Govt installs American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton’s statue in Nevis

Nevis: Nevis Island Administration unveiled the statue of American Founding Father and Nevisian Alexander Hamilton on Friday, July 22, 2022. Premier of Nevis and the leader of the Concerned Citizens Movement- Mark Brantley, announced the instalment of the statue. 

The statue has been installed on the grounds of his childhood home, which now houses the Nevis Government Assembly chambers and the Museum of Nevis History. 

While expressing pleasure, Premier Mark Brantley noted, “Hamilton’s life demonstrates to us that we are not limited by the circumstances of our birth but only by the extent of our ambitions. May every boy and girl in Nevis be inspired to dream big dreams and to work hard to realize his or her ambitions.” 

Alexander Hamilton grew up in Nevis, where he saw hundreds of enslaved Africans arrive from Africa to be sold at the Charlestown Slave Market in Nevis. Hamilton inspected the slaves and ensured they were properly priced as he worked for his father, who was an accountant for slave owners on the island.

Hamilton’s parents bought a few Nevisian slaves for their house to assist with work and often rented some out to make extra money for the family. Hamilton, in his teen years, moved to St Croix and worked for a slave company importing enslaved Africans and other goods for profit.

Hamilton’s wealthy boss, who got rich off of slavery saw his potential and sent him to study in America where he met colonial elites who owned hundreds of enslaved Africans.

Hamilton remained quiet about the cruelty of slavery because he wanted to be friends with the elites who were big slave traders and politicians all working together in the very lucrative slave industry.

Hamilton got married and his wife bought 27 slaves for their estate.

Hamilton helped to draft the US constitution and banking/trading systems because of his experience in the slave trade from childhood to adult.

Hamilton lived in America happily ever after while slavery continued in Nevis. Hamilton never returned to Nevis to assist with anything but his statue will remind the local Nevisian population forever of his greatness.

The sad part about this story is not a single Nevisian who was beaten to death at the slave market, public square or plantations during the 400 years of slavery is known or remembered.