Hector Acebes papers and photographs
name: label: Creator
content: Acebes, Hector
place: label: Place
content: Mali
label: Place
content: Chad
label: Place
content: Cameroon
label: Place
content: Congo (Democatic Republic)
label: Place
content: Guinea
label: Place
content: Benin
label: Place
content: Kenya
label: Place
content: Algeria
label: Place
content: Morocco
label: Place
content: Colombia
label: Place
content: Ecuador
label: Place
content: Venezuela
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: The Hector Acebes papers and photographs came to the archives in four accessions. The first accession came in 1951 and was donated by Acebes himself, as were the two that followed in 1994 and 2016. The final accession, comprising the bulk of the collection, came to the archives in 2022 and was donated by Acebes' heirs.
creator: label: Creator
content: Acebes, Hector
setName: label: See more items in
content: Hector Acebes papers and photographs
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Hector Acebes (1921-2017) was an American photographer and filmmaker known for his photography from expeditions in Africa and South Amerca in the late 1940s and 1950s.

Acebes was born in New York City but grew up in Bogota, Colombia and Madrid, Spain. He later attended the New York Military Academy, and served in World War II on the European front. Following this, he studied engineering at MIT, graduating in 1947.

Acebes then began his career as photographer and filmmaker, making multiple expeditions in Africa and South America. His first African expedition was to Morocco and Algeria, but he later traveled throughout the continent. His last Africa trip was the most extensive, where he drove from Dakar to Zanzibar. 

Among his expeditions in South America were journeys up the Orinoco River and excursions to visit various Indigenous communities including Guaica, Jivaro, Arhuaco, and Yuco peoples. 

Acebes lectured about his travels and held exhibits of his photographs, which reveal a tendency toward portraiture of individuals. He also wrote several books, including Orinoco Adventure, about his attempt to find the headwaters of the Orinoco River.

Acebes later became an industrial filmmaker for engineering projects throughout South America. He died in Bogota.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 19.3 Linear feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: circa 1948-1950s
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: National Anthropological Archives
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NAA.2023-01
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is arranged into three series: 1. Papers; 2. Photographs; 3. Film and video.
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: The Hector Acebes papers and photographs came to the archives in four accessions: MS 4389, 1994-28, 2016-39, and 2023-01. The archivist merged all four accessions into this collection in 2023.

The collection came to the archives generally grouped by format (e.g. papers) and subject (i.e. Africa). The archivist maintained this organization. 

News clippings that did not relate to Acebes were discarded, as were some duplicate material.
otherfindaid: label: Other Finding Aids
content: A detailed listing of the film, video, and sound elements is available in the repository.
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The Hector Acebes papers and photographs primarily contain Acebes' photographs from his expeditions in Africa and South America but also include journals, maps, press clippings, writings and publications by Acebes, and films.

The core of the collection are Acebes original negatives and contact prints, however there are several sets of enlargements of select photographs as well. Most contact sheets have some annotation on verso indicating the country, town, region, and/or community represented.

The papers include several journals Acebes kept during his South America expeditions (unfortunately his Africa journals were lost). Maps of Africa are annotated with Acebes' routes and places visited, and extensive press clippings cover and review Acebes travels, publications, and lectures.

The films comprise a seemingly random selection of motion picture films, sound elements and videos related to the production of industrial films on a variety of South American development projects by Hector Acebes for his own company Acebes Productions.  According to the credits appearing on the films, the company was a partnership with the filmmaker's brother Juan Acebes.  Most of the films are undated but dates appearing on the video transfers and dates ascertained from the film stocks indicate that the films were most likely produced in the 1970s-1990s. There are also videos of an interview with Acebes conducted by Ed Marquand, in circa 2003.  

Please note that the contents of the collection and the language and terminology used reflect the context and culture of the time of its creation. As an historical document, its contents may be at odds with contemporary views and terminology and considered offensive today. The information within this collection does not reflect the views of the Smithsonian Institution or National Anthropological Archives, but is available in its original form to facilitate research.