Vintage Photos That Show Life In Cuba Before Fidel Castro
The 20th century was a tumultuous time for the island nation of Cuba. It gained formal independence just before the dawn of the century, but this independence came with significant strings attached.
Several decades of ups and downs followed, with two world wars, before the revolutionary spirit of Fidel Castro swelled up to take power of Cuba in 1959.
Cuba gained independence after the Spanish-American War.
This image shows what was left of the USS Maine battleship after it exploded in Havana Harbor in 1898, killing over 260 American sailors.
The exact cause of the explosion is still debated today, but the incident did provide the United States with a catalyst to attack Spanish troops in Cuba. The rallying cry “Remember the Maine, to hell with Spain!” energized American troops, and with their help, Cuba gained independence before the close of the 19th century.
Many Cubans were laborers.
There was a sharp divide between the western and eastern halves of Cuba. In the west lay the capital of Havana and most of the country’s ruling class, while the eastern half of the island was poorer, with most inhabitants working agricultural jobs.
Sugar emerged as Cuba’s cash crop during the early years of the 20th century, and sugarcane farming became so lucrative that almost all other crops were abandoned.
Havana Harbor was a gleaming beacon.
Havana Harbor, Cuba’s principal port, would have been the first thing that visitors to Cuba would have seen after making landfall.
The harbor came to symbolize Cuba’s wealth as well as its inequality. While it served as the nation’s main gateway for sugar exports as well as a port of call for cruise ships, its nearby slums served as a marked contrast.
The cigar became synonymous with Cuba.
During the early years of the 20th century, Cuban cigars started to gain a global reputation for their superior quality, thanks to the island’s climate and fertile soil, particularly in the Vuelta Abajo region.
This image of workers hand-rolling cigars in a Havana factory was taken in about 1910. The cigar industry provided employment for thousands of Cubans, while the tobacco harvest helped to keep Cuba from becoming a sugarcane-dependent monoculture.
Baseball emerged as a beloved sport.
This image shows a matchup between two U.S. Navy baseball teams at Guantanamo Bay. The sport grew in popularity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, thanks largely to Cuban students returning home from the United States as well as American servicemen in Cuba.
Cuba quickly established a national league, which attracted both local talent and Black American players who weren’t allowed to play in Major League Baseball, which was segregated at the time.
Havana had a world-renowned nightlife.
With the United States exerting significant influence on Cuba ever since the Spanish-American War, Havana became a hub for Americans seeking some fun in the sun.
When the sun went down, holidaymakers still had plenty to do thanks to Havana’s nightlife, which made it similar to Las Vegas. This nightlife may have been thrilling for those who participated, but for locals, it tended to represent inequality and foreign interference.
The standard of living varied considerably.
Many urban Cubans, particularly those in the upper and middle classes, enjoyed a lifestyle that was relatively modern and cosmopolitan. They were able to enjoy American goods, cars, movies, and even schools.
But beneath the surface, large segments of the population lived in poverty, particularly in the outskirts of Havana and overcrowded tenements.
Ernest Hemingway had a strong connection with Cuba.
Famed author Ernest Hemingway is pictured here with his fourth wife, Mary Welsh, as they hold their pets in jai alai baskets on their Cuban farm.
Hemingway lived in Cuba for nearly two decades, and it was at his hillside estate just outside of Havana that he wrote some of his most famous works, including The Old Man and the Sea — a piece deeply rooted in Cuban settings and characters.
American troops were a constant presence.
After the Spanish-American War and the establishment of the Guantanamo Bay naval base in eastern Cuba, U.S. servicemen were a constant presence throughout Cuba.
While troops were present between 1898 and 1902 to oversee Cuba’s transition to self-governance, the Platt Amendment allowed future military intervention. U.S. troops returned in 1906 and again in 1912 to quell political unrest.
It was an island of contrasts.
This photo, taken in 1950, gives a glimpse of change slowly coming to Cuba. While the foreground of the image shows a slum in Oriente Province, the background shows a modern school.
While Cuba attracted significant foreign investment and had valuable exports, much of this wealth stayed in foreign hands — a major factor in the resentment that would fuel Castro’s revolution.
It’s always been an island paradise.
Cuba’s history is a complicated and bloody one, but one thing that’s remained constant is that the island has miles of beautiful beaches and an ideal Caribbean climate.
This 1930s or 1940s image shows local women as they enjoy a sunny day at a Havana beach. Beaches like Varadero were extremely popular with tourists and locals alike.
There was entertainment for those who could afford it.
In pre-revolutionary Cuba, Havana’s glamorous venues like the Tropicana, Sans Souci, and Hotel Nacional hosted elaborate stage shows from some of the biggest stars of the era.
This 1957 image shows American entertainer Jimmy Durante putting on a stage performance at the Hotel Nacional in 1957. In just a few short years, shows like this would become a thing of the past.
Traditions were still important.
In a marked contrast to the fancy resorts and extravagant nightlife enjoyed by tourists, Havana’s residents continued to take part in some of their oldest traditions.
A large group of people can be seen dancing in traditional costumes at Havana Cathedral in this 1946 photo. Various dance styles such as the son, danzón, rumba, and mambo became staples of Cuban social life.
It was a motorsports destination.
Cuba’s status as a motorsports mecca came to a swift end after its revolution, but for a short period in the late 1950s, it hosted the prestigious Grand Prix of Cuba.
The race combined an exciting street course that wound through the streets of Havana with the glamour of visiting dignitaries, as the race dovetailed with Havana’s status as a major tourist destination.
In 1959, Fidel Castro overthrew dictator Fulgencio Batista.
In what’s likely the most pivotal moment in Cuban history, a revolution led by Fidel Castro was successful in overthrowing Batista, ushering in the era of Cuba as a one-party socialist state.
The revolution was the culmination of decades of discontent with Batista’s corrupt and authoritarian regime, which was propped up by U.S. support and foreign interests.
