Jake and Mary Jacobs marked their 70th anniversary of a happy marriage last year, but their journey wasn’t simple.
Mary, who is White, and Jake, who is Black, lived in the same city in 1940s Britain. At that time, there weren’t many Black men there.
Even though Mary’s father told her to leave, Mary chose love over easy choices.
“When I told my father I was going to marry Jake, he said, ‘If you marry that man, you will never set foot in this house again.’”
Mary and Jake first met at a technical college where Mary was learning typing and shorthand, and Jake was undergoing Air Force training. They met during the war when Jake moved from Trinidad to Britain.
Jake impressed Mary with his understanding of Shakespeare, and they got to know each other. One day, they invited Mary and her friend to join them for a picnic. Unfortunately, someone passing by saw them and reported Mary to her father. The woman was shocked to see two English girls talking with black guys. After this incident, Mary wasn’t allowed to visit her father again.
After Jake returned to Trinidad, they kept in touch through letters. A few years later, he came back to the U.K. to find a better-paying job.
Jake surprised Mary by proposing, and she, at 19, said yes. However, when she told her family, they kicked her out.
“I left with only one small suitcase. No family came to our registry office wedding in 1948.”
Mary’s father was upset about her marrying a black man, and Mary didn’t realize that society felt the same way.
The early years of their marriage in Birmingham were tough. Mary cried every day, hardly ate, and they faced many challenges. Nobody would talk to them, they couldn’t find a place to live because nobody would rent to a black man, and they had little money.
Even walking down the street together was hard because people would point at them, Mary explained.
Mary and Jake were excited to become parents, but at eight months, Mary gave birth to a stillborn child. She mentioned it wasn’t due to the stress she was under, but it deeply saddened them, and they didn’t have any more children.
As time passed, their lives improved. Mary became a teacher and eventually an assistant principal, while Jake found a job with the Post Office. They made new friends, but Mary felt the need to explain to people that her husband was black before introducing them.
“My father passed away when I was 30, and even though we reconciled by then, he never approved of Jake,” she shared.
Currently, Jake, 89, and Mary, 84, live in Solihull, a town south of Birmingham. They recently celebrated 70 years of marriage.
Jake said he has no regrets, but he also mentioned that today’s black youth may not fully understand the challenges he faced in 1940s Britain.
“When I arrived in the U.K., I faced abuse every day. Once, on a bus, a man rubbed his hands on my neck and said, ‘I wanted to see if the dirt would come off.’ Back then, working in an office as a black man with white girls wasn’t considered safe,” Jake explained.
Despite all the challenges, bias, and abuse, the pair is still deeply in love and has no regrets about being married. They have been happily married for more than 70 years.
These two are a true inspiration, and I wish them a lifetime of pleasure because of the love they have for one another.
Shе Wаs Тhе Ноttеst Сеlеbrity In Тhе Wоrld 20 Yеаrs Аgо, Вut Тоdаy I Саn’t Rесоgnizе Неr
Pamela Anderson, the iconic Baywatch star and Canadian-American beauty, is making headlines again, and this time it’s not for her red swimsuit running down the beach. In the latest Proenza Schouler SS/24 campaign, Anderson continues to embrace her fresh-faced look and defies age, showcasing her timeless beauty. The luxury women’s fashion brand, established in 2002 by Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, couldn’t have chosen a more fitting muse to represent their collection.
In the campaign, Pamela Anderson appears ageless, with minimal makeup that accentuates her natural beauty. She graces the camera wearing the New York label’s stunning $1,790 ‘Lara Knit Dress’ in vibrant red. However, what’s truly remarkable is that it seems Anderson is wearing little to no makeup, except for a touch of lip gloss.
The decision to showcase Anderson’s natural beauty is not accidental. The 56-year-old actress and model has been an advocate for embracing one’s true self and challenging conventional standards of beauty. In a recent interview with Vogue France, she shаrеd her perspective, saying, “I’m not into the makeup look right now. My mom always told me, ‘At some point in your life, you’re not going to want to wear makeup on your skin.’ And she’s right.”
This isn’t the first time Pamela Anderson has boldly embraced her natural look. Last October, during Paris Fashion Week festivities, she proudly announced her decision to wear only her DIY rose oil on her alabaster complexion. This move reflects her commitment to authentic beauty and her desire to inspire others to embrace their natural selves.Behind the scenes of this stunning campaign, Anderson had the support of her trusted makeup artist, Cyndle Komarovski, who also worked with her for the Daily Front Row’s Fashion Media Awards in Manhattan on September 8, where she accepted the Style Icon Award. Cyndle’s minimalistic approach to makeup perfectly aligns with Anderson’s vision of beauty, allowing her natural radiance to shine through.
Hairstylist Karim Belghiran and nail artist Alicia Torello completed Anderson’s look for the Proenza Schouler campaign. They transformed her signature blonde mane, taking out some volume, and applied a classic red manicure, enhancing her timeless style. The entire look was curated by stylist Thistle Brown, who ensured Anderson’s effortless beauty was front and center.
In addition to her stunning appearance in the Proenza Schouler campaign, Pamela Anderson has been making waves in her career. She’s currently working on a cookbook, fulfilling a lifelong dream. “This has always been my dream to have a cooking show. Always, always, always,” Anderson shаrеd. “Brandon came to me and said, ‘Mom, your dream is going to come true.’ And now we are on Food Network Canada, which is even better because I am so insistent on doing Canadian projects and working with Canadian production companies.”Pamela’s Cooking With Love, her upcoming vegan cooking show, is set to premiere later this year on Food Network Canada.
Anderson’s passion for cooking and her commitment to a plant-based lifestyle have come together to create a show that promises to delight viewers with delicious and nutritious meals. Anderson expressed her excitement about the show, saying, “Michelin star chefs, James Beard Award winners, and all these incredible chefs from all over the world came to my little barn on the island, and we cooked the most amazing mind-blowing meals. I mean, my head just exploded every episode. I was so excited! I was likе a sponge, just soaking it all in!”
In addition to her flourishing career, Pamela Anderson is also a proud mother of two sons, Brandon Thomas Lee and Dylan Jagger Lee. Both of them showed their support for their mother’s Proenza Schouler campaign by Instastorying it with supportive emojis. Pamela welcomed these two talented young men during her three-year marriage to three-time Grammy nominee Tommy Lee, which ended in 1998.
As Pamela Anderson continues to inspire us with her beauty, authenticity, and resilience, it’s clear that age is just a number. Her timeless elegance and unwavering commitment to embracing her true self make her an icon for generations to come. In a world often obsessed with youth and superficial beauty, Pamela Anderson reminds us that the real essence of beauty lies in being confident in who we are.
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