NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (July 25, 2022) – The unveiling of a life-size statue of one of the United States’ Founding Fathers, Nevisian Alexander Hamilton, on the grounds of his childhood home on Nevis was an historic day for the island.
The statue, donated by Mr. Robin Summers of the New York-based Alexander Hamilton Awareness (AHA) Society, was unveiled on grounds of the Museum of Nevis History at Samuel Hunkins Drive on Friday, July 22, 2022. The bronze sculpture is titled “Alexander Hamilton As A Young Man.”
During the unveiling ceremony Hon. Mark Brantley, Premier of Nevis, said the statue represents more than a tourist attraction, it should serve to inspire the youth on Nevis to dream big and to work hard to realize his or her ambitions.
“In a very real sense Hamilton has come home. I believe that it will be a welcome addition to our history here and to the preservation of a very important and significant part of the history of Nevis.
“It seems to me almost incongruous that an island this size could contribute so much to a nation the size of the United States, the power of the United States. What I’m hoping this edifice will do is not only will it inspire our young people here, not only will it remind all of us of the contribution of this Nevisian to the founding of the great United States of America, but I think that it ought to remind every little boy and girl here that we are never ever limited by the station of our birth, we are never ever limited by the place in which we are born; we are only ever limited by the extent of our ambitions and the extent of our imagination.
“It is my hope that this statue will serve to inspire generations of young people here and also continue to cement that long umbilical cord that we share with the United States of America,” he said.
Ms. Jahnel Nisbett, Director at the Nevis Historical and Conservation Society (NHCS), thanked the Board of Directors and members of the AHA Society for their generosity, and those who journeyed to Nevis for taking the time to be part of the momentous occasion. She said while Alexander Hamilton did not contribute directly to Nevis during his adult years, the island and its people have seen some benefits based on his lineage.
“While he did not get a chance to return to Nevis during his life to make his contribution to this his homeland, we see this statue as an opportunity for that to be done in his afterlife. This statue reminds organisations and individuals alike of the ties that bind Nevis and the United States. Over the years these ties have contributed to and benefitted the people of Nevis as we have received grants, educational support, as well as individual donations and additional tourist visitors as a result of this connection,” she said.
Also delivering remarks at the event were Mr. Richard Lupinacci, President of the NHCS, and Mrs. Nicole Scholet, President of the AHA Society. Mr. Thomas Oller, Vice-Chairman of the AHA Society, read a statement from Douglas Hamilton, Alexander Hamilton’s fifth great-grandson, and Mr. Scott MacScott, a Hamilton re-enactor, delivered a portrayal of Alexander Hamilton.
Awards were distributed to the top-placed students who participated in an art competition hosted by the NHCS.
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