Happy Birthday Hamilton! 2016
Celebrate Founding Father Alexander Hamilton's Birthday
It's Alexander Hamilton's Birthday!
NOTE: THIS PROGRAM HAS ALREADY PASSED. SEE PHOTOS, VIDEOS, AND MORE FROM THE EVENTS AT THE OFFICIAL EVENT PAGE HERE.
Come celebrate this Founding Father's birthday - join the Alexander Hamilton Awareness Society on January 8-13th for events in Nevis, New York, and New Jersey.
Alexander Hamilton was born on January 11, 1757 on the island of Nevis in the Caribbean. At age 15, he moved to New Jersey and then New York to get an education. From there, he became a prominent figure during the Revolutionary War and the founding of United States. Perhaps best known today for being the first Secretary of the Treasury and principal author of the Federalist Papers, Alexander Hamilton has had long-lasting influences in law, politics, economics, finance, industrial development, education, foreign affairs, the military, and more.
Learn more about Alexander Hamilton's life during Happy Birthday Hamilton - all are welcome to join in on the celebration!
Happy Birthday Hamilton! Schedule
All events listed here are free (unless otherwise noted with an *) and open to the public.
Note: Additional times and events still to be confirmed
At Alexander Hamilton Birthplace on the island of Nevis:
4:30 pm (5:30 pm ET): Alexander Hamilton Birthday Tea Party
Saturday, January 9th
At Hamilton Grange National Memorial in Northern Manhattan:
9 am-5 pm: Presentations (at 12 pm and 2 pm), plus house tours &, movie showings
At Morris-Jumel Mansion in Northern Manhattan:
3 pm: Talk - "Hamilton and Jefferson, Part I: Competing Visions for America"*
Monday, January 11th
At Federal Hall National Memorial in Lower Manhattan:
11 am-12 pm: Talk: "Part II - From Colleagues to Rivals: Hamilton and Jefferson in Washington's Cabinet and Beyond"
12 pm: Birthday cake cutting
At Trinity Church in Lower Manhattan:
1 pm: Graveside Remembrance at Hamilton's Grave
1:30 pm: Talk - "The Alliance That Forged America"
Wednesday, January 13th
At the Van Horne House in Bridgewater, New Jersey:
7 pm: Talk - "Alexander Hamilton: America's Indispensable Founder and Visionary"
Scroll down for event descriptions and details.
Friday, January 8th Events
Alexander Hamilton Birthday Tea Party
Friday, Jan. 8th, 4:30pm
Alexander Hamilton Birthplace Museum
The highlight of this event is the presentation of scholarships to Nevisian schoolchildren. These scholarships follows the tradition of supporting education for youth, something from which Alexander Hamilton so greatly benefited. Would you like to support or sponsor one of these youth scholarships? Make a donation through the AHA Society specifying that your donation is earmarked for that purpose and you can help the youth of Nevis.
Note: The event will be held at 4:30 pm Nevis time, which is 5:30 pm Eastern.
Saturday, January 9th Events
Hamilton Grange Birthday Program
Saturday, Jan. 9th, 9am-5pm
414 W 141st St
New York, NY
Come visit Hamilton's home to take a tour of its restored interior, explore the permanent exhibit on Hamilton's life, and watch the Hamilton Grange film. Guided tours of Hamilton's house are available at 10 am, 11 am, 2 pm, and 4 pm.
Birthday activities include signing a birthday card to Alexander Hamilton with a quill and ink and several special presentations throughout the day.
Presentation schedule:
12 pm: “Manhattan Well Murder Trial" AHA Society Chapter President Pooja Nair will speak on the Manhattan Well murder trial, the first fully recorded murder trial in the United States. Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton teamed up for this dramatic case in 1800 for the defense of Levi Weeks, whose brother built the Grange.
2:00 pm: "History of The Grange" National Park Rangers will give a presentation about the history of Hamilton's “Sweet Project,” The Grange.
Talk - "Hamilton and Jefferson: Competing Visions for America"
Saturday, Jan. 9th, 3-4pm
65 Jumel Terrace
New York, NY
Dr. Thomas Oller, lecturer at Boston University and Harvard University, presents a two-part lecture series based on his history course on Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton. The first talk, which will be held at the Morris-Jumel Mansion, is called "Hamilton and Jefferson: Competing Visions for America." This talk explores the different philosophies of these two Founding Fathers and what they envisioned the newly-formed United States should become.
Admission: $15
Discounted admission for AHA Society members: $10
Discounted admission for Morris-Jumel Mansion members: $10
To reserve a space, call 212-923-8008 or email visitorservices@morrisjumel.org
Monday, January 11th Events
St. Kitts and Nevis Flag-Raising Ceremony
Monday, Jan. 11th, 10:30am
Bowling Green
New York, NY
The Lower Manhattan Historical Society will host a flag-raising ceremony of the St. Kitts and Nevis flag at Bowling Green in honor of the island on which Alexander Hamilton's was born.
The flag will be raising at the Bowling Green flagpole, right on Broadway next to the Charging Bull statue.
Talk: "From Colleagues to Rivals: Hamilton and Jefferson in Washington's Cabinet and Beyond"
Monday, Jan. 11th, 11am-12pm
26 Wall Street
New York, NY
Boston University and Harvard University lecturer Dr. Thomas Oller will give the second presentation in his two-part series inspired by his history course on Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton. This talk at Federal Hall, is titled "From Colleagues to Rivals: Hamilton and Jefferson in Washington's Cabinet and Beyond," which gives an overview of Hamilton and Jefferson's roles while they served in Washington's cabinet as Secretary of Treasury and Secretary of State, respectively.
This event is part of the year-long celebration of the National Park Service Centennial.
Following the presentation, there will be a cake-cutting for Alexander Hamilton's birthday (more information below).
Birthday Cake Cutting
Monday, Jan. 11th, 12pm
26 Wall Street
New York, NY
Remarks will be made by the Hon. Mark Brantley, Deputy Premier of Nevis and Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.
The birthday cake is sponsored by Nevis Naturally and Tribeca Treats.
Blessing and Wreath-laying at Hamilton's Grave
Monday, Jan. 11th, 1-1:15pm
74 Trinity Pl
New York, NY
The memorial wreath is sponsored by the Museum of American Finance, who has maintained this tradition for over 25 years.
Talk: "Washington and Hamilton: The Alliance That Forged America"
Monday, Jan. 11th, 1:15-2:30pm
75 Broadway
New York, NY
This talk will be given inside Trinity Church.
Wednesday, January 13th Events
Talk - "Alexander Hamilton: America's Indispensable Founder and Visionary"
Wednesday, Jan. 13th, 7pm
914 East Main Street
Bridgewater, NJ
The Heritage Trail Association is based in the Van Horne House in Bridgewater, New Jersey.
Sponsored by the Alexander Hamilton Awareness Society
Keep up-to-date at theAHAsociety.com and learn more about Alexander Hamilton from AllThingsHamilton.com
Also, please consider donating to the AHA Society so that we may continue to provide free and diverse programming such as Happy Birthday Hamilton!.