March 7, 1707, was the birthday of Stephen Hopkins, perhaps the most famous Rhode Islander from the colonial period. One of the most accomplished politicians in the state’s history, Hopkin’s resume was impressive. It included four terms as Governor of the Rhode Island colony, President of the Scituate Town Council, Chief Justice of the Rhode […]
History
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On This Day In History – March 4, 1754: Benjamin Waterhouse, smallpox vaccine pioneer, born in Newport
On this day in history, March 4, 1754, Benjamin Waterhouse, a pioneer of the smallpox vaccine, was born in Newport, Rhode Island. Dr. Waterhouse was a physician, co-founder, and professor at Harvard Medical School. He is well-known for being the first doctor to test the smallpox vaccine in the United States, which he carried out […]
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Michele Gallagher: Frederick Douglass’ legacy in Rhode Island
Though Frederick Douglass has been extensively chronicled — by himself and by modern-day historians such as David W. Blight — his Rhode Island oratory during the second half of the 19th century deserves renewed attention. Born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey in Talbot County, Maryland in 1818, Douglass as a young boy endured family separation, brutal […]
Posted inPeople & Profiles
On This Day In History – February 25, 1842: Ida Lewis born in Newport
Lighthouse keeper and hero Ida Lewis was born on this day in Newport in 1842. Lewis made countless rescues during her time, she made her first rescue at the age of 12 and her last recorded rescue at the age of 63. She is credited for saving at least 18 lives. In 1869 she became […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Middletown library to host talk on Black history of Aquidneck Island ahead of new center’s opening
A new center dedicated to Black history on Aquidneck Island will open on Juneteenth, and Middletown residents can get a preview later this month. Dr. Akeia de Barros Gomes, director of the Edward W. Kane and Martha J. Wallace Center for Black History at the Newport Historical Society, will give a presentation titled “Recovering and […]
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This Day in RI History: February 11, 1907 – New England’s Titanic
On this day in 1907, the steamship Larchmont collided with the coal schooner Harry Knowlton in the worst maritime disaster in Rhode Island’s history. Between 150 and 200 lives were lost according to newspaper reports at the time. The exact number of deaths has been the subject of much speculation as the passenger list was […]
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This Day In History: January 19th, 1996, North Cape Oil Spill
On January 19, 1996, the worst oil spill in Rhode Island history occurred when the tank barge, North Cape, and the tugboat, Scandia, grounded off Moonstone Beach in South Kingstown. The grounding occurred after the tug caught fire in its engine room during a winter storm. Tank barge North Cape and its tow tug Scandia […]
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This Day in RI History: January 19, 1924 – Nicholas Colasanto is born in Providence
Actor Nicholas Colsanto was born on January 19, 1924, in Providence, RI. He enjoyed a long career in Hollywood and is best known for his role as “Coach” on the popular 1980s sitcom Cheers. Colasanto grew up in Rhode Island and attended Bryant University, where a campus eatery, Nick’s Place, is named for him. He […]
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This Day in RI History: January 18, 1896 – Author C.M. Eddy Jr. is born in Providence
Clifford Martin Eddy Jr. was born on January 18, 1896 in Providence, RI. He was a well known horror writer for many years and a contemporary of H.P. Lovecraft. Eddy grew up in Providence and attended Classical High School. He began his writing career in 1919 publishing in popular pulp fiction magazines including Weird Tales, Munsey’s […]
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This Day in RI History: January 17, 1942 – Coldest temperature ever recorded in Rhode Island
Yes, we’ve had a few cold days lately, but nothing like the frigid air we saw 83 years ago today. On January 17, 1942, the temperature reached -28°F in Richmond, RI. (Note: A -25°F temperature reading was recorded at T.F. Greene Airport on February 5, 1996, where official readings are kept.) Meanwhile, the lowest reading […]
Posted inArts & Culture
“Twas The Night Before Christmas” and its ties to Newport
Photo Credit: oddthingsiveseen.com Did you know that one of the most popular and well-known Christmas poems, “Twas The Night Before Christmas”, has ties to Newport? “Twas the night before Christmas” was written by Clement Clarke Moore and first published anonymously in 1823 as “A Visit From St. Nicholas”. At the time the poem was published, Moore was […]
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On This Day – Dec. 22, 1806: William Vernon, First Secretary of the Navy dies in Newport
A distinguished citizen and prosperous merchant of Newport, William Vernon born January 17, 1719, used his vast experience in seafaring activities to orchestrate the building and equipping of vessels for the newly organized American Continental Navy. Vernon was elected President of the Eastern Navy Board on May 6, 1777, in Boston, which lasted for the […]
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This Day In Newport History: Sunny von Bulow is Found Comatose on December 22, 1980
Pictured: Clarendon Court via Zillow Martha Sharp Crawford von Bülow, known as Sunny von Bülow was an American heiress and socialite. On June 6, 1966, Sunny married Claus von Bülow, a former aide to oilman J. P. Getty, and they had a daughter, Cosima von Bülow, in 1967. By 1979, significant stresses and tensions had developed in their marriage, and […]
