"This is how you know that we knew about Hamilton before the musical,” joked Greg Phillips, CEO of Nevis Sun Tours.
Phillips was guiding me and a group of fellow travelers around Alexander Hamilton’s birthplace on the small Caribbean island of Nevis, and he had just pointed out a plaque that was placed there in 1957 on the 200th anniversary of the founding father’s birth.
It was not lost on me that I was touring the site — now the Museum of Nevis History — just a few months ahead of America’s 250th anniversary on July 4, marking the semiquincentennial of the Declaration of Independence.
But long before Hamilton became a central figure in the founding of the U.S., he was a child of the Caribbean. Forced to work in a trading house at a young age, he was immersed in a world of commerce, international shipping and imperial politics. These early encounters gave him a sharp awareness of power, opportunity and the importance of structure in chaotic systems. Hamilton’s early life in the small, economically volatile colony of Nevis set him on an unlikely path to the heart of American nation-building.
“There’s a connection between having a soft spot for marginalized people and wanting to uplift them,” Phillips told us. “You see this in this museum — he’s looking out for people of all walks of life, saying they should be educated. Where did that come from?”
Hamilton’s rise was not simply a story of talent or luck, but one rooted in his Caribbean upbringing — something American history buffs and fans of the “Hamilton” musical alike will find fascinating.
And to mark America’s 250th, Nevis Sun Tours is hosting “The Trial of Hamilton & Nelson,” a live, immersive courtroom-style theatrical event where audiences watch — and judge — the legacy of Hamilton. The production blends historical fact, dramatic performance and Caribbean storytelling. The next performance is scheduled for July 24, with plans to run monthly shows indefinitely. It will also debut in St. Kitts this summer, and advisors can book private performances with the operator, as well.
The show promises to leave audience members with a fresh perspective on Nevis’ role in shaping the Atlantic world.
“This Caribbean life impacted Hamilton,” Phillips said. “When you live on an island, you’re constantly having to solve problems. He took those skills with him to America.”
