Lin-Manuel Miranda apologizes for not using Hamilton platform to talk about Black Lives Matter until now
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s groundbreaking musical Hamilton is obviously political in nature, because it’s literally about politics, but Miranda and other people working on the show have occasionally used it as a political platform over the years—like when Mike Pence somehow got tickets in 2016 and listened as the cast made a passionate plea directly to him after the show about their concerns going into the days of the Trump administration (Trump, being a child, threw a fit when he heard that people tried to have a reasonable conversation with his favorite sentient pile of mayonnaise). Now, with protests being held this weekend all over the world in support of Black Lives Matter and speaking out against police violence and racial injustice, Miranda has shared a video online in which he apologizes for failing to use the “official Hamilton channels” to talk about “the inarguable truth that Black Lives Matter” and to denounce “systemic racism and white supremacy.”
He goes on to say that Hamilton couldn’t exist without the contributions of artists of color who “changed the world through the culture, music, and language of hip hop” as well as the cast and crew who make the story happen. He adds, “While we live in a country where Black people are under attack by emboldened white supremacy, police brutality, and centuries of systemic anti-Black racism, it’s up to us in words and deeds to stand up for our fellow citizens, it’s up to us to do the work to be better allies and have each other’s backs.” Hamilton producer Jeffery Seller also shared a video on the Hamilton social media page, including links to information on Black Lives Matter, the NAACP, and the Minnesota Freedom Fund.
Looking for ways to advocate for black lives? Check out this list of resources by our sister site Lifehacker for ways to get involved