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On This Day – Dec. 15, 1780: French Admiral Charles-Louis D’Arsac Chevalier de Ternay dies at Hunter House
Admiral Charles-Louis D’Arsac Chevalier de Ternay, born in Angers, France 1723, was in command of the French Navy, who transported the army of Lieutenant General Rochambeau, commander of the French expeditionary forces in America. The French, as allies, are the only foreign land and naval forces ever to establish themselves in America. The French fleet […]
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Rhode Island releases 2025 holiday ornament honoring nation’s first integrated regiment
A new commemorative holiday ornament honoring soldiers from the nation’s first integrated military regiment is now available from Rhode Island’s semiquincentennial commission. Secretary of State Gregg M. Amore, who chairs the Rhode Island Semiquincentennial 250th Commission, announced Friday the release of the 2025 limited-edition ornament featuring the First Rhode Island Regiment. The ornament depicts six […]
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How the Plymouth Pilgrims took over Thanksgiving – and who history left behind
Thomas Tweed, University of Notre Dame Nine in 10 Americans gather around a table to share food on Thanksgiving. At this polarizing moment, anything that promises to bring Americans together warrants our attention. But as a historian of religion, I feel obliged to recount how popular interpretations of Thanksgiving also have pulled us apart. Communal […]
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On This Day – September 26, 1983: Australia II Wins America’s Cup in Newport
It was on September 26, 1983 that Australia II defeated Liberty in Newport to win the America’s Cup trophy that had been in the hands of the New York Yacht Club since the competition begain in 1851. The 1983 America’s Cup was the occasion of the first winning challenge to the New York Yacht Club, […]
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On This Day In History – September 21 – 22, 1963: Video of President John F. Kennedy and family at Hammersmith Farm
President John F. Kennedy and their family spent a weekend at Hammersmith Farm in Newport during the weekend of September 21 – 22, 1963. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, Caroline Kennedy, John F. Kennedy Jr., and Under Secretary of the Navy Paul B. “Red” Fay Jr. and his family are with President Kennedy. Video via President […]
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On This Day In History – September 21: Hurricane of ’38 hits Newport
September 21 marks the anniversary of the New England Hurricane of ’38, one of the deadliest hurricanes in New England history. The New England Hurricane of 1938 was the first major hurricane to strike New England since 1869. The tide was even higher than usual because of the autumnal equinox and full moon. The storm […]
Posted inHistory, Sports
This day in Newport History: September 19, 1902 – Jimmy Van Alen born in Newport
Jimmy Van Alen, tennis star and founder of the International Tennis Hall of Fame was born on September 19, 1902 in Newport. Alen was the son of James Laurens Van Alen and Margaret Louis Post, prominent members of Newport society who were descendants of the Astor family. In 1925, Alen graduated from Christ’s College in Cambridge, […]
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On This Day In Newport History – Sept. 12, 1953: Jacqueline Bouvier and John F. Kennedy married in Newport
Massachusetts Senator John F. Kennedy, the future 35th President of the United States, and Jacqueline Bouvier were married at St. Mary’s Church in Newport on September 12, 1953. It is estimated that between 750 – 800 guests, including many notable individuals, attended the wedding on Spring Street and an additional 400 – 450 attended the reception at […]
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Ken Burns to bring ‘The American Revolution’ documentary to Providence this October
Acclaimed filmmaker Ken Burns will make a stop in Providence on Thursday, October 16, as part of a national tour promoting his upcoming six-part documentary series “The American Revolution.” The visit, announced by Governor Dan McKee, Secretary of State Gregg M. Amore, and Rhode Island PBS CEO Pam Johnston, will include both daytime activities at […]
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Marking The Landscape: Saluting Newport’s Black & Indigenous history one century at a time
Sharing Rhode Island’s Untold History at the Newport Public Library We’re incredibly fortunate to have the Newport Public Library at the heart of our city – a vibrant and accessible space for learning for all ages and interests. In honor of Juneteenth two weeks ago, the Newport Library staff invited me to speak about the […]
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This Day in RI History: June 5, 1941 – Actor Spalding Gray born in Providence
Actor and writer Spalding Gray was born on this day in 1941. Gray was best known for the autobiographical monologues he wrote and performed as well as for his films including the critically acclaimed Swimming to Cambodia and Gray’s Anatomy. Born in Providence, Gray grew up in Barrington and summered in Newport. After graduating from Emerson […]
Posted inArts & Culture, City & Government, History, News
“Our Town” documentary series coming to Tiverton
Rhode Island PBS and The Public’s Radio are collaborating with Tiverton residents to produce a local documentary for their “Our Town” series. Part documentary film, community-building initiative, and fundraising effort, each edition of the “Our Town” series offers a collection of historical events, local traditions, and personal stories from a Rhode Island town. An informational […]