On November 14th, 2009, José Cisneros, the respected El Paso artist, who “tore at racism,” passed away. Born in Villa Ocampo, Durango, Mexico, he lived to the age of 99.

Of humble birth and self-taught, his art came to be admired by the Pope, the King of Spain, and the President of the United States.  For more about this venerated figure, please see the article, “The Man Who Showed Us the Past: Celebrated Artist José Cisneros has become a bit of a History Lesson Himself,” published in The El Paso Times.

In 1963, at the request of John Porter Bloom, the secretary of the organization, Cisneros drew the WHA’s wagon-wheel-and-arrow logo.  There was no charge.