Following the Cuban Revolution and Fidel Castro's consolidation of power in 1959, the first major wave of Cuban refugees began arriving in the United States. This initial wave brought an estimated 280,000 Cubans, primarily from the upper and middle classes, who fled the new communist regime. They settled predominantly in Miami, Florida, establishing a vibrant and influential Cuban-American community. This migration marked the beginning of a long and complex relationship between the U.S. and Cuban exiles.

The post-Revolution Cuban migration is a defining theme in Cuban-American literature, inspiring a generation of writers who explore the trauma of exile and the search for identity. Poets like Reinaldo Arenas and novelists like Cristina García have chronicled the lives of the exiles, their struggle to adapt, and their longing for a lost homeland. The migration has produced a rich body of work that examines the complexities of Cuban-American identity and the legacy of the revolution.