Carlos Cortez
Individual
Roles
Artist, Author, Organizer, WriterBiography
Carlos Cortez (1923–2005) was a Mexican-German graphic artist, poet, and organizer. Born in Milwaukee and based in Chicago since the 1960s, Cortez was deeply involved with the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), also known as the Wobblies, which was one of the first labor unions of Mexican workers in the southwestern United States. He was also a member of Movimiento Artístico Chicano (MARCH), the Mexican Graphics Workshop, the Chicago Indian Artists Guild, and other organizations. His dedication to labor rights is reflected across his poems and art that address union organizing, identity, and culture. His writing, including articles, short stories, poems, and book reviews, and his art, including photographs, comic strips, and linoleum-cut illustrations, were published in the IWW’s newspaper and other outlets over the years.Poetry Foundation, 2024