Journey of Rhode Island
Rhode Island’s Revolutionary Legacy
The Story of Rhode Island’s Revolution
2026 marks the 250th anniversary of our nation. The Rhode Island “Semiquincentennial” 250 Commission (RI250 Commission), was established in 2021 through a joint resolution from the General Assembly. Rhode Island has a pivotal role in the founding of our country – the attack on the HMS Gaspee was the first act of aggression against the British. It is commemorated in Rhode Island, and across the nation, as the spark that ignited the American Revolution. This important anniversary presents an opportunity for Rhode Islanders, and all Americans, to reflect on the many significant events that inspired the birth of our country from a diversity of perspectives.
Our Journey
Featured Individuals from the Revolutionary Era
Nathanael Greene
Leader
A Rhode Island-born general in the Continental Army, Greene was appointed commander of the Southern Department. His bold leadership reversed American fortunes in the South, earning him a gold medal from Congress.
Stephen Hopkins and William Ellery
Leader
Rhode Island’s two signers of the Declaration of Independence
James Mitchell Varnum
Leader
A prominent Revolutionary War leader and statesman from Rhode Island. Known for his leadership of the Continental Army’s Rhode Island Regiment, he was a strong advocate for the enlistment of African American soldiers. Varnum also served as a delegate to the Continental Congress.
Esek Hopkins
Leader
First Commander in Chief of the Continental Navy during the American Revolution. A Rhode Island native and former privateer, Hopkins led the Navy’s first major expedition in 1776, capturing Nassau in the Bahamas and securing vital military supplies. Though later relieved of command, his early efforts helped lay the foundation for the U.S. Navy.
Abraham Whipple
Leader & Revolutionary
A Rhode Island naval hero who led the 1772 Gaspee Affair and served as a Continental Navy captain during the Revolutionary War. He commanded ships in several critical battles, including the defense of Charleston, and helped disrupt British supply lines.
Solomon Southwick
Revolutionary
A Rhode Island printer and patriot who used his press to support the American Revolution. He printed Rhode Island’s Declaration of Independence in 1776.
Ann Franklin
Revolutionary
The first female newspaper editor and printer in colonial America. After her husband’s death, she founded the Newport Mercury, an early American colonial newspaper, and later became the official printer for the Rhode Island General Assembly.
The Rhode Island Regiment
Brave Men as Ever Fought by Don Troiani depicts the Rhode Island Regiment marching through Philadelphia on September 2, 1781, on their way to Yorktown. The regiment included two companies of African and Native American soldiers, many of whom earned their freedom by enlisting. Among the crowd is 15-year-old James Forten, who later recalled the scene, calling them “brave Men as ever fought.” This painting honors the overlooked role of soldiers of color in the American Revolution and was displayed in the Rhode Island State House in 2025.
Visit Historical Places in Rhode Island
Stories That Shaped Us
A Legacy of Courage from Newport’s Men of Color
Why Treat Us As You Do?
From our family archive comes this powerful reminder of a long, often overlooked struggle for American equality.
Their letter, authored during the Gilded Age but resonating just as urgently today, stands as a testament to their courage and clarity of purpose. As we approach the 250th anniversary of American Independence, we would do well to remember the powerful challenge they posed to their nation — a question that still echoes:
We refer to the proud fact that Negro blood was the first blood to flow for American Independence and that it is flowing ever since, freely in a very marked manner in defense of the Nation in all its battles. Why treat us as you do?
Story by: Keith W. Stokes
Beginning the Search for Ancestral Roots
A Journey Into My Family’s Revolutionary-Era Heritage
Growing up in Rhode Island, my family would gather at my grandparents’ home every Thanksgiving to feast and celebrate. Family games, cards, and stories would carry on late into the night. I was enthralled by tales of the Fairfields and the Houghtons. Well into adulthood, I decided it was time to learn a little more, so I embarked on a journey of research and discovery with the help of my local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
I soon learned of distant ancestors and learned new names, including Ebenezer Dodge, Levi Herendeen, and Aaron Brown, then Eleanor Cruff, Mary Wilbur, and Abigail Garfield. Many of whom lived in Rhode Island and contributed to the effort to free us from British Colonial rule.
I have now identified at least 7 male ancestors who served as Patriots in the American Revolution, and I am still researching my female ancestors, whose stories are less formally documented but no less courageous.
Is there an American Revolutionary War Patriot in your family tree? Share Your Ancestry Info or Search the DAR Website for Genealogy Help
Story by: Janice Hawthorne Byrne
A Legacy of Courage, Community, and Cultural Preservation
Doña Fefa: The First Dominican in Rhode Island
Doña Fefa’s story embodies the spirit of the American experience that the RI250 celebrations seek to honor. Her journey from the Dominican Republic to Rhode Island reflects the courage, entrepreneurship, and community-building that have long defined the nation’s history. By opening one of the first Latino-owned businesses in Providence and welcoming countless newcomers into her home, Doña Fefa helped lay the foundation for Rhode Island’s vibrant Latino community.
Josefina “Doña Fefa” Rosario arrived in the United States on September 8, 1949, following her sister Minerva, who had come two years earlier. “In our country we share everything,” she recalled. “Before Minerva left, I split an aceituna, an olive, with her. Half for her, half for me.” Reunited in New York, Fefa worked cleaning homes and in factories while learning the city and its language.
A month later, she met her husband, Tony, on a Bronx platform. They married, worked long hours, and eventually moved to Rhode Island in 1959. Their home on Chester Avenue in South Providence soon became a landing place for newcomers. On weekends they traveled to New York and Connecticut for plátanos, yuca, and café, bringing food back for friends who missed the tastes of home. The demand inspired Fefa’s Market on Broad Street, Rhode Island’s first Latino-owned bodega.
Known lovingly as “Doña Fefa” and remembered as the “Mother of the Hispanic Community,” she helped spark the Latino presence that still defines Broad Street today—one meal, one ride, and one open door at a time.
Story by: Marta V. Martínez | Executive Director of Rhode Island Latino Arts
Share Your Story
Do you have a family connection, local hero, or inspiring moment tied to Rhode Island’s history? Help us tell a fuller story by submitting your memory or nominating someone to be featured. Your voice adds meaning to our shared journey.
