The Museum of Newport Irish History has announced the first talk in its 20th Annual Michael F. Crowley Lecture Series, to be presented “virtually” on Monday, September 13, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. via Zoom. Dr. John Quinn and Mr. Keith Stokes will present a talk entitled, “Shared Spaces: The Irish and African Heritage Experience in Gilded Age […]
History
Posted inHistory
On This Day In Newport History – September 9, 1957: President Eisenhower signs Civil Rights Act of 1957 while in Newport
On September 9, 1957 while in Newport, President Dwight Eisenhower signed the first workable civil rights legislation to be passed since the reconstruction period. The Civil Rights Act of 1957 is known as the first federal civil rights legislation passed by the United States Congress since the Civil Rights Act of 1875. Its purpose was to show the federal government’s support […]
Posted inHistory
This Day in RI History: September 5, 1874 Nap Lajoie born in Woonsocket
Baseball Hall of Famer Napolean Lajoie was born on September 5, 1874 in Woonsocket, RI. His family moved to the area from Canada to work in the mills, first settling in Vermont and later in Woonsocket where Lajoie was born. As a youth, he had very little schooling and worked in a textile mill where […]
Posted inHistory, News
Graves of Fallen French Revolutionary Soldiers to be honored with an unveiling ceremony at Trinity Church on September 10
The National Park Service will hold a special public ceremony to unveil the grave markers of two fallen French soldiers of the American Revolution. According to Johnny F. Carawan, Trail Administrator for the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail, the ceremony will take place at Trinity Church in Newport on Friday, September 10 from 2:00 […]
Posted inHistory
Restoration of Butts Hill Fort begins
By Butts Hill Fort Restoration Committee The first step on the road to celebrating the restoration of Butts Hill Fort was taken today. Carl Viveiros of CJ Viveiros Landscaping spent the day on his ground shark brush cutter clearing vegetation within the Fort. “I’m proud to be working on this project,” Carl said, referring to […]
Posted inCOVID-19
Benjamin Franklin’s fight against a deadly virus: Colonial America was divided over smallpox inoculation, but he championed science to skeptics
Mark Canada, Indiana University Kokomo and Christian Chauret, Indiana University Kokomo Exactly 300 years ago, in 1721, Benjamin Franklin and his fellow American colonists faced a deadly smallpox outbreak. Their varying responses constitute an eerily prescient object lesson for today’s world, similarly devastated by a virus and divided over vaccination three centuries later. As a […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Gravestones to return to Newport
By Lew Keen, Chair of Newport Historic Cemetery Advisory Commission Twenty-five years ago, Professor Ron Onorato engaged his students at the University of Rhode Island to return slate gravestones to Newport that had found their way to other locations. 14 stones were not returned and served as an important study collection for many students interested […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Art Museum to present ‘Scandalous Conduct | 1919 Newport’
Newport Art Museum will present Scandalous Conduct | Newport 1919 on Thursday, June 24, 2021 from 6:00 – 7:00 pm. Interdisciplinary artists Jason Tranchida and Matthew Lawrence will give a fascinating talk, uncovering a little-known facet of Naval culture in 1919 Newport. Focused on the US Navy’s use of musical theater as a marketing tool, they’ll also touch on the […]
Posted inNews
Photo Gallery: “Boots on the Ground” returns to Fort Adams State Park
Operation Stand Down Rhode Island’s “Boots on the Ground” is on display at Fort Adams State Park for Memorial Day weekend. The display honors over 7000 Americans who have given their lives during the ongoing Global War on Terror. The memorial will be open to the public Sunday until 8PM and Monday from 8AM to […]
Posted inHistory
Museum of Newport Irish History to re-open for 2021 season on Memorial Day Weekend
The Museum of Newport Irish History Interpretive Center will open for the 2021 Season on Friday, May 28 from 12 noon to 5:00 p.m. Initial seasonal hours will be Friday, Saturday and Sunday, from noon to 5:00 p.m., through Sunday, October 31. Updates to the schedule may be found at newportirishhistory.org. All visitors are asked […]
Posted inFood & Drink
25+ longest-running restaurants in and around Newport
This story was originally published on September 25, 2015. It has been updated and republished. Last updated: March 25, 2021 There are many Newport restaurants that have survived new ownership, economic meltdowns, hurricanes, the American Revolution, millions of tourists and the test of time. Many of these restaurants are filled with history and are considered […]
Posted inArts & Culture
The truth about St. Patrick’s Day
James Farrelly, University of Dayton In 1997, my students and I traveled to Croagh Patrick, a mountain in County Mayo, as part of a study abroad program course on Irish literature I was teaching for the University of Dayton. I wanted my students to visit the place where, each July, thousands of pilgrims pay homage […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Museum of Newport Irish History Lecture to discuss the role of the Irish in building the Blackstone Canal
