Bohemia Magazine (Revista Bohemia) is a Spanish language illustrated magazine based in Havana, Cuba, that was founded in 1908. It is the oldest general consumer magazine in Cuba, and the oldest magazine in all of Latin America. It provides articles relating to political commentary, long-form journalism, history, historical analysis, and fashion advice. It claims to be the first magazine to publish the work of Cuban artists in full color.
During the first forty years of its existence, alongside its human-interest articles, Bohemia was often critical of government overreach in Cuba - admonishing the actions of Machado, Batista, Grau, and other Cuban government administrations, enjoying the privileges of free speech to varying degrees.
Under the Machado government, the revolutionary dictator began to censor the media in the 1930s, and Bohemia became the most vocal magazine in opposition to the crimes of the government. Under the Batista regime, the dictator used his Wartime powers to impose strict censorships on popular media.
After the Cuban Revolution, the magazine came under the current communist censorship of the Castro regime and those who followed, and many believe the modern magazine to be a propaganda outlet of the communist government. However, Bohemia has recently begun publishing articles with a journalistic perspective of the government, including unfavorable opinions about government mismanagement - especially its mismanagement of COVID-19.
Quevedo Pérez era (1908 - 1927)
On May 10, 1908, Miguel Ángel Quevedo y Pérez, a former editor of the magazine El Fígaro, first published the magazine Bohemia, which he named after his favorite opera, La bohème, by Giacomo Puccini.
The first run of the magazine folded after a few issues, after suffering financial problems. Quevedo Pérez also had to attend to the birth and raising of his child. An additional note is that in this early era of media consumption in Cuba, magazines were not the preferred method of news, with most consumers desiring particularly the journalism provided in newspapers.
The magazine returned for a second run in 1910 and became one of Cuba's most popular weeklies within a few years, having to compete in the marketplace against other well-established illustrated magazines in Cuba like Pichardo, El Fígaro, and Revista de la Biblioteca National. This was described as an impressive feat even by the newspapers of the day, one of which was called El libro de Oro Hispano-Americano. In 1917, this newspaper promoted Bohemia as a "beautiful publication that honors the Cuban press. It has its own building, machinery, and workshops. Its circulation is very large."
After the Second Occupation of Cuba, Cuba was struggling to define a national identity, and Quevedo Perez desired to use his magazine to help foster that sense of a new identity, to feature Cuban artists, Cuban writers, and to look at the world from a distinctly Cuban lens.Alfredo Zayas, “En el primer aniversario de la revista ‘Bohemia’: Discurso pronunciado el 28 de mayo de 1911, from Obras Completas Vol. III: Discursos y Conferencias, Segundo Tomo, (Havana: Molina y Compania, 1942), 34-
35. Quevedo Pérez, a music lover himself, decided to begin publishing musical song sheets in the magazine for a time.
Around this time, Bohemia also began sponsoring poetry readings and musical talent contests in order to increase readership. One of these events was called Gran Teatro Politeama. This gala was a juvenile poetry contest, and the guest of honor was Vice President Alfredo Zayas.
In the 1910s, Bohemia was not limited to sales in Cuba, and sold large numbers of magazines in foreign markets such as Caracas, Mexico City, and New York City.
In New York City, immigration police agents knew how popular the magazine was, and began requesting that anyone who bought the magazine at certain news agents provide their residency documentation - anyone who couldn't was deported. This resulted in hundreds of Latin Americans being deported from the city.
The first year that Bohemia turned a profit was 1914, and Bohemia moved its headquarters into a new building that could accommodate its growth. They also began using newer models of printing presses and technologies. They expanded their issues to forty pages.
Bohemia was the first magazine in Latin America to use color separation, a method of printing that allowed it to print images in color.
Boy Scouts in Cuba
The Cuban Scouting Movement was founded in the lobby of Bohemia on February 20, 1914. In 1927, this movement was renamed the Asociación de Scouts de Cuba (ASC). Their headquarters and offices were located within the Bohemia building for many years, with Quevedo Perez being a founder and primary benefactor, having written many of their bylaws himself.Manuel F. Alonso, Cuba Before the World: A Comprehensive and Descriptive Account of the Republic of Cuba From the Earliest Times to the Present Day, (Havana: The Souvenir Guide of Cuba Co., 1915), 169.
World War I and first political content
Especially regarding Cuba during World War I, this war marked Bohemia's first political content with a section called Art and War. Quevedo Pérez wanted, in his Cuban nationalism, to see a country that could hold its own on the world stage, and for Cuban nationalism, this meant participating in the winning side of the war. Art and War featured artistic interpretations inspired from stories from the frontlines.
This magazine continued to focus on Cuban life and culture as well, and this was only a section in a magazine with several sections.
Cuba entered into World War I on April 7, 1917 (the same day as the United States). Bohemia campaigned to raise money so that Cuba could purchase six submarines, each one named after one of Cuba's provinces. President Mario Garcia and General Emilio Nunez supported Bohemia's submarine campaign.
