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Who were Las Mariposas, and why were they murdered? - Lisa Krause

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For over 30 years, thousands of people were imprisoned, tortured, and murdered under Rafael Trujillo’s dictatorship in the Dominican Republic. Three sisters would go on to lead an underground revolution. But while their courage inspired many, it threatened the man in power, and their lives would come to a tragic early end. Who were these brave women? Lisa Krause tells the story of Las Mariposas.


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TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Lisa Krause
  • Director Tomás Pichardo-Espaillat
  • Narrator Safia Elhillo
  • Music Cem Misirlioglu, Sergio Sayeg
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Script Editor Alex Gendler
  • Script Producer Cella Wright
  • Fact-Checker Eden Girma
Additional Resources for you to Explore
While the Mirabal Sisters are today well-known in the Dominican Republic, it took several decades for their memory to be celebrated nationally and internationally. The Mirabal family, especially their mother Chea and their surviving sister Dedé, made sure to maintain the legacy of the sisters by preserving their personal belongings in their last home and opening it to the public  in 1994. In addition, the Mirabal Sisters inspired many artists. Likely, the most famous is Julia Alvarez and her novel In the Time of the Butterflies.

To learn more about the Trujillo regime, watch this TED-Ed Lesson about the 1937 Haitian Massacre.

Customize this lesson

Create and share a new lesson based on this one.

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Lisa Krause
  • Director Tomás Pichardo-Espaillat
  • Narrator Safia Elhillo
  • Music Cem Misirlioglu, Sergio Sayeg
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Script Editor Alex Gendler
  • Script Producer Cella Wright
  • Fact-Checker Eden Girma

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