Collection context
Summary
- Title:
- Victor H. Jorgensen papers
- Dates:
- 1938-1996
- Creators:
- Jorgensen, Victor H., 1913-1994 and Jorgensen, Betty (Barbara Lee)
- Abstract:
- This collection includes writings, correspondence, photographs, transparencies, slides, negatives, and printed material.
- Extent:
- 51 Linear Feet 198 boxes
- Language:
- English
- Preferred citation:
-
Victor H. Jorgensen papers. MS 21. Special Collections and Archives, University Library, University of California, Santa Cruz.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
This collection documents the photographic and writing career of Victor and Betty Jorgensen. It contains biographical material, correspondence, research, news and human interest stories, photographic material, press and clippings, albums and realia. The collection spans pre-World War II projects in Oregon, Washington, and Canada; World War II Naval projects with Edward Steichen in the Pacific Theater; post-World War II projects in Africa, Europe and the United States, as well as Jorgensen's work for the American Society of Magazine Photographers, and his work as editor for the Telltale Compass.
Suggestion for the researcher: For an initial overview of Jorgensen's work, see the portfolio albums in boxes 193-196. These albums contain clippings of published stories and photographs, which illustrate the topics and social issues that the Jorgensens covered throughout their career.
- Biographical / historical:
-
Victor Jorgensen was born in Portland, Oregon on July 8, 1913. He attended the University of Oregon and Reed College before starting work at The Oregonian, where he rose from copy boy to night city editor. It was during that time he became interested in photography as well as writing. Before the advent of World War II, he was on his way to establishing himself nationally in the photography field.
He married Betty Price on June 17, 1935. Their first home was designed by Portland architect John Yeon and built in the then rural area of Raleigh Hills.
In 1942, Jorgensen enlisted in the Navy and was selected by Edward Steichen as one of the six original officer photographers designated to record the Naval Aviation's part of the war. He served aboard aircraft carriers USS Lexington in the Gilbert Islands, fall 1943; and USS Monterey in the Marianas, summer 1944; destroyer USS Grant and shore duty in Borneo and the Philippines during McArthur's return in late 1944; and the hospital ship USS Solace off Okinawa, spring 1945. He captured the day-to-day activities of the men - from boredom to anxiety, from terror to utter exhaustion.
For ten years after the war, Victor and Betty Jorgensen traveled most of the world as a photographer researcher team, doing stories for such magazines as Fortune, Saturday Evening Post, Collier's, Life, and Ladies Home Journal, among many others. Victor Jorgensen was at one time president of the American Society of Magazine Photographers, working to establish minimum pay scales and fair practices for the photography industry.
In 1955 the Jorgensens' moved to Maryland, where Victor Jorgensen edited The Skipper, a prestigious magazine for yachtsmen, for fourteen years. Two daughters, Lee and Vicky, were born during this time.
Intending to retire, Jorgensen moved his family back to Portland in 1968. He looked forward to spending more time in his woodworking shop, where he turned out fine furniture. But he missed his editing work. So once again Victor and Betty teamed up to launch the Telltale Compass, a newsletter reporting on the boating scene. The newsletter was sold in 1989 and Victor finally returned to his beloved workshop.
A great many of Jorgensen's Navy photographs were published and exhibited immediately after the war. Interest in the work of the Steichen unit was revived with the fiftieth anniversary of World War II and many images were shown again. In spring 1994 Victor and Betty, a photographer and researcher team for almost 60 years, selected the images and prepared the captions for an Oregon exhibition of his Navy work.
Victor Jorgensen died of cancer on June 14, 1994, just before his 81st birthday.
Biography from "Return to Manila: An exhibition of World War II Navy photographs by Lieutenant Victor Jorgensen, USNR". December 7, 1994 - Summer 1995, Columbia River Maritime Museum, Astoria, OR.
- Acquisition information:
- Gift of Barbara Lee Jorgenson Trust March 1997.
- Processing information:
-
This collection guide contains harmful language which was used by either the original creators or the prior stewards of the materials in this collection. Library staff made the decision to retain, repurpose and in some instances replicate this description because it may provide important context about its creators, custodial history, and/or source. We are committed to describing materials in a manner that respects those who create, are represented in, and interact with the collections we steward, as well as preserving the original context of collection materials. Ethically managing archival description is an ongoing and iterative practice, and we welcome your feedback and questions at speccoll@library.ucsc.edu.
Processed by Debra Roussopoulos in 2014.
This finding aid was revised in the Reparative Archival Redescription Project in 2021-2022. Previous versions of this finding aid are available upon request.
- Arrangement:
-
Collection is arranged by series. The Jorgensens' original folder titles and physical order were retained.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Indexed terms
About this collection guide
- Date Encoded:
- This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2022-03-02 22:15:45 UTC .
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
Collection is open for research.
- Terms of access:
-
Copyright for the items in this collection is owned by the creators and their heirs. Reproduction or distribution of any work protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires permission from the copyright owner. It is the responsibility of the user to determine whether a use is fair use, and to obtain any necessary permissions. For more information see UCSC Special Collections and Archives policy on Reproduction and Use.
- Preferred citation:
-
Victor H. Jorgensen papers. MS 21. Special Collections and Archives, University Library, University of California, Santa Cruz.
- Location of this collection:
-
Special Collections and Archives, University Library1156 High StreetSanta Cruz, CA 95064, US
- Contact:
- (831) 459-2547