Bohemia had such a readership in Cuba at this time that even those outside of politics supported their submarine campaign. This included Ernesto Lecuona, who organized an entire music concert with the Cuban National Conservatory and performed in support of the Bohemia submarine campaign.
Period of decline (1920's) 1920 marked the end of the Dance of the Millions. This marked the complete collapse of the Cuban sugar market, and the collapse of the Cuban economy. Bohemia also had to contend with competition in the magazines of Conrado Walter Massaguer; Social and Carteles.
Quevedo Pérez's health began to rapidly deteriorate. The magazine itself reached a low point, as well. Its lowest circulation to date occurred in this period, when it printed only four thousand copies of an issue. Change was needed in order to become successful again, and in 1927, Quevedo Lastra was already eighteen years old.
Quevedo Pérez considered shutting down the magazine completely, but his son convinced him to keep the magazine open, and that he would be competent enough to take over operations.
Quevedo Lastra era (1927 - 1959) On January 1, 1927, Miguel Ángel Quevedo y de la Lastra became the publisher and editor of Bohemia. He concurrently finished his studies at the University of Havana until earning his degree.
On November 14, 1929, Quevedo Pérez, still suffering from a diagnosed terminal illness, decided to die on his own time and committed suicide. In 1930, on the first anniversary of his death, the younger Quevedo and Bohemia's editorial staff gave Quevedo Pérez a multi-page tribute.
In the same 1930 issue, Bohemia caught up with the young European scientist Albert Einstein when he visited Cuba, with a full-page photo spread and multi-page story dedicated to explaining his life after discovering the theory of everything, and his enjoyment of walking on the beach. The article on Einstein was called "El Coloso del Pensamiento Contemporáneo." The article reads:
"This superbrain, which has revolutionized existing theories of physics and mathematics, is accompanied by the most charming and attractive personality. At home, the great thinker solves his intricate problems alone. But when he comes down from his laboratory and his mind emerges from the soaring flights of reasoning, Professor Einstein is very human and simple."
Feminist Campaign
In the late 1920s, the younger Quevedo hired Ofelia Rodríguez Acosta in her work as a radical feminist, and to help Bohemia lead Cuban society to a world of women's suffrage and women's equality. Rodriguez Acosta was one of the leading voices for Cuban feminism in her day, and a member of Segunda Generacion Republicana. Alongside feminism, she promoted free love, homosexuality, class equity, anti-machismo ideals, and more radical ideas. On April 6, 1930, Bohemia launched its Feminist Campaign, in support of the women's issues of the day. Ofelia Rodriguez Acosta was at the forefront of this campaign, writing an editorial in this issue, which began:"Feminism is one of the most important issues of our time. Its triple political, social and intellectual action is intensifying and expanding every day. BOHEMIA has always paid special attention to women's rights, although intermittently. Our enthusiastic welcome of the feminist campaign must now have a more systematic effectiveness..."Rodriguez Acosta also led the funeral procession for Rafael Trejo, the first "martyr" of the Machado regime.
Machado era When the government of Machado began to extend its censorship powers in the 1930s, Bohemia became one of the principle voices of opposition to the dictatorship of Gerardo Machado. Bohemia went further than most other media institutions in Cuba in denouncing the actions of President Machado.
Quevedo was jailed as a result of this several times in the early 1930s.In August 6, 1933, Bohemia published an issue in which it printed a letter that demanded Machado vacate the office of the Presidency of Cuba, which included:
"We would be guilty of insincerity or of pusillanimity if we did not raise our voices in such serious hours. Patriotism is not a sentiment that is satisfied with boisterous rhetoric, showy hangings, fiery speeches and insubstantial and false oaths. Patriotism is demanding, very demanding, and in these moments it imposes on everyone that they act with absolute honesty...
You said a few years ago that you would leave the Presidency the day that there were ten citizens who considered it necessary for the salvation of the Republic. And now your departure from the relationship has been elevated to the category of a national desire...
Out of respect for the sacred memories that you have so often invoked, you must prevent, with a generous manner, that the independence of Cuba suffer an eclipse. A man is never worth more than a people. And history would execrate your name if you put the independence of Cuba in danger with an inappropriate attitude. The anger of the people is uncontrollable...
As long as you occupy the Palace, the Palace will be seen by the people as a symbol of misery, blood and mourning. When you abandon it definitively, the Palace will recover the prestige that corresponds to the First Magistrate of the Nation...
Abandon the Presidency, General."
On August 20, 1933, Bohemia published TRIBUTE TO THE VICTIMS OF MACHADO, a special issue more than twice the page count of its normal issues, dedicated to the victims of the Machado government. This special issue sold more than forty five thousand copies, and directly accused government institutions of being implicit in the crimes of the regime.
Bohemia did not stop with words in this issue. They published photographs of Machado's victims, including photographs of lynched men on a hanging tree, dead rebels, rebels being tortured, emaciated men clinging to prison bars, mass protests, gatherings of the families of political prisoners, and more.