By Emily Levine
The Port Washington Public Library hosted former NYPD officer, adjunct professor, politician and public speaker James Coll to share his presentation “Alexander Hamilton vs. Hamilton” on July 19.
Coll’s energetic two-hour speech covered the eventful life and successes of the founding father with elements of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s global production, “Hamilton: An American Musical.”
Before beginning his slideshow, Coll passed around sheets of Hamilton lyrics to the audience, rightfully prepared for people new to the music to be stunned at the speed and genre of the unconventional hip-hop show tunes.
In the packet, there were about six songs from the musical – each one “the best song ever written,” as Coll said repeatedly.
Starting with the island of Nevis, Coll explained Hamilton’s lengthy family tree, along with theories where multiple parts of Hamilton’s lineage raise questions of accuracy.
Coll also touched upon the discrepancy that accompanies Hamilton’s date of birth, yet emphasized our accurate knowledge of the West Indian hurricane of 1772, the event that altered Hamilton’s life.
By the time the storm hit the island, Hamilton had already lost his father, mother and cousin with whom he stayed after his mother’s death.
“In order to cope with his misery, Hamilton did the only thing he knew how to do: write,” said Coll. Hamilton then earned a scholarship at King’s College, now Columbia University, in New York City, where he began his journey as a new American. During his second college year at age 17, Hamilton joined the independence cause, which he recognized as a pivotal moment in the world’s history, one that he needed to be a part of.
After serving as Washington’s right-hand man and helping to secure Continental victory in the Revolution, Hamilton helped establish an efficient governing system in the independent nation. Here, Hamilton asserted himself as the forefather of most of today’s national economic policies.
Coll also touched upon Hamilton’s troubled relationships with longtime peers, such as Thomas Jefferson and the infamous Aaron Burr. With the support of the Hamilton songs, “Your Obedient Servant,” “Best of Wives and Best of Women,” and “The World Was Wide Enough,” Coll closed his presentation with a timeline of Hamilton’s last days, as well as his lasting legacy.
Similar to Hamilton’s life and career, Coll’s did not follow a straight path. At 46, Coll has been an NYPD officer, professor, public speaker and politician.
In 1995, Coll graduated from Hofstra University as a history major. Two years later, after thinking he would follow through with a teaching degree, Coll joined the NYPD. However, Coll continued to search for a place to earn a master’s degree in history.
His passion and longing for learning U.S. history helped him to earn a master’s degree at Hunter College. Coll became fascinated by the U.S. Constitution, the same document he swore an oath to as he was inducted into the NYPD.
“During the day I would go and work for the Police Department, and at night I said I am so in love with American history that even if I don’t do any teaching of it, I just want to learn more,” said Coll.
Using the same drive he applied to acquire a master’s degree, Coll continued to study the document as best he could. With this passion for constitutional history, Coll decided to leave the police force after 20 years and focus on teaching, public speaking and national and local advocacy.
Coll founded ChangeNYS.org in 2013, an organization dedicated to “non-partisan public dialogue advancing honest, open, responsive and limited government in [New York State].”
With expanding civic commitment, Coll ran unsuccessfully for the New York State Assembly in 2018, campaigning as an “outsider” in the 17th District in Nassau County, a tactic inspired by Hamilton.
Yet, with all of the changes that Coll has welcomed into his life, he said his motives as a teacher, retired officer and, more recently, politician have stayed focused on the public good.
“Any decision that a police officer makes, any decision that a politician makes, any decision that a teacher makes, has the potential for someone to be upset by that. And I believe that when our police, our politicians, our teachers are doing their job correctly, they are trying to create the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of people; that should be what our government does, our schools do, and what our law enforcement does,” said Coll.
Today, Coll continues to teach constitutional law at Nassau Community College and Hofstra University, visit public venues to speak about constitutional lawmaking and its origins, as well as advocate for local needs – educationally, environmentally and politically.
Coll has done programs at other North Hempstead Libraries, including Manhasset and Great Neck. He can be reached at HistoryLectures@gmail.com
