Hamilton — The musical that turned white supremacy into diversity
#2: “Immigrants, we get the job done”
Over 200 years ago when America was founded, the term “white supremacy” did not exist. Racism wasn’t a common word. Sexism was unheard of… because no one even considered women in the same light as men. The founding fathers, the leaders, the commanders, the high-class citizens, were all old white men.
This wasn’t a political, racial, or societal issue. Today, injustice and oppression are immediately called out. However, in the 1700s, it was just an inarguable fact that no one thought to even contest.
A story about America’s founding fathers should be nothing short of sexist, racist, and discriminatory. Except the musical Hamilton was written as “America then, as told by America now.”
And quite frankly it depicts America then in a more diverse light that America is showing itself to be today.
Number 1: Turning white leaders into a multi-racial cast
Every single founding father was a white man. In fact, 200 years ago, almost all non-white individuals were slaves. Thus, for historical accuracy, every character in the musical should be white.
Because we live in the 2000s instead of the 1700s, for diversity’s sake, productions are usually quite quick trade a bit of historical accuracy for some diversity hires. Perhaps they hire an African-American or Latino to make the cast more representative of our word today.
Hamilton flipped that around. Instead of casting a couple people of color, the cast consists entirely of racial minorities, with the exception of the “token white guy” Jonathan Groff as King George III.
Yes, that’s right. Almost the entire cast is ethnically black. The male and female leads — Alexander and Eliza Hamilton) are Puerto Rican and Asian-American respectively (Lin Manuel Miranda and Phillipa Soo).
Groff is the only ethnically white Original Broadway cast member with a significant role. Playing King George, a symbol of the British monarchy, he is the closest thing to an antagonist in the musical. Ironically, King George has a grand total of 9 minutes on stage… incredibly symbolic of how much easier white people have it in the world we live in.
“We’ll never be truly free, until those in bondage have the same rights as you and me” — John Laurens, Hamilton
An interview with the original Hamilton Broadway cast asked them what they would ask their historical counterparts if they ever met. My favorite answer was, “I want to see their face when they see themselves being played by a black man.”
I read about a young boy who asked his mom why we say Barak Obama is the first black US president because after watching Christopher Jackson play George Washington in the Hamilton musical, he thought Washington had been black as well. I thought it was adorable, and frankly quite wonderful.
This is not to discount Obama’s accomplishments or to take away from the barriers he broke. Minorities have faced an awful lot of oppression and every broken wall is a huge step. (In fact, if this statement is offensive, I would love to further educate myself. The discrimination Chinese-Canadians suffer differs greatly from that of the African-American population, so while I can empathize, it’s not the same as experience.)
But if we can raise a generation that believes that our founding fathers could have been people of color, if our children don’t blink an eye when they see African Americans in positions of power, isn’t that the future we dream of?
Number 2: “Immigrants, we get the job done”
While America prides itself on building a country full of immigrants chasing the American Dream, immigration has always been a touchy issue in the states.
So watching how the American success story was built upon immigrants from the Caribbeans and France in Alexander Hamilton and Marquis de Lafayette… it’s something that our modern world likes hearing.
America, you let me make a difference. A place where even orphan immigrants can leave their fingerprints and rise up. — Alexander Hamilton, Hamilton
Number 3: “Include women in the sequel”
Just as colored individuals essentially had no rights when America was first founded, neither did women — even white women. In fact, quoting Angelica Schuyler in the musical, “I live in a word where my only job is to marry rich.”
However, anyone who has watched the musical knows that Alexander Hamilton’s life goal was to leave a legacy. “Who lives, who dies, who tells your story” is the final song of the musical and it reiterates how Eliza and Angelica were essentially the ones who told his story. His many accomplishments would not be in the history books if not for the important women in his life.
Popular opinion says the musical was named “Hamilton” instead of “Alexander Hamilton” not because the latter was too long (although I’m sure that played a part) but instead because the story is truly about both Eliza and Alexander Hamilton.
Maybe the contributions of women were not recognized back then, but it’s a wonderful thing that when we tell the story of Hamilton many years later, women are included.
You have no control who lives who dies who tells your story. — The cast of Hamilton, as Eliza tells Alexander’s story
Musical theatre has always been a very niche audience. History buffs are even harder to come across. Yet the two came together to create an art that the general public cared enough to watch
And they should watch it. Because even though Hamilton tells the story of white supremacists that may have had less than inclusive beliefs, the story is as diverse as can be.
Final notes: In my opinion, one of the most ironic things about the musical Hamilton is how it focuses on opportunity for the poor, yet only rich New Yorkers with $250 bucks in their pocket can afford even the worst tickets.
Although I am sure that releasing a movie version of Hamilton on Disney+ was partially driven by a marketing ploy and money grab, I do think it’s fitting that suddenly those who don’t have a “dollar to their name” can see it.
This is not to vilify or support the beliefs of the founding fathers. It is a congratulation of how the creative liberty used to rewrite the story of Alexander Hamilton, created a musical that celebrated diversity
