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Cubas Bohemia Magazine Turns 100 Years
The first edition of May 10, 1908 went practically unnoticed, and its print run really began on May 7, 1910.

In 1915, it changes its subtitle for "World Illustration," enlarging its pages in size and number. In 1927, Miguel Ángel Quevedo y de la Lastra replaces his father in the edition and Bohemia, though smaller, comes out with more pages and covers all news in Cuba and the world. In 1930, the magazine was already well-known abroad. From 1940 to 1950, a total of 200,000 copies were issued, and in 1959, one million, thus making it the first Cuban and Latin American publication setting that record. It was sold all over Cuba, and distributed in large part of the international market.

It always echoed crucial events in the 20th century, and stories, poems, literary criticism, as well as works on drama, music, fine arts, among others, have been published in its pages. In the last few years, it has included sections on society, sports, religion, fashion, and for children, among others. The section In Cuba, which appeared on July 4, 1943 on the initiative of Enrique de La Osa and Carlos Lechuga, was, at the time, "the most permanent and read of all times in Cuban journalism," according to official press media.

Luis Felipe Rodríguez, Juan Marinello, Raúl Roa, Fernando Ortiz, Félix Pita Rodríguez, Emilio Roig de Leuchsenring, Mirta Aguirre, Samuel Feijóo, and Jorge Mañach were some of its regular collaborators. Many of Bohemias articles were written by leftwing academicians, and the majority of them were concerned about the social, political, and economic realities at the time in Cuba. Others such as Lisandro Otero, Marta Rojas, Salvador Bueno, and Antonio Núñez Jiménez joined them later.

The advances of graphic arts were also incorporated, and Bohemia was illustrated with color prints by the most outstanding painters and draftsmen en of the period, such as Leopoldo Romañach, Esteban Valderrama, Antonio Rodríguez Morey, Rafael Blanco, and Armando G. Menocal.

Today, Bohemia stands as witness of important moments in the political, military, artistic, cultural, sports, and social fields in Cuba and the world, and represents a valuable source of consultation for researchers and people interested in rescuing and studying the national and international historic past.

After 100 years of its foundation, and with the direction of José R. Fernández Vega, Bohemia has strengthened and recovered the opinion work. It is also undergoing a thorough project for the preservation of the patrimonial collection, digitalization of its archives, and redesign of its website.

All that has allowed the "head of the Cuban press" remain in the lead of national journalism, with a current bimonthly edition of 100,000 copies. Not in vein has Fidel Castro called it "mainstay of national identity."

Activities marking its centennial have included a documentary, a multimedia, the interactive forum "Bohemia in Three Moments: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow," a special 160-page edition in May, with the best articles ever published on its history, and the colloquium "Bohemia 100 Years," with the opening speech by Dr. Armando Hart Dávalos.

In addition, Dixie Edith Trinquete, from the Culture and History Department, has summoned readers to take part in the contest "Bohemia in my Life", for children and adults from any country.

(CubaNow)


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