper she needed to print her photos.
A retrospective that included 75 of her photographs was included in a bilingual work published by Stanford University Press
Stanford University Press
The Stanford University Press is the publishing house of Stanford University. In 1892, an independent publishing company was established at the university. The first use of the name "Stanford University Press" in a book's imprinting occurred in 1895...
in 2001 that was called The Burden of Time / El Cargo del Tiempo. The 168-page book, edited by Carol Karasik includes pictures taken in the 1960s and 1970s of the day-to-day life of the native Maya
Maya peoples
The Maya people constitute a diverse range of the Native American people of southern Mexico and northern Central America. The overarching term "Maya" is a collective designation to include the peoples of the region who share some degree of cultural and linguistic heritage; however, the term...
and Ladino
Ladino people
Ladino is a Spanish term used to describe various socio-ethnic categories in Latin America, principally in Central America.The term Ladino is derived from "latino" and usually refers to the mestizo or hispanicized population...
peoples. Her portfolio of negatives will be given to Casa Na Bolom
Casa Na Bolom
Casa Na Bolom was the home of archeologist Frans Blom and his wife, Gertrude Duby Blom, the documentary photographer, journalist, environmental pioneer, and jungle adverturer...
, a museum in San Cristóbal de las Casas
San Cristóbal de las Casas
San Cristóbal de las Casas also known as it's native Tsotsil name, Jovel is a city and municipality located in the Central Highlands region of the Mexican state of Chiapas...
.
Death
She died of heart failure at age 97 on July 26, 2009, in San Cristóbal in Chiapas, Mexico, in the state of Chiapas. She left no immediate survivors. Janet Marren, her partner, had died in 1998.Published works
- The Burden of Time / El Cargo del Tiempo, Stanford University Press, 2001. ISBN 0804738777