© 2020 by Tomás Alberto Ávila. All Rights Reserved. All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed or by any means or stored in a database or retrieval system without the prior written of the publisher.
First Printing December 2020
Published by Milenio Latino Institute, Inc. Providence, Rhode Island tavila@mileniolatinoinstitute.org
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: Pending
ISBN ----1--------14-8
Printed in the United Stated of America.
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Table of Content Almeida: It’s time to drop ‘plantations’ from state’s name ___ 5 March 26, 2008 ________________________________________ 5 Providence legislator pushing bill to shorten name, remove reference to farms that used slave labor ________________________ 5 STATE HOUSE – What’s in a name? ________________________ 5
Metts resolution asks voters to remove ‘Plantations’ from state name _________________________________________________ 8 6/17/2020 ____________________________________________ 8
Senate OKs resolution asking voters to remove ‘Plantations’ from state name _______________________________________ 10 6/18/2020 ___________________________________________ 10
Assembly to remove ‘Providence Plantations’ from its documents ____________________________________________ 16 6/22/2020 ___________________________________________ 16
Governor Raimondo Unveils 'RIse Together' Vision for a More Equitable Rhode Island __________________________________ 22 Governor will sign Executive Order removing "Providence Plantations" from executive documents _______________________ 22 06/22/20 _________________________________________________ 22
Governor Gina Raimondo Name Change Executive Order ___ 24 Ranglin-Vassell: Addressing state name, racism and inequity good first steps; Economic change must follow_______________ 27 6/22/2020 ___________________________________________ 27
Building A More Equitable & Resilient Rhode Island _______ 48 Teach _______________________________________________ 50 Train ________________________________________________ 52 Build ________________________________________________ 53 Support _____________________________________________ 55 3
Together, A Better Rhode Island _________________________ 56 Gina Raimondo _______________________________________ 57
Change The Official Name Of Rhode Island Petition ________ 58 Rhode Island is now simply 'Rhode Island’ _______________ 60 Question 1 passes and the Ocean State will drop 'Providence Plantations� from its official state name _______________________ 60
Yes, Rhode Island Had Slavery It’s time to change the name 64 Who owned the slaves? Where were they? _____________________ 64 What about other New England states? _______________________ 65 How does slavery from so long ago affect us today? ______________ 65
Letter: History evolves, as should our state name __________ 66 RI revisits name change ballot question _________________ 68 Yes on 1 - Rhode Island Name Change Question ___________ 71 Why I am Voting Yes on 1 - Governor Raimondo_____________ 71
Be sure to VOTE!!!!! đ?™€đ?™–đ?™§đ?™Ąđ?™Ž đ?™‘đ?™¤đ?™Šđ?™žđ?™Łđ?™œ is now open!! _________ 72 Question 1 Virtual Celebration ____________________ 102 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2020 AT 6 PM EST – 7:30 PM EST ____ 102 Representative Anastasia P. Williams, Representative Joseph Almeida Senator Harold Metts ______________________________ 103
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Almeida: It’s time to drop ‘plantations’ from state’s name March 26, 2008 Providence legislator pushing bill to shorten name, remove reference to farms that used slave labor STATE HOUSE – What’s in a name? According to some Rhode Islanders, the full name of the state – The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations – contains an outdated reference that conjures up images of a time and place when slavery was widely accepted. Saying the change would be a good way for the state to distance itself from its past as a beneficiary of profits from slave trading and a place where plantations relied on slave labor, Rep. Joseph S. Almeida is sponsoring legislation to drop the second part of the state’s official name. The bill would amend the state’s constitution to eliminate the words “and Providence Plantations” from references to the state. The constitutional amendment would also require ratification by voters. “‘Plantations’ is a very loaded word. Who does not think of slavery when they hear that word? Regardless of how the name came about, to a lot of us, that name is a painful reminder of the ugly chapter in the nation’s history when our ancestors were treated as property, not people,” said Representative Almeida, a Democrat who represents 5
District 12 in Providence and who is chairman of the Rhode Island Minority Leadership/Legislative Caucus. Despite enacting the first anti-slavery law in the North America in 1652, Rhode Island made much of its wealth in slave trading, particularly though the ports in Bristol and Newport. In 1755, black slaves represented 11.5 percent of the colony’s population and Rhode Islanders continued to own slaves into the 1800s. Colonial Rhode Island, particularly South County where land was cheap and plentiful, had plantations that relied on slave labor. William Robinson, a colonial lieutenant governor, owned at least 19 slaves who worked on his farm in Boston Neck in the mid-18th century. Around the same time, the Hazard family, who had a 12,000-acre farm in South Kingstown, had 24 slave women working in their dairy alone. Rhode Island’s slavery laws in the early 1700s were the strictest in New England and likely became that way as a means to protect the institution of slavery on the “Narragansett Country” plantations. Representative Almeida said he understands that there are probably a lot of people who are unaware of Rhode Island’s history as a place that used both Africans and Native Americans for slave labor on plantations. But he said he hopes to raise their awareness and gain support for removing “and Providence Plantations” from the state’s name. “Rhode Island may have been on the right side of the Civil War, but it took this state a long time to decide that slavery wasn’t acceptable. In the meantime, plenty of money was made by Rhode Islanders who traded slaves or used them for work in their homes or on the plantation,” he said. The name change would not be any great inconvenience to the state, since most of the time it is referred to as simply “Rhode Island” anyway, said Representative Almeida. The Rhode Island flag does not use the state’s full name. Aside from changing some state documents and letterhead, the switch would be largely symbolic. 6
Representative Almeida, who has previously submitted the bill but says he’s making its passage a high priority this year, says he’s heard arguments about revising history, but he said the name change has nothing to do with changing history. It’s about recognizing and raising awareness about the state’s past, and choosing not to give honor to an institution that harmed so many of its residents, he said. “It’s high time for us to recognize that slavery happened on plantations in Rhode Island and decide that we don’t want that chapter of our history to be a proud part of our name,” said Representative Almeida.
