Latin American Revolution

In 1961, at the height of the Cold War, the United States severed diplomatic relations with Cuba, where a momentous revolution had taken power three years earlier. For more than half a century, the stand-off continued—through the tenure of ten American presidents and the fifty-year rule of Fidel Castro. His death in 2016, and the retirement of his brother and successor Raúl Castro in 2021, have spurred questions about the country’s future. Spanning more than five centuries, Cuba provides us with a front-row seat as we witness the evolution of the modern nation.

In the early 19th century, the United States turned its idealistic gaze southward, imagining a legacy of revolution and republicanism it hoped would dominate the American hemisphere. From pulsing port cities to Midwestern farms and Southern plantations, an adolescent nation hailed Latin America's independence movements as glorious tropical reprises of 1776.

Published in 1791, Thomas Paine’s The Rights of Man defended the French Revolution’s values of freedom, equality, and brotherhood. He argued that a government based on justice ought to support mankind’s civil rights relating to security and protection, as well as the natural rights to life, liberty, and freedom of conscience. He also proposed plans for universal education, pensions, poverty relief, and social welfare in this classic work that was widely read across the West.

Rasta Man: Love, Music, and Revolution take listeners on a captivating journey through the tumultuous lives of Elijah, a charismatic reggae musician and revolutionary leader, and Janelle, the woman who stands by his side through thick and thin. Set against the backdrop of Jamaica’s political unrest and the ever-evolving world of reggae music, their story is one of passion, sacrifice, and the unbreakable bond between two souls destined to be together. Elijah, known to his fans as the Rasta Man, has become a symbol of hope for the people of Jamaica.