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Freedom Flights from Cuba took off 60 years ago

Sixty years ago this month, the United States began flying Cubans to the U.S. on what were called Freedom Flights.

The effort was one of the biggest refugee airlifts in the nation’s history.

Ana Hebra Flaster was five years old when she and her family boarded one of the flights. She shares the story of the journey, her family’s arrival and what life was like for Cubans coming to the U.S.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2025 WBUR

Here & Now Newsroom