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Metts resolution asks voters to remove ‘Plantations’ from state name 6/17/2020 STATE HOUSE, Providence – Senator Harold M. Metts today introduced a resolution in the state Senate that, if passed, would place a referendum on the November ballot asking voters whether to change the official state name. The proposal would eliminate “and Providence Plantations” from the state’s official name, “Rhode Island and Providence Plantations,” because the outdated reference conjures an image of a time and place when slavery was widely accepted. Senator Metts led the drive to change the state’s name a decade ago as well. In 2009, he sponsored the Senate version of the resolution that placed a similar question on the 2010 General Election ballot. The question was defeated by the voters, but Senator Metts believes the time has come to ask the public again. “A decade has passed since the public was asked this question. Attitudes may have changed substantially, even in the past few years – and even in the past few weeks,” said Senator Metts (D – Dist. 6, Providence). “Whatever the meaning of the term ‘plantations’ in the context of Rhode Island’s history, it carries a horrific connotation when considering the tragic and racist history of our nation.” He continued, “The images that come to mind when I hear the word ‘plantations’ are of the inhuman and degrading treatment of the African-Americans who came before me, families ripped apart by slave sales, rapes and lynchings. It is a hurtful term to so many of us. Not unlike the debate over the Confederate flag, retaining the term does nothing to memorialize history but conjures an unnecessary and painful reminder of our racist past.” The senator noted that his own church, Congdon Street Baptist 8
Church, where he serves as a deacon, was demolished by its white neighbors on Meeting Street in Providence before it was rebuilt in its current location. His own maternal lineage can be traced back to the Speck Plantation near Charlottesville, VA, according his great, great aunt, Bertha Hawkins-Cooper, who lived to be 106 years-old. “Making this change would pay some respect to our ancestors who were forced into slavery, and would stop serving as a constant reminder to present-day Rhode Islanders of our painful past,” he said. Because the name change requires a constitutional change, it must be approved by the voters. The Senate is expected to consider the resolution tomorrow. It is co-sponsored by Senators Sandra Cano (D – Dist. 8, Pawtucket) and Ana B. Quezada (D – Dist 2, Providence), President of the Senate Dominick J. Ruggerio (D – Dist. 4, North Providence, Providence), and Senate Majority Whip Maryellen Goodwin (D – Dist. 1, Providence).
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Senate OKs resolution asking voters to remove ‘Plantations’ from state name 6/18/2020 STATE HOUSE — The Senate voted unanimously today in support of legislation sponsored by Sen. Harold M. Metts to ask voters in November whether to change the official state name. The proposal would eliminate “and Providence Plantations” from the state’s official name, “Rhode Island and Providence Plantations,” because the outdated reference conjures an image of a time and place when slavery was widely accepted. Because the name change requires a constitutional change, it must be approved by the voters to take effect. Senator Metts, along with Rep. Joseph S. Almeida (D-Dist. 12, Providence), led the drive to change the state’s name a decade ago as well. In 2009, he sponsored the Senate version of the resolution that placed a similar question on the 2010 General Election ballot. The question was defeated by the voters, but Senator Metts believes the time has come to ask the public again. “A decade has passed since the public was asked this question. Attitudes may have changed substantially, even in the past few years — and even in the past few weeks,” said Senator Metts (D-Dist. 6, Providence). “Whatever the meaning of the term ‘plantations’ in the context of Rhode Island’s history, it carries a horrific connotation when considering the tragic and racist history of our nation.”
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He continued, “The images that come to mind when I hear the word ‘plantations’ are of the inhuman and degrading treatment of the African-Americans who came before me, families ripped apart by slave sales, rapes and lynchings. It is a hurtful term to so many of us. Not unlike the debate over the Confederate flag, retaining the term does nothing to memorialize history but conjures an unnecessary and painful reminder of our racist past.” The senator noted that his own church, Congdon Street Baptist Church, where he serves as a deacon, was demolished by its white neighbors on Meeting Street in Providence before it was rebuilt in its current location. His own maternal lineage can be traced back to the Speck Plantation near Charlottesville, VA, according his great, great aunt, Bertha Hawkins-Cooper, who lived to be 106 years old. “Making this change would pay some respect to our ancestors who were forced into slavery, and would stop serving as a constant reminder to present-day Rhode Islanders of our painful past,” he said. The joint resolution (2020-S 2902aa) now goes to the House of Representatives, which also must approve in order for the question to be placed on the ballot. Rep. Anastasia P. Williams (D-Dist. 9, Providence) introduced companion legislation (2020-H 8077) in that chamber today. The Senate bill is co-sponsored by Senators Sandra Cano (D-Dist. 8, Pawtucket), Ana B. Quezada (D-Dist 2, Providence), President of the Senate Dominick J. Ruggerio (D–Dist. 4, North Providence, Providence) and Senate Majority Whip Maryellen Goodwin (D–Dist. 1,Providence).
