The Tenth Anniversary of the Alexander Hamilton Awareness Society

This special sale celebrates the tenth anniversary of the Alexander Hamilton Awareness Society (the AHA Society), an organization founded shortly after the Grange, Hamilton’s house in Harlem Heights, was restored and reopened to the public in 2011. Guests at that event came from many places, and some of the visitors began to converse; It was then that Rand Scholet met Tom and Mariana Oller. They quickly realized that they had a shared interest in promoting accurate information about this important Founding Father. Rand later suggested that the AHA Society be formed, and the organization was born.

The Alexander Hamilton Awareness Society is the nation’s only 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization dedicated to accurately presenting Alexander Hamilton’s life and legacy. In the years since its founding, the AHA Society has led programs at historic locations and museums; provided extensive online resources; facilitated scholarship; conducted and encouraged research based on the careful study and interpretation of primary sources; and has become the official nonprofit partner to Hamilton Grange National Memorial, stewarded by the National Park Service. The AHA Society works with authors and researchers who base their research on the careful study of primary sources.

Rand Scholet, founder of the Alexander Hamilton Awareness Society

Among the places connected with Hamilton where the AHA Society has organized presentations and exhibits are: the island of Nevis, where he was born; the numerous Revolutionary War sites where he fought; Philadelphia, where he served as Treasury Secretary; the Grange, his beloved home; and Trinity Church in Manhattan, where he is buried. AHA has donated a comprehensive exhibit to the Hamilton Museum on Nevis, which will be displayed permanently for the benefit of Nevis and its many visitors. AHA is also an important early voice in the restoration of the First Bank of the United States in Philadelphia, one of Hamilton’s crucial contributions to America’s financial infrastructure. This project is advancing and will be completed ahead of 2026, the 250th anniversary celebration of the nation’s founding.

Our very sad news is that Rand Scholet passed away on July 29, just before the AHA Society’s ten-year milestone. Under his leadership, the AHA Society made many significant contributions to understanding the critical role that Hamilton played in the formation of the United States, first as George Washington’s aide-de-camp during the Revolution; then as a promoter of the Constitutional Convention of 1787; and finally as the first Treasury Secretary of our new nation. Much of this history was not well known, and the AHA Society carefully brought it to wider public knowledge. Rand deserves great credit for creating and nurturing this organization. And now, under the leadership of Nicole Scholet and Sergio Villavicencio, the AHA celebrates Rand’s work, honors his years of dedication to Hamilton, and continues the mission of educating the public about Hamilton.

You can find out more about the AHA Society on our website, www.theahasociety.org, which features upcoming events as well as previous presentations. We also have several specialized websites devoted to various aspects of Hamilton’s life: www.AllThingsHamilton.com, with information on Hamilton places of interest and instructions on how to reach them, and an online exhibition site, https://theahasociety.omeka.net, with the story of Hamilton’s life and accomplishments. The AHA Society is always looking for individuals who would like to participate. Please let us know if you would like to join.

Explore The Alexander Hamilton Collection of John E. Herzog, Freeman's October 25 auction.

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