“Legacy. What is a legacy? It’s planting seeds in a garden you never get to see.” said Alexander Hamilton, portrayed by Lin-Manuel Miranda, in the musical “Hamilton,’ which was shown as part of an America 250 event at the University of Idaho.
Between the two play acts, a panel discussion featuring UI professors and Moscow community members was held.
Kathy Dawes, a former educator and candidate for the Idaho State House race for seat 6B, touched on the question of if the United States was a democracy prior to the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
“Did we really have a democracy before 1965? Were we a democracy before that?” Dawes questioned.
Touching on this topic, Lawrence Hatter, an associate professor of history at WSU, remarked that it was necessary to recognize the representation of history. Hatter also stated he was very excited when “Hamilton” was released, as American history would be represented in a large media form such as Broadway.
Although Hatter questioned whether the musical relates to American democracy today, he said many people did not think of Hamilton on a macro level outside of him being on the $10 bill. Hatter expressed gratitude towards this as it represents a different narrative of the founding of America, outside of the staple founding fathers such as Jefferson, Washington and Adams, but Hatter warned about the ideologization of the founding fathers.
The question of what we should do for this anniversary arose from an audience member, to which the panel brought up some interesting points.
“Do whatever you want to do,” Bryce Blankenship, a senior instructor of philosophy, said. He further explained that it is really an act of self-determination whether you feel comfortable celebrating in the state of the United States today or not.
Markie McBrayer, an associate professor of political science at UI, commented on the democratic backsliding seen in America today and globally. McBrayer cited the V-DEM Democracy Report 2026, which showed a decline in American democracy comparatively. She said that when a democracy backslides, on average, it doesn’t recover fully.
Although this may be grim, McBrayer emphasized a few things we can do in an interview with The Argonaut performed prior to the panel discussion.
McBrayer was asked how we can learn from the past in the United States to help move forward today and progress.
“Read as much as you can – I’m not joking,” she said. “Read about American history, politics, culture and art. Read about foreign politics. I think the question is, how can we all learn more about this country and its evolution to give you a better sense of your rights, as well as how to hold government accountable. The more you learn, the more you can engage with American democracy currently, but also into the future.”
Additionally, McBrayer encouraged civil engagement. It is important to continue to vote, locally, state and federally. This is the way that you can have your voice represented.
Dale Fussell can be reached at [email protected].