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Assembly to remove ‘Providence Plantations’ from its documents 6/22/2020 STATE HOUSE – Sen. Harold M. Metts and Rep. Anastasia P. Williams announced today that the General Assembly would be removing “and Providence Plantations” from official General Assembly documents. The announcement was made as part of an event hosted by Governor Raimondo announcing ‘RISE Together’ actions for a more equitable and resilient Rhode Island, including the removal of references to “Plantations” from executive branch documents. The legislators each have sponsored in their respective chambers legislation (2020-S 2902aa, 2020-H 8077) to ask the voters in November whether to change the state’s official name to simply “The State of Rhode Island.” The House leadership has announced that they plan to consider the name change resolution, and the Senate has passed it. Senator Metts (D-Dist. 6, Providence), who traces his lineage on his mother’s side to the Speck Plantation near Charlottesville, VA, said, “The word ‘plantations’ conjures extremely painful images for many Rhode Islanders. Whatever the history of the term is in Rhode Island, it is an unnecessary and painful reminder of our nation’s racist past. ‘Plantations’ brings to mind the inhuman and degrading treatment of the African-Americans, slave sales that tore families apart, rapes and lynchings. It is a hurtful term to so many of us.” Representative Williams (D-Dist. 9, Providence) said, “The removal of this word with hateful connotations for Rhode Island’s community of color from our official state name will go a long way toward the 16
healing process that is necessary to overcome 400 years of racial inequality, oppression and injustice. I applaud the governor and the General Assembly for taking actions today as steps in this important process to strike a word that is associated with dehumanization and enslavement.” At the Assembly, the “Plantations” language can be found on Senate and House citations, some letterhead, and even in resolutions passed by the chambers. In a joint statement, President of the Senate Dominick J. Ruggerio and Speaker of the House Nicholas A. Mattiello said: “We both support placing on the ballot this November the decision whether to remove the word ‘and Providence Plantations’ from the state’s name. In the meantime, we know this is an important issue to a lot of people, so the General Assembly will be removing the reference to ‘Plantations’ from Assembly documents.”
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Governor Raimondo Unveils 'RIse Together' Vision for a More Equitable Rhode Island Governor will sign Executive Order removing "Providence Plantations" from executive documents 06/22/20 PROVIDENCE, R.I.- Governor Gina M. Raimondo will be joined by advocates, community leaders, elected officials, and members of her cabinet today at 3 p.m. at Billy Taylor Park in Providence to unveil her 'RIse Together' vision for a more equitable and resilient Rhode Island and announce immediate steps her administration will be taking. Today's announcement comes after several weeks of meetings with community and youth leaders and is the first step in a series of actions to combat racial inequities in Rhode Island. The Governor will also sign an Executive Order today removing the phrase "Providence Plantations" from gubernatorial orders and citations, executive agency websites, official correspondence, and state employee paystubs. "Our work to dismantle systemic racism in Rhode Island did not start today and it will not end today, but we can rise together and make meaningful progress toward racial equity now," said Governor Raimondo. "Rhode Island was founded on the principles of acceptance and tolerance, and our state's name – and actions – should reflect those values. The steps I am announcing today are just the beginning, and I am fully committed to continuing to work alongside the community in stamping out individual and institutional racism in our state." As part of the 'RIse Together' vision, the Governor has: • Directed the Department of Administration to institute mandatory implicit bias training for all Executive Branch employees. • Directed the Department of Administration to build a plan for more comprehensive equity training. 22
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Directed the Rhode Island State Police to form a Community Outreach Team that will be tasked with working with community leaders to find ways for departments to better engage the Rhode Islanders they serve. Directed Rhode Island State Police Colonel James Manni to develop a plan and explore grants and other funding sources to equip all State Police officers with body cameras, building on the existing efforts within the State Police to increase accountability.
In addition, the Department of Administration is currently undergoing a comprehensive study of all state contracting practices to ensure that minority-owned businesses have an equal shot at procurement opportunities – the first of its kind in 25 years.
