“This is the story of America then, told by America now”
- Hamilton advertisement
“Is this the most revolutionary thing to happen to Broadway or the most revolutionary thing to happen to hip hop?”1
- Amir “Questlove” Thompson
Introduction
In June 2016 I was jostled awake by someone who wanted the magazine pinned under my elbow: Rolling Stone’s interview with Lin-Manuel Miranda, the author and lead actor of the celebrated musical drama Hamilton. Inspired by the nearly 900 page Ron Chernow biography of founding father Alexander Hamilton, even Miranda may wonder why his play has become a hit as much as he wondered why the story had not already been composed as a rap anthem. Written largely in hip hop verse, the musical has inspired both passionate fans and vocal critics, and students can learn a lot from studying both responses to this verse phenomenon. While Miranda connected with the 18th century “Founding Father” enough to assign himself the leading role in an original script detailing Hamilton’s life, Miranda’s writing demonstrates a faith in the sense of truth that transforms American history by teaching us as much about America today as about Alexander Hamilton then. If Miranda can break from tradition and redirect American popular culture, what can his musical interpretation do to spark students’ imagination?
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