at the taller de gráfica popular in mexico, jones learned how to make woodcut and linocut prints and mingled with visiting artists like diego rivera and josé orozco. jones left mexico in 1941 to teach at fort valley state college in georgia. one of the students he taught was benny andrews, who would go on to become an accomplished african-american artist. in 1942, during wwii, jones was drafted into the american army and stationed at fort mcclellan in alabama. in the army jones became an illustrator and painted the mural "negro work and life in georgia" at fort mcclellan. the mural depicted rural life in the south for black farmers. jones was discharged from the army in 1946 and returned to his teaching position at fort valley state university.