The Museum of Newport Irish History announces the fourth talk in its 19th Annual Michael F. Crowley Lecture Series, to be presented “virtually” on Tuesday, March 16 at 6:00 p.m. via Zoom. Chuck Arning, an award-winning public historian with nearly twenty-five years’ experience as an interpretive ranger with the National Park Service, will present a talk entitled:“How Hard Would it […]
Posted inArts & Culture
How The French Saved America: Newport Historical Society to host a virtual talk with author Tom Shachtman
French assistance was critical to America’s fight in the Revolutionary War, but the full story of France’s involvement is not often discussed. On Thursday March 25, 2021 at 5pm, the Newport Historical Society will host Tom Shachtman, author of How the French Saved America: Soldiers, Sailors, Diplomats, Louis XVI, and the Success of a Revolution, […]
Posted inColumns, History
Gerry Goldstein: Two jewels: ‘Satchel’ and Cardines Field
Baseball’s recent elevation of the old Negro Leagues to major league status was a long time coming, and recalls an era when barnstorming Negro teams played in Rhode Island, at sites including venerable Cardines Field in Newport. The decision by Major League Baseball, which came shortly before Christmas, acknowledged that racism denied many a superb […]
Posted inNews
Reflections on Martin Luther King Day 2021
I entered Kindergarten in the Fall of 1968 at the newly renamed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School, a school that continues to educate a diverse population in the Mount Hope neighborhood in Providence. King had been assassinated the previous Spring, and the school took on his name and his mission soon after. My Kindergarten […]
Posted inHistory
Newport Historical Society to continue ringing Colony House bells every Friday at noon
Following up on a successful event last week, the Newport Historical Society today announced that they will continue to ring the bells at the Colony House until further notice. “On Fridays listen for the ringing of the Colony House bells on Washington Square as a reminder that we are all in this together!,” the Newport Historical […]
Posted inHistory, Opinion
Reflections on Martin Luther King Day 2020
I entered Kindergarten in the Fall of 1968 in the newly renamed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School, a school that continues to educate a diverse population in the Mount Hope neighborhood in Providence, RI. King had been assassinated the previous Spring, and the school took on his name and his mission soon after. My […]
Posted inArts & Culture, City & Government, History
Newport, Brown University researchers team up to map historic African-American burying ground
The City of Newport announced today that God’s Little Acre, one of America’s largest and most intact burial sites for colonial era Africans and African-Americans, may soon be more easily navigable thanks to the efforts of a team from Brown University. The City’s Historic Cemetery Advisory Commission announced on Monday that work is underway on […]
Posted inArts & Culture, History, Things To Do
‘The Newport Bridge: A Rhode Island Icon’ will premiere on Rhode Island PBS on December 4th
The Newport Pell Bridge’s 50th Anniversary celebration isn’t over just yet. On December 4 at 7 pm, join Rhode Island PBS will pay tribute to the iconic bridge with the premiere of THE NEWPORT BRIDGE: A RHODE ISLAND ICON. “This Rhode Island PBS original proudly chronicles the celebration of this historic event and puts it […]
Posted inHistory, Things To Do
Newport Historical Society to host Holiday Open House, Holiday Lantern Tours
Join the Newport Historical Society in celebrating the holiday season. Take a lantern-lit tour of the streets of Newport or sing hymns inside the Colony House before seeing the Christmas in Newport official opening and tree lighting ceremony. Holiday Open House: Start your holiday season with a touch of history at the Colony House on Washington […]
Posted inArts & Culture, History
Irish Museum to present “Ireland’s Jewish Community and Newport’s Irish Rabbi.”
The Museum of Newport Irish History will host the third talk in its 18th Annual Michael F. Crowley Lecture Series on Monday, November 4 at 6:00 pm at the Mainstay Hotel & Conference Center. Three guest speakers, Shai Afsai, Sean O’Callahan, Ph.D., and John F. Quinn, Ph.D., will present a talk entitled “Ireland’s Jewish Community and Newport’s […]
Posted inHistory, Things To Do
The Moving Wall: Large scale replica of Vietnam Veterans Memorial will be on display in Touro Park this week
The Moving Wall, a half-size replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., will be on display at Touro Park in Newport from Thursday, September 19th – Monday, September 23rd. Approximately 243 feet in length, the replica has been touring the cities and towns across the US for 34 years leaving an imprint of […]
Posted inArts & Culture, History, Things To Do
Newport Historical Society lecture will host lecture on Female Revolutionary Resistance
On Thursday September 19, 2019 at 5:30 pm, at the Newport Historical Society Resource Center, Dr. Emily Murphy, Curator for the National Park Service at Salem Maritime National Historical Site, will discuss the political spinning bees of the New England seacoast in the late 1760s and early 1770s, including several that took place in colonial Newport. This […]
Posted inFood & Drink, History
Poll: Which Newport restaurant no longer with us do you miss the most?
For as long as Newport has been established, restaurants have come and gone much to the dismay of their fans and customers. But, there are just some places that we wish were here today, or that we miss now more than ever. On our Facebook Page yesterday we asked “which Newport restaurant no longer with […]