The defining moments of the Cuban Revolution

No instant replays — Magnum photographer Burt Glinn arrived in Havana just as Fidel Castro’s revolutionaries seized power from dictator Fulgencio Batista.

You don’t get a second chance to photograph a revolution. There are no re-runs of the storming of the presidential palace and corrupt dictators only flee the once.

Young Magnum photographer Burt Glinn was celebrating New Years Eve at a black tie party in New York in 1958 when he heard whispers that Cuba’s US-sponsored dictator was making preparations to escape Havana, as Fidel Castro’s revolutionary army advanced on the city.

Seizing his opportunity, Glinn borrowed $400 from Magnum president Cornell Capa, picked up his camera gear and raced to NY’s La Guardia airport just in time to make the last flight to Miami.

NYC10103 © Burt Glinn _ Magnum

Onlookers watch the battle between rebels and Batista’s men unfold

NYC4629 © Burt Glinn _ Magnum

Young student women and supporters of Castro

When Glinn arrived in Havana early the next morning, he had already missed Batista’s hurried exit. Nobody was in charge and no-one knew what would happen next, or where Fidel Castro was. But over the subsequent ten days, Glinn documented the defining moments of the Cuban Revolution.

“At 11pm on December 31, 1958, I decided to fly to Cuba,” Glinn recalls. “At daybreak, I was sharing the streets of Havana with hundreds of delirious Cubans. Within four days, I had found Fidel, and by January 10 this project was completed.”

Glinn’s images have become one the defining photographic records of the victory of the Cuban Revolution. But the chaos and uncertainty that met him when he arrived in Havana meant that documenting the momentous events was no easy task. As Glinn said, “you just can’t hail a taxi and ask the cabbie to take you to the revolution.”

PAR43445 © Burt Glinn _ Magnum

Castro Sympathisers take to the streets with small arms

PAR43435 © Burt Glinn _ Magnum

Fidel Castro’s arrival into Havana

Glenn captured the triumphant scenes as Castro and his supporters swept into the city and the jubilation of ordinary Cubans at their liberation. But revolutions aren’t all fun and games and Glinn photographed Castro supporters emerging from hiding, gunshots being fired, panic on the streets and the rounding up of the Batista Secret Police.

Cuba 1959 is the product of the first ever unrestricted access to Burt Glinn’s incredible archive and his up-close and personal record of the Cuban Revolution plays out like a thriller.

Cuba 1959 by Burt Glinn is published by Reel Art Press.

Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.


Ad

Latest on Huck

Two young women making silly facial expressions, one with a grey coat and the other in a black coat, in front of a white building.
Culture

Tender, carefree portraits of young Ukrainians before the war

Diary of a Stolen Youth — On the day that a temporary ceasefire is announced, a new series from photographer Nastya Platinova looks back at Kyiv’s bubbling youth culture before Russia’s February 2022 full-scale invasion. It presents a visual window for young people into a possible future, as well as the past.

Four people posing for a portrait, wearing black outfits against a bright red background. The text "Hush presents Analogue Appreciation" is overlaid in yellow and green lettering.
Music

Analogue Appreciation: 47SOUL

Dualism — In an ever more digital, online world, we ask our favourite artists about their most cherished pieces of physical culture. Today, it’s Palestinian shamstep pioneers 47SOUL.

Written by: 47SOUL

A punk rock band performing on stage, with a female lead singer belting into a microphone. Behind them, a colourful mural with graffiti-style text.
Music

Meet the hair-raised radicals of Berlin’s noise punk scene

Powertool — In his new zine, George Nebieridze captures moments of loud rage and quiet intimacy of the German capital’s bands, while exploring the intersections between music, community and anti-establishment politics.

Written by: Miss Rosen

Group of people dancing at a live music performance, with a large "Spaces Beats" sign in the background.
Music

Amid tensions in Eastern Europe, young Latvians are reviving their country’s folk rhythms

Spaces Between the Beats — The Baltic nation’s ancient melodies have long been a symbol of resistance, but as Russia’s war with Ukraine rages on, new generations of singers and dancers are taking them to the mainstream.

Written by: Jack Styler

A person's face surrounded by colourful flowers. The flowers include orange, red, and yellow dahlias, as well as smaller yellow blooms. The person's expression is serious.
Music

Uwade: “I was determined to transcend popular opinion”

What Made Me — In this series, we ask artists and rebels about the about the forces and experiences that shaped who they are. Today, it’s Nigerian-born, South Carolina-raised indie-soul singer Uwade.

Written by: Uwade

Taxidermy alligator with a small monkey sitting on its head, displayed on a wooden shelf with other items.
Culture

Inside the obscured, closeted habitats of Britain’s exotic pets

“I have a few animals...” — For his new series, photographer Jonty Clark went behind closed doors to meet rare animal owners, finding ethical grey areas and close bonds.

Written by: Hannah Bentley

Signup to our newsletter

Sign up to our newsletter to informed with the cutting edge of sport, music and counterculture, featuring personal takes on the state of media and pop culture from Emma Garland, former Digital Editor of Huck, exclusive interviews, recommendations and more.

Please wait...

Accessibility Settings

Text

Applies the Open Dyslexic font, designed to improve readability for individuals with dyslexia.

Applies a more readable font throughout the website, improving readability.

Underlines links throughout the website, making them easier to distinguish.

Adjusts the font size for improved readability.

Visuals

Reduces animations and disables autoplaying videos across the website, reducing distractions and improving focus.

Reduces the colour saturation throughout the website to create a more soothing visual experience.

Increases the contrast of elements on the website, making text and interface elements easier to distinguish.