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Governor Gina Raimondo Name Change Executive Order
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Ranglin-Vassell: Addressing state name, racism and inequity good first steps; Economic change must follow 6/22/2020 STATE HOUSE – Rep. Marcia Ranglin-Vassell today gave her wholehearted support to efforts throughout state government to improve racial bias sensitivity and education, increase inclusion and eliminate hurtful symbolism. At the same time, these efforts must be backed up by real progress in addressing the poverty and inequities that disproportionately hurt and hinder the Black and Brown communities, she said. Representative Ranglin-Vassell (D-Dist. 5, Providence) said she strongly supports the executive order being signed today by Gov. Gina M. Raimondo to remove the phrase “Providence Plantations” from gubernatorial orders and citations, executive agency websites, official correspondence and state employee paystubs. Representative RanglinVassell has long advocated for removing “and Providence Plantations” from the official state name, will be actively supporting pending legislation to put the official name change on the ballot this November, and will enthusiastically promote public approval of the question. “For Black people and people of African descent, this is a good symbolic step to help to ease the pain and hurt caused by centuries of oppression. This enslavement and oppression began when a group of people were forced to leave their homeland to the Americas. This is a good first step; the greater work lies ahead which is to ensure that Black Americans in Rhode Island have equitable social and economic resources to change the trajectory of their lives,” said Representative Ranglin-Vassell. Representative Ranglin-Vassell welcomed the governor’s related announcement today of her “RIse Together initiative to increase implicit bias and equity training within state government, improve State Police engagement with Rhode Islanders and accountability and comprehensively study state contracting practices to ensure that minority-owned businesses truly have an equal opportunity at procurement. 27
She is also grateful to her colleagues in the House for passing a resolution (2020-H 8074) she sponsored recognizing and honoring African-American history in Rhode Island and urging the adoption of African-American education in K-12 public schools statewide. The House passed the resolution Thursday, calling for schools to use a curriculum distributed by the Department of Education beginning in the 2022-2023 school year. But all these efforts will ring hollow, she said, without substantial change, particularly economic change, she said. To actually improve the lives of Black and Brown people and create equity, there needs to a commitment to addressing poverty and inequities in public health, education and safety, she said. Among the next steps she called for are passing bills she has sponsored for years to institute a $15 living wage (2020-H 7570) and to (2020-H 7587) to make doula services eligible for reimbursement through private insurance and Medicaid programs, which would help address higher maternal mortality and complications rates for Black mothers. She said she is anxiously awaiting information about the Fiscal Year 2021 state budget to see whether it will still include nearly $95,000 for doula reimbursement, as it did when originally proposed in January. “Investments into Black and Brown communities are what’s really needed to improve the trajectory of people’s lives and bring about real equality,” she said.
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Building A More Equitable & Resilient Rhode Island Gina Raimondo Jul 14·13 min read
There’s a lot of talk these days about the “new normal.” You hear it all over the country. What do schools look like in the “new normal?” How do businesses succeed under the “new normal?” That phrase suggests a return to the status quo — a desire to get back to the way things used to be before COVID-19. I see two big problems with that way of thinking. First, the economy is undergoing changes that will mean the way we live and work will be different in a post-COVID era than it was before. We need to be ready for that. And second, the economy under the “old normal” left a lot of people behind: people without a degree or credential past college who struggled to find work in a quickly-changing economy; people who worked full-time jobs and still worried about how they were going to put food on the table; and people of color, who for too long have been held back by systemic racism in institutions like health care, housing, and education. These underlying disparities in our society have existed for too long, and they were put on full display when COVID-19 hit. Before COVID-19, Rhode Island was in the midst of an unparalleled economic comeback. We were creating good jobs, and Rhode Islanders were filling those jobs. Our unemployment rate had gone 48
from the highest in the nation to the lowest in a generation. In the last six years, we set a new record for the most jobs ever in Rhode Island, and then we broke our own record, 14 times. During that period, we were setting records in the number of new businesses starting, in commercial real estate investments, in college graduation rates, in the number of Rhode Islanders with health insurance, and more. Then, in the blink of an eye, that progress came to a halt. There’s no question that every American has struggled with the impacts of this crisis. But those who were hit hardest are those who could least afford it. And we have both an economic and moral imperative to rebuild our state in a way that allows every one of us — regardless of income or background — to RIse Together. After the Great Depression and the Second World War, America reinvented itself. We seized the moment and laid the foundation for decades of productivity and shared prosperity. That’s the opportunity before us today. We do a disservice to the struggling businesses and families across our state if we just return to the old way of doing business. If we do this right — if we make the right investments and fight for the values of equality and tolerance on which our state was founded — we will lay the foundation for a more equitable and more resilient Rhode Island. If you look at the unemployment numbers in Rhode Island and across the country, it tells the story of the ways in which COVID-19 knocked us down. What it fails to show us are the ways in which we got back up. Rhode Islanders have found ways to keep our lives running even in the midst of a crisis. Hundreds of Rhode Island businesses moved to remote work overnight, redefining the way we work. We have made it possible for patients to receive medical advice and care through telemedicine services. Through the combined efforts of our schools, our teachers, our parents, and our children, we were able to build one of the most robust, successful online learning platforms in the country. These new methods of work were born out of this crisis, but they don’t have to end with it. People with differing mobility are able to work 49
