I am the president and ceo of the u. S. Capital Historical Society and a former member of congress from connecticut. This evening we pay tribute, as i mentioned, to linmanuel an extraordinarily talented composer, lyricist, playwright, and at her. Actor. As a Historical Society we usually honor historians. Last year we honor David Mccullough with our Freedom Award. This year we honor an artist to transform history into the hit musical, hamilton. Score, catchy lyrics and contemporary choreography, americans of all generations and back wells are learning about Alexander Hamilton and ehrenberg, and how their conflicting vision shaped our young country. Grapple wither we some of the same issues. Fork you Linmanuel Miranda making history, alive through the performing arts. This evening we are honored to have the democratic leader with speaker of the house, nancy pelosi. Madam speaker i and fault i invite you to the podium to say a few words. [applause] Speaker Pelosi good afternoon, everyone you everyone. I am delighted to be here with everyone. It seems like yesterday we were honoring David Mccullough, now, a whole generation of people bring history alive. It is an honor to be here with senator murkowski. Ron, thank you for your great for this organization for so many years and welcome to the dawn carlson, the new board chair, thank you for your leadership. Those two are applause lines. [applause] pelosi i will to you when it is an applause line. Are, we are in the room where it happen. [laughter] Speaker Pelosi or at least where it happened at that time. This is the early days of our republic. For 55 years that the capital Historical Society has illuminated the Rich Heritage of the congress and the ideals it upholds. Here we are in this room that the Freedom Award celebrate the inspiring men and women who advanced public understanding and appreciation for our great democracy. This years recipient has made a profound contribution to that mission, Linmanuel Miranda. [applause] that,r pelosi not only but his parents are here. Thank you for sharing him. [applause] Speaker Pelosi stand up, stand up, stand up. Applause]d Speaker Pelosi congresswoman ndad that she and mr. Mira had come from puerto rico at the same time and attended the same college. There is a lot of family and members to pay tribute to your family. As the world knows linmanuel creatives a great talent of our time. With a Tony Award Winning broadway hit hamilton, he energized americas understanding of our own history. In so doing he ignited a phenomenon. We are gripped by hamiltons brilliant writing and captivating music. We are seized by high drama and electrified by its irresistible optimism and a message of hope. Ist of the power of hamilton that it reminds us that our american stories shape, not simply by events, but by people. That our tale is one of revolutionary and disruptors. Visionaries and strivers, innovators and immigrants. [applause] Speaker Pelosi and immigrants. [applause] especiallyosi important for us to remember that, that our constant reinvigoration of america are our newcomers to america who make america more americans espy important for with their hope, optimism and courage. Is notr journey predetermined but wrestled into reality by men and women afraid, unafraid to dream. Unafraid to dream. Took thel miranda story of our founding and infused it with fresh life and infectious spirit. He is continuing the journey of hamilton through the Hamilton Education project which brings the magic of history and the art in the classroom. This Partnership Helped hundreds of thousands of High School Students forge connections to makingnding era i was history itself inspiring to the next generation of historians, writers, performers, and leaders. To work for the transformative initiatives such as this, and our broader connection to education, humanities and the arts are vital. Linmanuel miranda truly convinced that the arts are what will bring our country together. [applause] been a pelosi you have force in that regard. David mccullough pointed to the statue of cleo up there. For almost two centuries, cleo and her clock have reminded men hallsmen in this hallowed that we are part of history. That our words and actions will face the judgment of history, and that we are part of a long and honorable heritage of our democracy. Now, under cleos gauge days, we celebrate Linmanuel Miranda, a man gifted by the news of history, and all others of artists and historians of our modern era. Thank you Linmanuel Miranda for giving us the story of america been told by a america now. That we will cure from john lewis who will present the award, but all of us who are here and honored to be in your presence, to celebrate your and to and hamilton congratulate you. Thank you for your passion, your talent, your gift. Thank you for your succession of contributions to revitalize and advancing our democracy. Thank you Linmanuel Miranda. [applause] thank you madam speaker for your kind words. A number of members of the house and senate are here, mixed in crowd that is here this evening. Would you please raise her hand so we can acknowledge her presence. [applause] thank you for being here. Leader pelosi mentioned s parents. Miranda i want to mention them again because they made it all possible. [laughter] againld they please stand [applause] again. [applause] also with us this evening is wrong turn now, who wrote the book hamilton. [applause] where are you . Way back there. The book obviously inspired Linmanuel Miranda. At again, thank you for being with us this evening. Also the director of philanthropy and special