Theater History and Mysteries
The deepest dives you can find anywhere into the history and backstory of the great musical productions. Dense content...for people who aren't. And, I’ll never miss an opportunity to pursue any mystery, bizarre coincidence, improbable event, or supernatural suggestion along the way because, in the words of Dirk Gentley, it is all connected.
You can contact me directly at theaterhistorypodcast@gmail.com
Released every other Tuesday.
Music by Jon Bruschke and Andrew Howat, arranged, performed, and recorded by Andrew Howat.
Check out the interview on Musical Theater Radio, episode 404: https://www.musicaltheatreradio.com/podcast
Theater History and Mysteries
Hamilton -- Did Hamilton own slaves? (Hamilton 5 of 12, episode 42)
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I’ll get right to the point: Did Alexander Hamilton own slaves?
There are those who definitely say yes. There were those who definitely said no, although those voices are growing quieter. Even Ron Chernow probably lands on the side of “probably.”
But what are the facts? What do we know for sure? Does it all add up to an air tight case against him?
But the even bigger question, probably, is what that means. Does it mean any speech he gave, any philosophy he held, or vote he cast for abolition is a lie? Does it mean that he was delusional, trying to justify for himself that which was unjustifable?
Or does it mean that his detractors are still too determined to paint him as a villain? In his day it was the Jacksonians and the Jeffersonians who were too willing to paint him as evil…and today it might be those farther left, who are really upset by the multi-racial casting of the show and, by extension, view it as a death blow if Hamilton did own slaves?
It’s a big question and a serious one, and it deserves a deep dive. We are going to walk through the mist of the most uncomfortable part of history, and see how that affects how we can understand the smash hit musical, on this episode of THM.