Dr. José de Jesús Vega, born May 2, 1911 in Silao, Guanajuato, Mexico, took his professional training in Spain. José de Jesús Vega dedicated over sixty years to the field of education. In l931 Vega began with several teaching assignments and organized several schools in Mexico City and surrounding areas. In 1947 Vega moved to the United States and pursued to better understand this country's education systems. Three years later Vega organized a school in McKinney, Texas for Hispano children. Time Magazine publicized his work in 1951; McKinney's mayor awarded Vega a golden medal for his work in the community.

José de Jesús Vega moved to Arizona in 1959. He attended Arizona State University. Later he enrolled in Arizona University from which he received his doctoral degree with a specialization in History. For the next several decades, Vega taught in various colleges. He retired in 1976 from Phoenix College with the title of Professor Emeritus. At Phoenix College,

Vega conducted field trips to Mexico with students enrolled in History of Latin America and Chicano History and Culture. He originated, promoted, and successfully taught both courses. Vega received recognition for his efforts by the Arizona Community College District administration and by various groups, including LULAC in 1990.

Dr. Vega has been prominent as an academic researcher, and, in that respect, completed studies on the pre-Columbian civilizations of America. He visited important archaeological sites throughout the American continent. Vega frequented Spain's Archivo de Indias, where the documents of the discovery, exploration, and colonization of the New World are kept. Vega authored several books on Hispanic history, among them Nuestra America, and El Hispano: History and contributions to America, (Volumes I and II). Vega edited twelve volumes of the scholarly series of Biblioteca Hispana. He also published hundreds of articles about the Hispanos in America.