Summary
Abstract
Jay Ruby is professor of anthropology and director of a graduate program in the anthropology of visual communication at Temple University, Philadelphia, Pa.
Dates
- Creation: 1840-1993
Extent
6 Linear Feet (4 items)
Background
Biographical or Historical Note
Jay Ruby is a professor of anthropology and director of a graduate program in the anthropology of visual communication at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was educated at the University of California, Los Angeles, received a B.A. in history, 1960; an M.A., 1962; and Ph.D., 1969, in anthropology. He's a founding member and past president of the Society for the Anthropology of Visual Communication, past president and trustee of International Film Seminars, and holds advisory and board memberships in a number of national and international organizations and is president of the Center for Visual Communication, a research co-operative. He is the author of numerous publications.
Collection Overview
The Jay Ruby collection contains a wide variety of materials, focusing on the photographic representation of death in the United States from 1840 to 1993. The photographs and memorabilia were primarily collected by Mr. Ruby to trace the history of how people use photographic images of loved ones to alleviate or hasten the grieving process.
This collection is a rich primary source of photographs, advertisements, video tapes, and memorabilia covering a still largely taboo subject matter. The collection will be of particular interest to social scientists, photographic historians, and health care professionals who work with death and mourning. The results of this endeavor are to be found in Mr. Ruby book, Secure the Shadow: Death and Photography in America (Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 1995).
The primary source material for Ruby's research came from the rural community of Juniata County, Pennsylvania and the extensive holdings of a local mortician.
Collection Arrangement
The collection is organized into three groupings: Photographs and Study Prints, Memorabilia, and Videotapes.
The collection has been arranged by series according to image or media formats, starting with the photographs and ending with oversize memorabilia and video tapes. With few exceptions the original order was maintained.
Location
For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Penn State University Libraries catalog via the link above. Archival collections may be housed in offsite storage. For materials stored offsite, please allow 2-3 business days for retrieval.
Processing Information
Processed by Special Collections staff.
Using These Materials
Repository Details
Part of the Eberly Family Special Collections Library Repository
104 Paterno Library
Penn State University
University Park 16802 USA
(814) 865-1793
spcollections@psu.edu
Access Restrictions
Collection is open for research.
Copyright Notice
Copyright is retained by the creators of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Jay Ruby collection on the Photographic Representation of Death, HCLA 1757, Special Collections Library, Pennsylvania State University.
- Title
- Jay Ruby Collection on the photographic representation of death, 1840-1993
- Status
- Published
- Author
- Gwyn Johns
- Date
- 2011
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.