projects at 5000 broadway productions. Would you please stand. [applause] thank you. Acclaimed radio host and playwright and mentor to mr. Miranda would you please stand them he recognized. [applause] all of younored that are here this evening to share this evening with us. It is now my pleasure to introduce senator Lisa Murkowski , chair of the appropriations subcommittee on interior environment and related agencies. Agencies aree related the two National Endowments for the arts in the humanities. She is a dedicated advocate for the arts. In lisas words, there is nothing that hold holds us as what comes us as what comes to us through the arts. The u. S. Capital Historical Society was honored in 2004 to be awarded the humanities medal. With a ceremony in the white very exciting moment for the society, and personally for me. So, i would like to now bring to the podium senator Lisa Murkowski. [applause] senator murkowski ron, thank you for that. It is an honor to be with you this evening, and to the family, miranda, wonderful to have you with us as we recognize this gentlemen, a man who has helped us look up, look out ward, who has widen our eyes, truly, ayears, talented, inspiring individual. The 2017 recipient of the u. S. Capital Historical SocietyFreedom Award, mr. Lynn mr. Linmanuel miranda. [applause] we cannot thank you enough. [applause] mr. Miranda hello. My thanks to all of you and especially senator michalski, congresswoman pelosi. The Historical Society tells a story not just to lawmakers, but these its mission much more holistically. It illuminates political history. Its the breathtaking architecture all around us. When you all leave, i am fully night at the museum in here. To of these guys will come life and we will have a bit of a time. I will see you in the morning and i will tidy about my adventures, but it is extraordinary to be surrounded by this incredible history. The house of representatives used to convene here. To its worth the Historical Society gives us the tools to wrestle with our history. So many other flashpoints in the American Experience continued to drive what happened in this building now. They did not really look like me , but they are in here. This is the room where it happened, the room where it happened. [laughter] senator murkowski mr. Miranda but for real. Ron. Lton story is told by [applause] hamilton story reached out to me across the centuries and when i let me go in vacation, walking my dog, in the shower, there was the ghost of eliza hamilton, get back to your pno piano. It turns out elis it is very persistent. When you hear a tune from hamilton it gets stuck in your head. Imagine what i felt like. It took seven years to get them out of my head thinks to our incredible creative team. The worlds reaction and the engagement with the founding error of the result has changed all of our lives. Before hamilton has the chance to change my life from my earliest days in the schools, i have benefited from immersing in music, acting and literature arts. I will make him stand up eight third time. Stand up. [applause] you will not meet to bigger musical theater dorks in your lifetime. [laughter] standby you will notmr. Miranda in ouu growing up, that is why i am standing in front of you here today. There is no the doubt that without the education i had a student in a new york public city school, i would not be here. Thank you, public school. [applause] mr. Miranda if i had not been cast as captain hook in the six thee play, hamilton musical would not exist. Real talk. Playrned more than how to pno and follow stage directions. I laid to be a leader and how to elaborate. From differents grades in social groups. You learn to work hard to create greater than some of your parts. Of makinghe sake something great. You learn to trust your passion and let it lead the way. I would not be standing here without the arts program. Without the countless other immigrants who built this country, it is very probable that very few of us would be her here. Our story concludes people who came to this country with the parents and dont other homes. [applause] their parents have no documents but their kids are Getting College degrees, working as First Responders during disasters, and the indication my own congressman, someone some are working as lawmakers in the United States congress. Irreplaceable. D it belongs to every american, rich and poor, young and old, republican and, democrat, statue and still alive. [laughter] corner ofa in every our country. This is what the u. S. Historical Capital Society does. So many societies throughout the u. S. And urban and rural locations like. My dad is from puerto rico and my moms parents are from puerto rico and mexico. New york has a thriving cultural scene with countless nonprofits, deed or groups and corporate sponsors to complements these complement these initiatives. These partnerships are a good thing and no one would have been happier to see them then my man hamilton. There is no reason why the humanity arts should be the sole of the government. Most American Kids do not live in new york, or san francisco, or d. C. , or l. A. , or miami and seattle. Central valley, native american reservations, the mississippi delta, and vast swaths of the great plains, the private resources simply do not exist to provide kids with the kinds of programs i was lucky enough to grow up with. This is why National Endowment for the humanities and arts are so vital to our democracy. [applause] mr. Miranda without these resources, we are essentially telling kids about access to the arts, your world is small, do not