Author Series | Andrew Porwancher | The Jewish World of Alexander Hamilton

Adolf Goebbels
Published on May 13, 2023
In The Jewish World of Alexander Hamilton, Andrew Porwancher debunks a string of myths about the origins of this founding father to arrive at a startling conclusion: Hamilton, in all likelihood, was born and raised Jewish. For more than two centuries, his youth in the Caribbean has remained shrouded in mystery and most biographers have simply assumed he had a Christian boyhood. With a detective’s persistence and a historian’s rigor, Porwancher upends that assumption and revolutionizes our understanding of an American icon. This radical reassessment of Hamilton’s religious upbringing gives us a fresh perspective on both his adult years and the country he helped forge. By setting Hamilton in the context of his Jewish world for the first time and challenges us to rethink the life and legend of America’s most enigmatic founder.

Andrew Porwancher is the Wick Cary Professor at the University of Oklahoma, teaching courses in Constitutional Studies. His first book, The Devil Himself: A Tale of Honor, Insanity, and the Birth of Modern America, was adapted for the stage in Dublin and The Jewish World of Alexander Hamilton recently won the Journal of the American Revolution Book-of-the-Year Award. His writing has also appeared in the Wall Street Journal and Washington Post.

Add to

Please Sign In or Create Account to use this feature!

Flag Video

Please Sign In or Create Account to use this feature!

Rate video

Please Sign In or Create Account to use this feature!

Rate video

Please Sign In or Create Account to use this feature!

DISCLAIMER

The content presented in this stream and/or video may be satirical in nature for entertainment purposes. It may contain realistic scenarios that may include themes of racism, anti-semitism, anti-LGBT sentiment and even elements such as death threats, all purely in the context of parody. In addition, this content may depict or refer to acts of violence in a satirical manner. Shock factor is a common and deliberate element used in these displays to emphasise the satirical message. By continuing to view this content, you acknowledge that you understand the satirical nature of this content, including the depiction of violence and the use of shock factor, and agree that you will not use or interpret this content outside of its intended context. Please remember that humour and satire are complex; they are not intended to belittle or demean, but to engage and challenge social norms through exaggeration. If you have any concerns about content, please feel free to engage in constructive dialogue or report issues to GTV staff.