Commemorative photo album, Álbum Expedicionarios del Granma

Object/Artifact

-

Archive of Cuban Socialism

Name/Title

Commemorative photo album, "Álbum Expedicionarios del Granma"

Entry/Object ID

2025.15.1

Description

Oblong (landscape) softcover photo album with dark paper-covered wrappers, the front blocked in green/gold: the title "ÁLBUM EXPEDICIONARIOS DEL GRANMA" with a star-and-crescent motif above a line illustration of the yacht Granma. Bound at the left edge with two metal eyelet posts. The interior opens with a title page, "Expedición y Desembarco del 'Granma'," carrying summary data — departure Tuxpan, México, 25 Nov 1956; arrival Playas "Las Coloradas," 2 Dec 1956, Oriente; crew 82 men; boat length 62 ft; crossing 7 days, 8 hours, 23 minutes; "Jefatura y Dirección: Fidel Castro Ruz"; "Prohibida la reproducción." The facing page notes that the album's proceeds would fund a mausoleum (panteón) for the Granma martyrs, beside a circular ink stamp "OPERACIÓN GRANMA / EJECUTIVO / HABANA" with the Cuban arms. The leaves carry black-and-white portrait photographs of the expedition members, opening with the fallen.

Acquisition

Accession

2025.15

Made/Created

Date made

circa 1960

Time Period

1960s

Place

City

Havana

Country

Cuba

Region

Caribbean, Central America

Notes

Maker/Publisher: Publisher not named (sine nomine); produced in Havana for the "Operación Granma" memorial/fundraising campaign. (Some recorded copies are signed by Norberto Collado, the Granma's helmsman — not confirmed for this copy.)

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Notes

Cover title and Granma illustration; interior title-page expedition data; "Prohibida la reproducción"; "Jefatura y Dirección: Fidel Castro Ruz"; circular stamp "Operación Granma / Ejecutivo / Habana."

Materials

Material Notes

Materials: Paper-covered board wrappers; paper leaves; metal post/eyelet binding; black-and-white photographic (halftone) reproductions; green/gold cover blocking. Technique: Offset/letterpress printing; halftone photo reproduction; eyelet-post binding; ink/foil-blocked cover.

Condition

Overall Condition

Poor

Relationships

Related Places

Place

City

Havana

Country

Cuba

Region

Caribbean, Central America

Notes

preservation

Related Events

Event

Granma's landing

Research Notes

Notes

An early-revolutionary souvenir/fundraising album commemorating the Granma expedition — the November 1956 voyage of 82 members of the 26th of July Movement (including Fidel and Raúl Castro, Che Guevara, and Camilo Cienfuegos) from Tuxpan, Mexico, that landed at Playa Las Coloradas and helped ignite the Cuban Revolution. Proceeds were to be dedicated to a mausoleum for the fallen ("mártires del Granma"); the album presents individual portraits of the expeditionaries, opening with the dead. The Granma Memorial was inaugurated in 1976.

Created By

María A. Cabrera Arús

Create Date

August 26, 2025

Updated By

María A. Cabrera Arús

Update Date

June 14, 2026