comfortably from their homes. Parents are able to work more flexible schedules while caring for their children. Rhode Islanders across the state are able to overcome barriers to receiving medical care. We need to embrace what we’ve learned during this crisis — embrace new technologies and new pathways for public health — and build upon it. We need to look beyond a “new normal” to a stronger, more innovative and more equal Rhode Island. COVID-19 has accelerated economic trends that were already making life more difficult for a lot of Americans — people without a credential past high school; people without a computer or experience with technology; people who worked in an industry like brick-andmortar retail that was already struggling. Our economy is rapidly changing to be more digital, more knowledge-based, more reliant on technology. To keep up, we need to do two things. First, we need to educate and train Rhode Islanders so that everyone, from every community, has the skills and opportunity to get a good job. And second, we need to position Rhode Island for growth and job creation in key industries like offshore wind, IT, design, and advanced manufacturing. Every dollar the State spends should make meaningful, tangible progress toward getting Rhode Islanders back to work, building an inclusive recovery and maintaining investments that promote accessibility, affordability, and opportunity in the areas of the most need: housing, education, and health care. It is time to kick our economy back into gear. We have done it before, and we will do it again. And this time, we know the playbook: teach, train, build, and support. Teach In the eight years after the last recession, 11.6 million jobs were created across the country. Of those, 11.5 million — 99% — went to people with some degree or credential past high school. In Rhode Island, only half our population falls into that category, and those who 50
don’t were the people hit hardest during this crisis. It shouldn’t take a pandemic for us to treat this skills gap like the crisis it is. More than a century ago, we as a nation decided that a high school education should be a public good, free and guaranteed for every American. Today, that’s no longer enough. It’s not enough for our education system to start in kindergarten, and it’s not enough for it to end in 12th grade. It’s time to embrace universal Pre-K and higher education with the same sense of necessity our predecessors gave to K-12 education. If we want to survive a second recession, we need to expand our promise of education and effective job training for all. In Rhode Island, we’ve made progress. In the past few years, we’ve implemented all-day kindergarten across the state, quadrupled the number of public Pre-K seats, and tripled the on-time graduation rate among first-time, full-time students at the Community College of Rhode Island through the Rhode Island Promise program. We need to keep going, not just with these programs, but with investments at all levels of education. We need to support teachers with more training and professional development opportunities. We need to bring more mental health support into schools. And we need to provide opportunity to multilingual students, and to all students of color, who have too often been left behind by our educational system. In Providence, less than 7 percent of Black and Hispanic students are proficient in English or math by 8th grade. That’s unacceptable, and we need to do better. In an economic crisis, it’s tempting to cut back on these investments. But that would be a terrible mistake — terrible for our children and for our economic future. In a post-COVID world, our workforce must be more resilient. More and more jobs will require higher education and additional training. Education is fundamentally about equity. The Promise program has led to a 500% increase in the on-time graduation rate for students of color. The expansion of free, high-quality Pre-K means a leg up in educational opportunity is no longer just for kids who are lucky or rich. As we rebuild our economy, committed to equity and building on the lessons we have learned through this crisis, let’s lead with bold 51
investments in education and training to lay the foundation for decades of future prosperity. After World War II, the GI Bill led to opportunity and economic mobility for millions of Americans, but it left a lot of people behind. Black veterans continued to face systemic barriers to accessing a good education. This is our chance to get it right — to commit to real equity in education, which will lead to real, shared prosperity in Rhode Island for decades to come. Train In the first few months after COVID-19 forced Rhode Island’s economy to shut down, a quarter of our workforce filed for unemployment insurance. A full two-thirds of those workers were in jobs that paid less than $20/hour, and one-third of all filings were in just three industries: food, accommodations, and retail. This is devastating for our economy, but even more so, it’s debilitating for so many Rhode Islanders struggling to make ends meet. We need to do everything we can to get folks back on their feet as quickly as possible. But we know that, just like during the last recession, many of the jobs that were lost won’t come back. That’s a story we know all too well in Rhode Island. The decline of American manufacturing in the 1980s and ’90s hit home in the Ocean State. Once the nation’s hub of jewelry manufacturing and innovation, our economy was left rudderless and without clear direction. For decades, while our neighboring states invested in growth industries like biotech and IT, Rhode Island lagged behind and struggled to catch up. That started to change a few years ago because we put a strategy in place to change it. We attracted more than three dozen new, innovative businesses to Rhode Island. And we created the Real Jobs RI job training program, which has worked with over 1,400 employers to help train nearly 10,000 Rhode Islanders for higher-paying jobs in the modern economy. Still, we haven’t done enough, and the current crisis lends new urgency to these efforts. We need to make a significant investment in our workforce to give immediate opportunity to those who are out of work because of this virus. We need to train Rhode 52
