Why were people of color casted for Hamilton and what was the impact?

“Hamilton”

With “Hamilton” available on Disney+ this weekend, the biggest sensation in Broadway history finally found a mass audience. For five years, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Pulitzer-winning refashioning of the Founding Fathers was the rare cultural event that only a select few could witness. Now, anyone can can see the original cast of mostly Black and brown faces assuming the roles of historic white figures, a decision that adds depth and provocation to every moment.

The diversity presented a unique challenge: While the Puerto Rican Miranda always intended to play the lead, he and director Thomas Kail never specified ethnicities for any of the roles. Character breakdowns included a wide range of cultural references: Hamilton was “Eminem meets Sweeney Todd,” his wife Eliza was “Alicia Keys meets Elphaba,” peer-turned-killer Aaron Burr was “Javert meets Mos Def,” and George Washington was “John Legend meets Mufasa.” By the end of the original casting process, all of those roles went to people of color.

Explanation: