José Vasconcelos

Casa del Poeta Ramon López Velarde

Ubicaci�n Av. Álvaro Obregón 73, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 CDMX

Museums Museums

Mercado 12 de octubre (San Salvador Cuauhtenco)

Ubicaci�n Av Morelos Pte 27, San Salvador Cuauhtenco Secc IV, Milpa Alta, 12300 CDMX

Public Markets

Jardín Ramón López Velarde

Ubicaci�n Av. Cuauhtémoc s/n, Col. Roma Norte, Alc. Cuauhtémoc 06760 CDMX

Parks Parks

Museum of the Constitutions

Ubicaci�n Carmen #31, Col. Centro.

Museums Museums

Vasconcelos Library

Ubicaci�n Eje 1 Norte Mosqueta s/n, Col. Buenavista.

Libraries

Monumento a la Madre

Ubicaci�n Colonia Cuauhtémoc, Cuauhtémoc, 06500 CDMX

Public Art/Monuments

José Vasconcelos Calderón (1882—1959) was an influential public intellectual who came to prominence after the Mexican Revolution. Appointed the first Secretary of Public Education, he founded the government ministry. In so doing, he set the tone for the entire century to follow.

Originally a law student, he was an early supporter of the revolution. By 1920, even prior to the presidency of Álvaro Obregón, he became head the National University. When Obregón took office (1920-1924), Vasconcelos was appointed head of Public Education and left to build the entire department.

He then worked to bring educators and artists to Mexico and created numerous public libraries and the Institute of Fine Arts (today's INBAL).

He's often credited with instigating the muralism movement among the painters of the day. And his intellectual work, today largely fallen from favor, receives a slightly more thorough discussion in the article on the Monumento a la Raza. His enormous work covered not just philosophy, but sociology and pedagogy, journalism, and even drama.

His contribution to Mexican society and public life is all the more staggering in considering that it emerged in response to the chaos of the revolution. José Vasconcelos is today well remembered in sites, schools, libraries, and monuments all over Mexico City. Across the country, there are still more. The sites related to his life and work will give just the beginnings of a venture into understanding his thoughts.

Works cited on this page:
Fernández, Tomás y Tamaro, Elena. «Biografia de José Vasconcelos». En Biografías y Vidas. La enciclopedia biográfica en línea [Internet]. Barcelona, España, 2004. Disponible en https://www.biografiasyvidas.com/biografia/v/vasconcelos.htm [fecha de acceso: 25 de marzo de 2022].