Islanders for jobs as health care workers, IT professionals, manufacturers, and others who fill a direct need in our statewide response. We need to become a hub for remote workers so that major employers across the country shifting to telework will look to Rhode Island for talent. We have learned how to train effectively, and we need to keep going. Six years ago in Rhode Island, we abandoned the old “train and pray” approach to job training and put in place a targeted, collaborative strategy that has helped thousands find work. For the next wave of training to be even more effective and more equitable, we need to pair coaching, wraparound supports and childcare so that every Rhode Islander has a chance to get a good job. If we take these steps now, we will ensure that our state can shred its “first-in, last-out” reputation while becoming a model for building the post-COVID economy. We have shown the nation what it means to train and invest in our workforce and we have made Rhode Island a place people want to do business. Let’s keep going. Build During the last recession, we stopped building things in Rhode Island. While our neighbors moved forward with major infrastructure projects, we pressed pause, and unemployment in the building trades soared. To prevent that from happening again, we created RhodeWorks and invested billions in our roads and bridges. We passed a billion-dollar investment in school construction. And it worked. This time around, we didn’t stop building. During this crisis, Rhode Island stood apart in our decision to continue construction and manufacturing. While states across the country turned off the assembly lines, we kept them running. We kept making products. We kept building roads, bridges, and schools. And we did it all in cooperation with industry and labor leaders, who committed themselves to operating safely within our public health guidance. Manufacturing was the centerpiece of our economic past, it has sustained us during this economic crisis, and it will be the key to our economic future. After experiencing supply chain breakdowns and 53
production shutdowns over the last few months, companies across the country are looking to bring manufacturing back to American shores — manufacturing that, in recent decades, has been increasingly moved overseas. As they do, we want them to look first at Rhode Island. We pioneered manufacturing in this country and we have fostered it ever since. Now, we will be the national leader in the new generation of American manufacturing. That will require investing in the infrastructure to get more industrial sites ready, investing in manufacturing facilities, and providing training to Rhode Islanders seeking high-quality manufacturing jobs. And that’s exactly what we’re going to do. If we want to continue on this path, we also need to keep building. That means more than roads and schools. It means significant investments in new affordable housing units across the state. It means incentives for new industrial campuses that will bring millions in development and hire thousands of Rhode Islanders. It means building wind and solar farms to continue leading on renewable energy. Climate change is a public health crisis. I’ve set a goal to make Rhode Island the first state to be powered by 100% renewable energy by 2030. We’re going to build a cleaner, greener Rhode Island. And it means building human bridges as well as material ones. Building a closer relationship between police officers and the communities they serve. Building a state whose name reflects the values upon which it was founded. Building new pathways to strengthen minority- and women-owned business participation. Building gateways to jobs and opportunity for formerlyincarcerated individuals. Building structures for Rhode Islanders to access the health care they need in a way that is accessible and affordable. Rhode Island was founded as a haven for religious freedom. Values like equality, tolerance and respect are core to our identity as Rhode Islanders. It’s time to recommit ourselves to those values — not just because it’s the right thing to do, and not just because it’s who we are, but also because it’s the smart thing to do. The new Rhode Island will be a place where everyone will be proud to live and proud to work. People across the country will want to open 54
businesses here, manufacture here, make movies here. Employers in the new age of remote work will look to hire Rhode Islanders because our values align with theirs. If we want a more equitable and resilient future, we can never stop building, we can never stop innovating, and we can never stop fighting for our foundational values. Support In Rhode Island, our size has always been our strength. We know our neighbors, we listen to one another, and we lift each other up. During the darkest days of this crisis, I’ve been so inspired by the ways in which Rhode Islanders in every community have come together in solidarity to lend a hand. Nobody can succeed in a vacuum. If we’re going to RIse Together, then we need to continue to support one another. Over the past few years, we’ve worked to build institutional support structures. We’ve raised the minimum wage four times — and I’m committed to continuing to raise it until we get to $15/hour. We’ve expanded health care access to more people than ever before. We’ve made it easier for workers to switch jobs by banning non-competes for low-wage workers. We’ve invested in childcare services. We’ve put systems in place to level the playing field and provide opportunity to all. And if we’re going to succeed in the new economy, we need to continue building long-term supports for our most vulnerable communities. During this crisis, we’ve found new ways of delivering food and expanded EBT benefits. We’ve provided rental assistance to struggling families. We’ve provided temporary housing to homeless Rhode Islanders and safe quarantine space for anyone in need. We’ve brought health care into the homes and communities that need it most. Building a stronger and more resilient Rhode Island means continuing to embrace innovation and meet people where they are. It means lending a hand to small businesses that have navigated this crisis with immense creativity and flexibility. It means supporting Rhode Islanders with more housing, affordable and reliable public transportation, and easier access to childcare services so they can flourish in their jobs. And it means focusing 55