drink too big. With not just fill kids this message, we fill our democracies. Humanities and arts are a luxury essential service is argued, i could not disagree more. The opposite is true. The more opportunities kids have come of the more they will appreciate the poetry of mathematical poetry and environmental science, the more they learn to be human and what it is to be human. Nurturing the gift of empathy makes us better citizens. It makes us understand each other better. Learning to read music will help the student with her math homework, justice it helped her of and the genius shakespeare. A painter who understands chemistry is a better painter. Who have exposure to a whole consolation and disciplines and subject areas make it better democracy and up anomaly buyable country. Thats shared interest is shared by the humanities arts. Most of you in this room would know that arts and cultural events, and jobs and tourism bring to towns and districts. When the hamilton tour comes to your town, all the surrounding businesses benefit. If you dont believe me, ask the about their spices being the greatest. Investments contribute directly to the prosperity of American Communities in every congressional district. They create jobs, tourism, and expand to shared values. Too lost job and loss revenue, but there would be a spiritual cost to a nation that lucid that loses touch to a soul, with all of the statute in the room where real people worked hard to make this country. Thank you. Thanks to all of you who stand up to and protect our shared interest and Cultural Heritage everywhere. Some parts of the others some parts of the country it is easier to say. Governments need to see no child is denied access to humanities. That handed your effort, i think you so much. [applause] thank you so much. [applause] mr. Miranda i will finish with this, the opportunity to create the Hamilton Educational program , our producer, and my father, who i will not make stand up a fourth time [laughter] mr. Miranda has been the highlight of the whole thing. It feels me with great right to cds High School Kids. I dont know if you know about this program, but High School Kids have a curriculum on hamilton and all of the founders. The perform original works they create. On the same stage where hamilton is performed. To hear they want to be teachers and historians as a result of this experience, 250 thousand kids from all over the countries from title i schools will have the opportunity to go through the program. That is a full real legacy. That is a liza hamilton tell our story legacy. They will not all go up and go grow up and going to theater, but engaging in the story in a real way they find their own. They begin to ask, what i want to do with my time here on earth . Kind of country do we want to create for ourselves . On behalf of everyone who worked tirelessly to share american heritage, thank you for this honor. It means the world to me. Have a wonderful night. [cheers and applause] forhank you mr. Miranda your inspiring remarks. I am don carlson, the new chairman of the u. S. Capital Historical Society. With me is congressman john lewis. [applause] i am honored to stand on the trueplatform with this gentleman. Three years ago though society to johnd this a word lewis in recognition of his lifelong commitment to civil rights. Tonight he joins us as the author of the highly acclaimed Award Winning trilogy entitled marge. He found a way to teach history. It is presented in graphic or comic book form. It is a great read with great graphics. Thank you congressman lewis for joining me as we now present the 2017 Freedom Award to Linmanuel Miranda. Lin, will you please come forward . [applause] on behalf of the u. S. Capital Historical Society, we want to present to you tonight the 2017 Freedom Award to you Linmanuel Miranda, in recognition of your achievement and communicating the origins and continuing vitality of constitutional ideals through creative art and education. By empowering americans across generations and origins, to see themselves in our paths, you have fostered this spirit of civic engagement. Thank you. [applause] congressman lewis, would you like to make a few remarks . Evening. An lewis good thank you mr. Chairman. I am proud to join you and congratulating mr. Miranda on receiving this great honor. You see, i was a champion of the arts long before i was elected to congress. Those who really know me understand that i love history. And i adore the arts. Occasion of music and trauma, the Civil Rights Movement would have been a bird without wings. Bennett,ne and tony bios jamesjoan belafonte,an, harry peter paul and mary. [laughter] these aren lewis just a few of the many, many opt authors who provided a movement, who translated our feelings into literature and recorded our pain and progress. Tonight, i join our friends and colleagues in thinking you for continuing the ongoing struggle to redeem the soul of america. [applause] congressman lewis mr. Miranda we are in history to shape, to inform, to inspire and to move our people. Heights gave to immigrants, to love and to the american dream. Manuel hamilton lin you have inspired people to be courageous, to get in trouble, good trouble, necessary trouble, and i say thank you. Every day you move the souls of men and women, the young and old, and people of all races and regions. Linevery day you move the soulsf men andmanuel, you are so young [laughter] congressman lewis so gifted and so talented. I know and my heart of hearts, that your word and wisdom will inspire generations. I hope that you will continue to create, to chall