In May 1955 rebel leader Fidel Castro and his followers were freed from a prison in Cuba. Castro and his group promptly left for Mexico to reorganize their plans to overthrow Cuban dictator, Fulgencio Batista y Zaldivar. A year later Castro and 81 followers returned to Cuba and took refuge in the Sierra Maestra Mountain Range. The following two years Castro carried out a successful guerilla campaign as sympathizers joined the effort by the hundreds. After calling for total war against Batista's regime, Castro captured Santa Clara, the capitol of Las Villas province, on December 31, 1958. Realizing that all support for his government had eroded, Batista fled with his family to the Dominican Republic on January 1, 1959, leaving the Cuban government in the hands of Castro and the rebels. A government was quickly formed with Castro as premier and gradually Cuba was transformed into a communist state.

In the dawn of January 1, 1959, photographer Burt Glinn flew into Cuba. During his ten day stay Mr. Glinn captured some of the most lasting and important images taken during the revolution. He spent his last few days in Cuba forming what was to become a life long friendship with Fidel Castro. In the process he shot many telling images of Castro while in his Havana office.

On the 42nd anniversary of the uprising in Cuba, Burt Glinn finds himself once again in Havana, reunited with his old friend Castro. The two pour over old images taken by Glinn during the 1959 uprising and reminisce about the time they spent together during their first meeting so long ago.