Burt Glinn's Iconic Photographs of Fidel Castro's 1959 Cuban Revolution

On December 31, 1958, freelance photographer Burt Glinn was celebrating New Year's Eve in New York when news broke that Fulgencio Batista's regime was about to fall. With no money, he borrowed $400 from Cornell Capa and, still in his tuxedo, rushed to Cuba. Arriving at dawn, he embarked on a nine-day adventure capturing the chaos and euphoria of the crowd, armed women, Batista's struggling police, guerrilla fighters, and hope. He reached Fidel Castro by car and preceded him on his legendary descent from the Sierra Maestra, where Castro had been hiding for two years. Glinn photographed Castro's triumphant entry into Havana, where the leader was greeted by rifle shots and ecstatic crowds. The photographer focused on ordinary people and street scenes as well as heroic moments. Glinn returned to Havana in 2001 for the 42nd anniversary of the Revolution and photographed Castro in his office, and the two old friends were photographed looking through photo albums. The article also notes Castro's use of photography for propaganda, calling upon photographers Alberto Korda, Raúl Corrales, and Osvaldo Salas to orchestrate images of Castro with Hemingway, playing golf with Che Guevara, and deep-sea fishing.