This collection features materials describing the broad and complex history of Nicaragua’s political struggle. Materials within this collection including various pamphlets detailing women's efforts in the Sandinista liberation movement, international solidarity efforts, the post-revolution elections (both internal documents and international observers/analysis), reports by the Nicaraguan government and NGOs about the policies and gains in the standard of living, and the 1984 political platform of the FSLN. Our audio materials are derived from various radio programs, news reports and audio documentaries.

The history of Nicaragua includes years of colonialism, dictatorships, revolutions, and rebellions. The majority of our materials focus on the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) and their struggle for national liberation. The Sandinistas took their name from Augusto Cesar Sandino who led resistance against the U.S occupation of Nicaragua in the 1930s. The FSLN was formed by students, workers and peasants in the early 1960s and pushed for political change during Anastasio Somoza’s Debayle regime. As the 1960s progressed, the FSLN stepped up guerrilla warfare and succeeded in overthrowing the Debayle regime in 1979. Beginning in 1981, opponents of the Sandinista government began to attack Nicaragua with the financial support and training of the U.S government. These forces were known as Contras. Contras included people who fought for Somoza and had a hatred for the Sandinistas, but also included indigenous peoples of Nicaragua that the U.S had convinced to oppose the Sandinistas’ vision for the future of Nicaragua. The U.S was involved in Nicaragua for two main reasons, including, private and corporate interest and the fear of the spread of communism and Marxism. This fear was reinforced when Cuba and Soviet Russia became Nicaragua’s main contributors and allies and after the Sandinista victory.