The Mariel Boatlift: a Cold War-Era Mass Exodus of Cubans to the U.S.

Crowds gather for the The Harlem Cultural Festival on June 29, 1969.

How Hernán Cortés Conquered the Aztec Empire

A 1960s-era TV set on legs is shown between a potted plant and red footstool.

How Billie Holiday’s ‘Strange Fruit’ Confronted an Ugly Era of Lynchings

Karen Juanita Carrillo

Karen Juanita Carrillo Archives | History.com

Home

Watch Full Episodes of Your Favorite Shows

HISTORY

https://dev-assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2023/03/logo.svg

History

America’s Founding Fathers decided that one elected civilian - the U.S. president - would lead the executive branch of the federal government, a governmental structure that has remained in place for more than 200 years.

U.S. Presidents

In the 15th century, Europeans began to sail west across the Atlantic Ocean in search of new routes to China and the East, but in the process they discovered an entirely New World: North and South America, plus many other lands.

Exploration

Hispanic Heritage

The 1960s were one of the most tumultuous and divisive decades in world history, marked by the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War and antiwar protests, political assassinations and the emerging "generation gap."

1960s

Mexico is a large, dynamic Spanish-speaking nation with a diverse landscape and a rich history that includes the temples of Chichen Itza, the Mexican Revolution, Cinco de Mayo and the Mexican-American War.

Mexico

In the early 20th century, America was flexing its economic and political muscle on the international stage. The era was defined by the temperance movement, Progressive-era activism, the sinking of the Titanic and World War I.

Early 20th Century US

Hispanic Heritage Month is an annual celebration of the history and culture of the U.S. Latinx and Hispanic communities. The event, which spans from September 15 to October 15, commemorates how those communities have influenced and contributed to American society at large.

Hispanic History

The Cold War rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union lasted for decades and resulted in anti-communist suspicions and international incidents that led the two superpowers to the brink of nuclear disaster.

Cold War

Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. From Harriet Tubman’s Underground Railroad to the Montgomery Bus Boycott to Selma to Montgomery March to the Black Lives Matter movement, Black leaders, artists and writers have helped shaped the character and identity of a nation.

Black History

February is dedicated as Black History Month, honoring the triumphs and struggles of African Americans throughout U.S. history, including the civil rights movement and their artistic, cultural and political achievements.

Russia, the largest nation in the world, has a colorful history that includes the Romanov family, the Russian Revolution, Vladimir Lenin, Joseph Stalin, pogroms, the KGB, the fall of the Soviet Union and more.

Russia

During the 1980s, conservative politics and Reaganomics held sway as the Berlin Wall crumbled, new computer technologies emerged and blockbuster movies and MTV reshaped pop culture.

1980s

Ancient America was home to sophisticated civilizations such as the Maya, Inca, Olmec and Aztec societies, and mysterious ruins like Chichen Itza, Teotihuacan, Serpent Mound, Tikal, Machu Picchu and the Nazca Lines.

Karen Juanita Carrillo ‑ Stories

7 Groundbreaking Inventions by Latino Innovators

Why the Watershed 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival Was Overshadowed for 50 Years

How Hernán Cortés Conquered the Aztec Empire

How Billie Holiday’s ‘Strange Fruit’ Confronted an Ugly Era of Lynchings

The Mariel Boatlift: How Cold War Politics Drove Thousands of Cubans to Florida in 1980

How the Chicano Movement Championed Mexican‑American Identity and Fought for Change