our efforts on high-density communities and communities of color that have been hit hardest during this crisis. Together, A Better Rhode Island Over the last four months, we have seen the catastrophic effects of a nationwide system built on inequality. As we rebuild, we must embrace this moment to advance the progress we have made in providing opportunity to all Rhode Islanders, regardless of race or zip code. This work won’t be easy. It will require introspection and political will. For many of us, it will ask us to confront the systems that work in our favor but against our neighbors. I’m asking every Rhode Islander to make a commitment to be a part of the solution. Rebuilding our economy can only be done through shared effort, and the rewards of that work must also be shared. And I’m asking every Rhode Island business to join us in this work. Rhode Island has led the nation during this crisis because of partnerships between the public sector, private sector, and nonprofit sector. We doubled our testing capacity overnight because of CVS. We pioneered new methods of contact tracing because of Salesforce and Infosys. We safely housed our frontline workers free-of-charge because of our colleges and universities. We learned quickly about the spread and symptoms of the disease because of SurveyMonkey. We connected Rhode Islanders with free childcare services through Care.com. Local distilleries started producing hand sanitizer. Local manufacturers started making PPE. And the list goes on and on. If we’re going to thrive in a post-COVID world, every business needs to continue to step up the plate. Every business leader should be asking themselves how they can play a role; how they can make new commitments to training and hiring; how they can be a partner in building an economy that’s stronger, fairer, and more sustainable than ever before. We’ve worked hard to stay ahead of this virus. Now, we’re going to show the nation how to rebuild. We have one chance to get it right. If we let it pass, we will unravel the progress we’ve made over the past 56
few years. But if we embrace it, we can RIse Together and give our children the promise of a Rhode Island that leaves no one behind. WRITTEN BY Gina Raimondo Governor of Rhode Island dedicated to moving Rhode Island forward - a Smithfield native and proud mother of two. http://www.facebook.com/GinaMRaimondo Follow Governor of Rhode Island dedicated to moving Rhode Island forward - a Smithfield native and proud mother of two. http://www.facebook.com/GinaMRaimondo
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Change The Official Name Of Rhode Island Petition
Tyson Pianka started this petition to Senator Jack Reed and 4 others Our state’s official name is The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Some Rhode Islanders pride themselves on living in the “smallest state with the longest name”. But, the history of how we got this name is often forgotten. The addition of “and Providence Plantations” happened in 1644 after the colonial merger of Providence, Portsmouth, Newport, and Warwick. Roger Williams had intended “Plantation” to mean colony or settlement, but the modern connotation of that word has changed. If you ask anyone what’s the first word that comes to your mind when you head plantation? They’ll likely say slavery, and to every African American it holds a painful memory and represents the very real systematic racism in our government. Slavery was abolished in 1652 - reduced to a 10 year “indentured servant” that was not enforced for almost 200 years. Newport and surrounding areas became a slave trading hub and leader in the TransAtlantic Triangle. In 1696, slaves were still being sold in auction houses in Newport. In 1755, they accounted for almost 1/4 of Newport’s population. By the 1770’s, Rhode Island had the highest slave population per capita in all of new england. Rhode Islanders hold ALL 10 SPOTS on the top 10 list of largest U.S. slave traders by 58
number of voyages and slaves disembarked. Roughly 100,000 slaves were transported on Rhode Island ships. We weren’t taught any of this in school. That’s erasing history more than a name change. “And Providence Plantations” holds the memory of an economic foundation built on slavery, and only keeps us connected to a shameful past. It’s just like movements across the country to take down statues of slave owners - but it’s only three words. I am asking to eliminate the last half of our official name, changing our name to “The State of Rhode Island”. It’s been in the conversation for decades and now is the time for action.
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Rhode Island is now simply 'Rhode Island’ Question 1 passes and the Ocean State will drop 'Providence Plantations” from its official state name https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/11/04/metro/rhode-island-is-nowsimply-rhodeisland/?fbclid=IwAR3KXhlBJoxN_lsyI2mD9LysmCSezDeGBMBEy e31YUamOJDzrLuYDGq-6sU By Edward Fitzpatrick Globe Staff, Updated November 4, 2020, 1:46 a.m.
The "Independent Man" statue on the top of the Rhode Island State House dome in Providence.David L. Ryan/Globe Staff PROVIDENCE — Amid a national reckoning on race, Rhode Islanders opted to amend the state’s constitution and remove the words “Providence Plantations” from the official state name. While results from in-person voting on Tuesday showed an inclination to keep the state’s official name — Rhode Island and Providence Plantations — by the time early and mail ballots results 60
were posted at 1 a.m. Wednesday Question 1 had passed with 52.8 percent of the vote, according to state Board of Elections. The narrow win marked a stark contrast to a previous attempt in 2010, when 78 percent of Rhode Island voters resoundingly rejected changing the state’s name. Advocates renewed a push for a constitutional amendment to rename Rhode Island and Providence Plantations to simply Rhode Island, saying the word “plantations” evokes images of slavery in a state that played a key role in the slave trade. Opponents argued that "plantations” referred to colonies or settlements with agricultural economies and had nothing to do with slavery. The decision "says we are a changing state of inclusiveness, of togetherness,” said Representative Anastasia P. Williams, a Black and Latina Providence Democrat who sponsored legislation for the name change referendum. “We are one Rhode Island — period.”
