WUMB Dominican Music

In the Time of the Butterflies is a book written by Julia Alvarez which transports us to the Dominican Republic in the mid-twentieth century when the country struggled under the brutal dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo. A work of historical fiction, the novel honors the lives of Patria, Minerva, and María Teresa Mirabal, who became icons of freedom and women’s rights when they were assassinated in the autumn of 1960 for their role in the underground movement against Trujillo’s regime. What music would the Mirabel sisters have listened to, along with their family and friends? In this special Internet channel of music from the Dominican Republic in the 1950s, you’re transported back to that time and place. Perhaps while you’re listening to the music, you’ll decide to read a copy of this great book. This Internet Channel is in celebration of In the Time of the Butterflies. It is made possible with funding by the National Association for the Arts, in association with Arts Midwest.