Celia Cruz was already a legendary vocalist in Havana nightclubs before she immigrated to the United States in the 1960s. She was born Celia Caridad Cruz Alfonso on October 21, 1925, in Havana, Cuba. She began her career as a vocalist of the Sonora Matancera where she sang a variety of music styles, including guaracha, rumba, afro, son, and bolero. She left Cuba in 1960 after the Cuban Revolution. She went to Mexico and then the U.S. She came to be known as the Queen of Salsa due to her contributions to Latin music. For more than four decades, her powerful voice, improvisational flair, and commanding stage presence entranced millions of listeners worldwide. In 2024, she was selected as an honoree in the 2024 American Women quarter program, making her the first Afro-Latina to appear on a U.S. quarter.
