Sure, Che’s handsome face emblazons t-shirts, belt buckles, bookbags, and tattooed arms and chests the world over, but what do you REALLY know about Che?
Check out these 11 facts to see how solid your knowledge of the man behind the iconic image is:
1) Che was not Cuban. He was born in the city of Rosario, Argentina and he never naturalized as a Cuban.
2) Che’s real name?. Ernesto Guevara Lynch.
3) Che was a dentist by trade. (Better looking than any dentist I’ve ever had!). Some sources contend, however, that Che never finished his degree.
4) Che did not have any official military training.
5) Che was introduced to Fidel Castro in Mexico in 1955. Che lived for awhile at 40 Napoles Street in Mexico City, which happens to be right around the corner from where I live.
6) Che Guevara has five children. While living at 40 Napoles, Che learned that his first wife, Hilda Gadea, was pregnant with their daughter, who was born in Mexico City on February 15, 1956. Che had four children with his second wife, the revolutionary Aleida March.
7) Che came to the U.S once to speak at the U.N in 1964. Here’s part of his speech:
8 ) The famous photograph of Che that would turn him into a revolutionary icon was taken by the Cuban photographer Alberto Korda on March 5, 1960. This photograph is the most widely reproduced picture in the world and in the history of photography.
9) Che led Cuba’s troops in African independence movements in the 1960s.
10) Che was wounded in combat in Bolivia and later killed in October 8, 1967.
11) Che’s famous photograph first appeared worldwide 7 years after his death. It wasn’t until 2000, however, that the image began to be reproduced at an unprecedented rate, appearing on t-shirts, coffee mugs, watches, hats, and even in snow globes.
Feature photo: Franco Folini (creative commons)
Postcard photo: Dr John2005 (creative commons)
Photo: bartpogoda (creative commons)
Julie Schwietert
Julie Schwietert Collazo is a writer, editor, researcher, and translator currently in New York, formerly of Mexico City and San Juan. She is Matador's managing editor and is the lead faculty member of MatadorU's travel writing program.
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