"History Has Its Eyes on You"

 12 April 2021

“History Has Its Eyes on You” - Hamilton

By Amanda Gurth

On July 3rd of 2020 Hamilton the Musical was released on Disney Plus. As someone who was not lucky enough to see Hamilton on Broadway with the original cast, I was elated that the archival recording was released and available for me and millions of others to view whenever we pleased. Since its release on Disney Plus, I have become a huge fan and am consistently delighted to discover new nuances and themes every time I watch it. One of the reasons Hamilton was and is such a groundbreaking show, aside from its infectious rap score and genius lyrics, is that with the exception of the actor who played King George III and a couple of ensemble members, the cast is made up entirely of people of color. Not only is this a progressive statement about the need for more diversity on Broadway but the musical is about the founding fathers of America, all of whom as white. Thus, by virtue, the show discredits the white supremacist ideals rooted in the foundation of the country and presents its audience with a flawless representation of the minorities who were and are burdened by systematic racism. 

Passion and Activism

Aside from the fact that the company is mostly people of color, the writer of the show, Lin-Manuel Miranda was able to perfectly integrate messages of minority and female empowerment. Such examples include lines like “immigrants, we get the job done” and “we’ll never be truly free until those in bondage have the same rights as you and me.” Alexander Hamilton, who was played by Lin-Manuel Miranda, is represented as a force to be reckoned with, an immigrant who came to America who would stop at nothing to free this country and build a strong treasury. One of my favorite lines Hamilton recites from the show is “I'm past patiently waitin' I'm passionately smashin' every expectation every action's an act of creation. I'm laughin' in the face of casualties and sorrow. For the first time, I'm thinkin' past tomorrow.” Hamilton’s dire need to incite change and his ambition for success mirror that of some of the great activists of this country's past and present. One of the most famous activists with a Hamilton-like confidence and drive is none other than Malcolm X. An excellent representation of Malcolm X’s story is with the film entitled Malcolm X directed by Spike Lee. From the very opening scene of the film, the audience is struck with an intense confrontation of racism. The audience is shown the heartbreaking beating of Rodney King by four white police officers that occurred in 1992. Furthermore, this is accompanied by Malcolm’s electric and powerful words, “Brothers and sisters, I am here to tell you that I charge the white man. I charge the white man with being the greatest murderer on earth. I charge the white man with being the greatest kidnapper on earth. There is no place in this world that this man can go and say he created peace and harmony.” Malcolm X is pleading for some sense of urgency; he is pleading for people to wake up; he is pleading for people to rise up. 

Art That Sends A Message

    Spike Lee’s film Malcolm X as well as Hamilton the Musical are wonderful and entertaining pieces of art that create dialogue about topics of race. With the recent rise of the Black Lives Matter movement following the death of George Floyd, movies like Malcolm X and shows like Hamilton have a different context and seem to carry a different weight. They are both powerful reflections of the plight to overcome adversity and commentaries on historical and systemic racism; they say something important in a time where it needs to be said.