Join the State Library for a discussion of Robert Geake & Loren Spears' "From Slaves to Soldiers: the 1st Rhode Island Regiment in the American Revolution" (2023) and primary sources from Rhode Island State Archives. We recommend borrowing the book from your local public library. Discussions will center on specific chapters and excerpts. Primary source

Something happens when people sew together. Conversations, quiet, creative discovery and personal connection. Over time, we create something that could never exist if we did it alone and the artifact lives on to tell our story. Join artist Bob Dilworth in assembling a community textile dedicated to Cato Vernon. Using fabric printed with photos created

This book talk from author and historian Jan Lancaster will share the story of Arthur Bowler, an enslaved African, who lived in the house later called the Vernon House for at least a decade — before Cato Vernon’s time. She’ll discuss the clues available about his life in Newport, and his subsequent life in Portsmouth,

Join us for watercolor class where we will use for inspiration the original Merit Badge given to soldiers for excellent service during the American Revolution that Cato Vernon may have received. All levels. Beginner friendly. Free for all.

The SSHSA Distinguished Speaker Series Presents Ida Lewis: The Legendary Lady Light Keeper of Lime Rock Hear about Newport's life saving light keeper who gained national recognition for saving 18 lives.

Something happens when people sew together. Conversations, quiet, creative discovery and personal connection. Over time, we create something that could never exist if we did it alone and the artifact lives on to tell our story. Join artist Bob Dilworth in assembling a community textile dedicated to Cato Vernon. Using fabric printed with photos created

Join artist Lois Harada for a drop-in hands-on workshop featuring moveable, wood type and a printing press. Participants will set a word using antique letters, add ink in their favorite color, then make a unique print. No experience necessary and appropriate for children with adult help. Free for all.

The selected photographs present artifacts recovered from Rhode Island’s first state prison, established in Providence in 1838 which photographic medium is uniquely situated to explore. These objects, preserved and cataloged by the Public Archaeology Laboratory, offer a rare and tangible connection to the early history of incarceration. Created as part of a larger body of

Something happens when people sew together. Conversations, quiet, creative discovery and personal connection. Over time, we create something that could never exist if we did it alone and the artifact lives on to tell our story. Join artist Bob Dilworth in assembling a community textile dedicated to Cato Vernon. Using fabric printed with photos created

Cato Vernon’s struggle for freedom reverberates throughout history. At this community reading, you and your neighbors will pick up a script and join the 1500, a group of sharecroppers and tenant farmers from the bootheel of Missouri, as they camp out on the highway to protest the failings of the president’s New Deal. Based on

Though many people know that African heritage people served in the American Revolutionary War, we sometimes overlook the Narragansett and Wampanoag people who fought. In this presentation from Chrystal Mars Baker of the Tomaquag Museum we’ll learn more about their crucial contributions and the long history of Indigenous service. Free for all.

Held on the anniversary of its founding, this talk will interpret the evolution of the Free African Union movement during the American Revolution era, showcasing the profound influence of the African Diaspora on the advancement of Black identity in early America. Free for all.