After his mother formed a favorable impression of Northern schools while visiting the 1939 New York World's Fair, he was sent off to continue his education there.
In the 1960s, Jones was part of the "Birmingham Interracial Committee" of the "Jefferson County Coordinating Council for Social Forces" and later worked for the United States Department of Justice on Civil Rights issues and later the Department of Housing and Urban Development, where he was recognized for his work on the Model Cities Program.
In the early 1960s, Jones was inspired by the annual African-American art shows organized by Hale Woodruff at Atlanta University.
He hosted receptions at his home to encourage colleagues to purchase art and put pressure on galleries and museums to recognize African-American artwork.
In 2001 Jones donated hundreds of the more valuable works to that University with several stipulations for how the school should leverage it to provide more opportunities for black students and art professionals.