Operation Pedro Pan begins - June 1960

The Catholic Church and U.S. State Dept started evacuating unaccompanied Cuban children to the U.S. due to fears about communist indoctrination in schools so 4,048 kids left between 1

960-1962. It’s one of the biggest child airlifts in U.S. history.

In addition to indoctrination, youngsters were taken away fro their families to other provinces far from home for a literacy campaign in the countryside where boys and girls were going to be living in barracks for months without any parental control.

Antonio Maceo (June 14, 1845- December 7, 1896

General in the Cuban War of Independence, known as the “Bronze Titan.” Refused to accept the Pact of Zanjón in 1878 that ended the Ten Year’s War against Spain by participating in the “Protest of Baraguá,” making him a symbol of resistance. In 1895, along with Máximo Gómez and José Martí he would start the War of Independence. 

His west to east military campaign took the insurgency to every corner of Cuba. He died in combat in 1896. Two years later the U.S. entered the war which led to Cuba’s independence.

June 2026 Events from our partners: 

University of Miami’s Cuban Heritage Collection:

Goizueta Graduate Fellowships

Escuela de Artes y Oficios [School of Arts and Crafts], circa 1940s.Cuban Photograph Collection

The Goizueta Foundation Graduate Fellowship Program engages emerging scholars with the materials available in the CHC and thus contribute to the larger body of scholarship in Cuban and Cuban diaspora studies.

Talent Lab: AMERICAS Tuesday, June 16, 2026, 6:00pm to 8:00pm EDT

601 New Jersey Ave NW Suite 103 Washington, D.C. 20001

Cuba, Venezuela, the Caribbean & What Comes Next for the Region

Examine the changing political and economic landscape of Latin America and the Caribbean through the lens of Cuba, Venezuela, and the region’s future in an era shaped by renewed global competition and debate over a modern Monroe Doctrine. Explore how U.S. policy under President Trump—focused on sanctions, migration, energy markets, trade, and competition with China and Russia—is reshaping relationships across the hemisphere.

Featuring diplomats, policy experts, and regional leaders, this program looks at how countries are responding to instability while identifying new opportunities for growth, innovation, and cooperation. Gain practical insight into U.S.–Latin America relations, regional influence, and the next chapter for the Americas—while connecting with key players and learning about career paths and job opportunities across government, policy, business, and international affairs.

Please contact FIU at 305-348-2785 or accommodations@fiu.edu. 

The American Museum of the Cuban Diaspora

Bermello Ajamil: A Retrospective — Three Decades Shaping the Miami Skyline is a temporary exhibition presented by the American Museum of the Cuban Diaspora from March through August 2026.

This exhibition traces the evolution and impact of Bermello Ajamil, a firm founded by Cuban Americans whose vision and work have played a defining role in shaping Miami’s urban and architectural identity. Through a combination of visual materials, historical context, and design narratives, the exhibition highlights how the Cuban exile experience contributed to the growth and transformation of the city.

Emerging from the broader story of Cuban migration after 1959, the exhibition situates Bermello Ajamil within a generation that not only rebuilt their lives in the United States but also helped build Miami itself. From early beginnings to becoming a globally recognized firm, their work reflects themes of resilience, ambition, and cultural identity.

With this exhibition, the museum offers a perspective on how exile, memory, and opportunity converge in the making of a city, presenting Bermello Ajamil’s legacy as part of the larger story of the Cuban diaspora in the United States.

1200 Coral Way, Miami, FL 33135 open every day 12-6 pm with free admission

Miami Dade College’s Freedom Tower Museum of Art and Design

Welcome to the Freedom Tower

Built in 1925, the Freedom Tower is a National Historic Landmark and one of Miami’s most enduring symbols of freedom, democracy and cultural resilience. Known as Miami’s first skyscraper, the building has served many roles—from the original home of The Miami News to the Cuban Refugee Center that welcomed hundreds of thousands of exiles fleeing political oppression in the 1960s and 1970s.

Following a major restoration, the Freedom Tower reopened for its centennial celebration. The building features new exhibitions and cultural programming that honor its role in shaping Miami’s story and offer space for reflection, education and community engagement.

Please contact us for press inquiries, high-resolution images or additional information about the Freedom Tower’s history, programming and centennial events.

600 Biscayne Blvd. Miami, FL Please contact: ftmedia@mdc.edu