This concludes our program. I would like for you to join with me in one final applause in recognition for our honoree tonight who brings us great honor with his presence, great honor with his work, and great honor how he helps the next generation of americans. Thank you. [applause] this week on q a, historian ron chernow. Area he talks about hamilton and the consulting work he did on it. Linmanuel miranda based the musical on mr. Chernows biography of Alexander Hamilton. Brian ron chernow, when did hamilton, Alexander Hamilton first get on your radar screen . First get on your radar screen . Ron well, i started writing it back in 1998, brian. It seems rather comical because the reason that i chose to do Alexander Hamilton, aside from the fact that it was the most extraordinary personal story among the founding fathers, was that he seemed to be fading into obscurity. People were coming to regard him as a sort of secondtier founding father. Most americans knew he was on the 10 bill, mayb
With him, is in those cases where he felt obliged to use dramatic license, he would always try to incorporate as many authentic elements into the scene as he could even if he had changed something. Brian if you get on the website today, first of all, you cant buy tickets. Theyre sold out for how far are they sold out . Ron sold out as we talked, through january 2017. Brian so all of this year and then january of next year. Ron yeah. Brian but if you get on and get on these resale websites, 1000 might get you a ticket. Ron yeah, i mean and people have been scalping tickets for 1,500 to 2000, 2500 a ticket. They are certainly routinely scalping for 1000 or 1,500 a ticket. Brian what do you think of that . Ron well, you know, its been frustrating for us because we didnt create this show exclusively for Hedge Fund Managers and private equity [laughter] people, and we have been doing what is within our power to try to offset that. For instance, theres a lottery every night, where the entire
Alexander hamilton aside from the fact that it was the most extraordinary personal story among the Founding Fathers was that he seemed to be fading into obscurity. People were coming to regard him as a sort of second tier founding father. Most americans knew he was on the 10 bill, maybe that he had died in a duel with aaron burr, but that was about it. It seems comical that i was, felt as if i was lifting him out of obscurity. Now his name is on the marquee of a broadway show. Brian where were you at the time . What were you doing . Ron i just finished writing my biography of john d. Rockefeller, titan, and what happened i had done a series of books about moguls of the gilded age, and i found that when i would go out to give lectures, people in the audience would start shouting out, do vanderbilt next. Do carnegie next, and i really felt that i was becoming terribly stereotyped as this biographer of gilded age tycoons, and i decided that i wanted to switch periods. And so, Alexander Ha
On tonights pbs newshour. P major funding for the newshour has been provided by cruise lines, travth American Experience the Maritime Heritage and culture of the maine coast and new england islands. Our fleet of small cruise ships plore american landscape seaside villages, and historic harbors, where you can experience local customs and cuisine. American cruise lines. Proud sponsor of pbs newshour. Carnegie rporation of new rk. Supporting innovations in education, democratic engagement, and the advancement of International Peace and security. At carnegie. Org. And with the ongopport of these institutions and individuals. Ongopport this program was made possible by the corporation car public broing. And by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. Thank you. It has been a day like few others in modern morn life, freeft coast to the west, the Stock Exchange and house of worship. For stocks it was the worst day of trading since t 1987 crash. As fears of the pandemic spread,
Werent any blacks. There were portions of Southeast Texas where you had large black concentrations. Other places, they were scattered. There might be one. They were very wellrespected. A number gained really fine reputations. Anyone else . [laughter] i was wondering do they face the same kind of discrimination . Mike i cant answer that question. I would say a number of things have changed. I think that probably the attitudes towards black people in general and the population has been modified a great deal. Heres whats interesting. I was talking to some friends a long time ago. These were a couple of young people, white schoolteachers from chicago who were out west. They were in a place with a lot of white cowboys. They started teasing us about living in communities with a lot of black people and stuff like that. This black cowboy walks in. Everybody shakes his hand. When he leaves, hold on, hes a cowboy. I tell you one thing about him. Wearing a cowboy hat has got me into no trouble. I