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Lawn sign in Providence advocating for removing "Plantations" from the state's official name: Rhode Island and Providence Plantations Edward Fitzpatrick The name change is only one facet of what Rhode Island needs to do to increase racial equity, Williams said. In addition, the state needs to diversify the judiciary, overhaul the Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights to address police brutality, improve public schools, and boost low-income housing, she said. Senator Harold M. Metts, a Black Providence Democrat who traces his lineage to an enslaved woman on a Virginia plantation, was pleased that Question 1 passed. "We are no longer hiding from our past. We are acknowledging our role in the Atlantic slave trade,” said Metts, who who sponsored the Senate version of the name change bill. “It was time for us to make amends, and we did so.” Former state Democratic Party chairman William J. Lynch, who chaired the Rhode Island United group that advocated for the name change, was willing to accept that change might be incremental but was pleased that it happened all at once. “It sends a bold public signal to people that we are sensitized and willing to think harder about what matters to our neighbors, friends, and co-workers,” Lynch said. “It shows we are a more forward thinking state than people give us credit for.” Regardless of the outcome of Tuesday’s referendum, Governor Gina M. Raimondo has signed an executive order to remove “Providence Plantations” from the state name in official documents, on agency websites, and on state employee pay stubs. Also, the state Legislature and state treasurer have said they are removing those words from official documents because they conjure up images of slavery. On Tuesday in Providence, Demona Delgado and Dylan Roberts said it’s past time to remove a word that has long been associated with slavery. 62
Delgado said people only use the full name when noting that Rhode Island is the smallest state with the longest name. “If that’s our only point of pride, then we need something else to be proud of," she said. Roberts said, “As far as I’m concerned, the word ‘plantations’ doesn’t have any place in American culture nowadays.” But another Providence resident, Kerri Allanbrook, said she voted against the proposed amendment because she didn’t know it would be on the ballot and didn’t have a good reason to change the name. In Cranston, Lisa Hassett said she voted against the name change. “It’s ridiculous,” she said. “We need to move forward, not look into the past. You can’t rewrite history.” A poll conducted by Rhode Island United in September found that 40 percent of respondents supported the name change and 52 percent were against it. Age was a factor: Younger people were more likely to express support for the change. The poll also revealed a sharp partisan split, with 69 percent of Democrats supporting the name change and 91 percent of Republicans against it.
Edward Fitzpatrick can be reached at edward.fitzpatrick@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @FitzProv.
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Yes, Rhode Island Had Slavery It’s time to change the name By Bradly VanDerStad on October 30th, 2020
As the debate about removing “and Providence Plantations” from the official state name rages across Rhode Island, the most common rebuttal to the claim that the phrase evokes the horrors of slavery is “slavery never came to Rhode Island.” Au, contraire: Rhode Island was unquestionably built on the backs of slaves and profits from the slave trade. As someone who navigates these facts regularly as the executive director of the Providence Tour Company, I thought it would be useful to the body politic to re-examine this shadowy portion of Rhode Island history, and answer some common questions I’ve heard around this issue. Who owned the slaves? Where were they? Famous Rhode Island families, with names like Hopkins, Redwood, DeWolf, and Brown — even Roger Williams himself — held slaves. In the decade of the American Revolution, more than one hundred of the most prominent families of Providence kept slaves to cook in their kitchens and mind their horses and carriages. And yes, there were slave plantations too — by 1730, the southern part of Rhode Island’s population was one third Black, nearly all of them slaves, working thousands of acres of farmland in 64
the former Narragansett Native American territory. An early historian described the area as “a bit of Virginia set down in New England.” What about other New England states? Another thought is that perhaps the Ocean State was about the same as its other New England neighbors: not quite. By 1750, 10% of the Rhode Island population was enslaved, double the northern average. During the colonial period, Rhode Island sent 514 slave ships to the coast of West Africa, while the rest of the colonies sent just 189; in total, around 60% of all slave-trading voyages launched from North America came from Rhode Island. In fact, a major reason Rhode Island felt secure enough to declare independence from Great Britain two months before the rest of the colonies — a fact Rhode Islanders wear with pride — is because of the state’s dependence on the transatlantic slave trade, through which it could generate income independent of commerce with Great Britain. How does slavery from so long ago affect us today? The shadow of slavery looms large in Rhode Island. Duties collected on slave imports helped pave Newport streets and mend its bridges. University Hall, the oldest building on Brown University’s campus, was assisted in construction by slave labor. By 1850, 79% of all textile mills in RI manufactured “negro cloth”: a low-cost, durable, cotton twill fabric that was shipped to southern plantations to clothe slaves. This trade gave Rhode Island the foundational infrastructure necessary to become an economic powerhouse in the early 20th century and can easily be traced to wealth and investments that contemporary Rhode Islanders enjoy. Not only did Rhode Island have slavery, it was the beating heart of the transatlantic slave trade. This is a problem we must acknowledge we have uniquely as a state; then, naturally, we must respect the descendants of those robbed of their past and culture by eliminating the words “and Providence Plantations” from our official state name. It is rooted in history, and it is the right thing to do.
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Letter: History evolves, as should our state name Stephan Brigidi Brigidi
East Bay RI Bristol Posted Thursday, October 29, 2020 12:00 pm History is constantly evolving, with new interpretations and meanings arising from any particular historic event. The official name of our state, with the choice word “plantations” is on the ballot for removal or maintaining. In its inception, dating back to the day of Roger Williams, the term referred to the farming settlements. Fast forward to today’s era, the term becomes awkward and offensive to many because of what plantations later represented, enslavements of people of color. The connotations associated are about a dark past when many people suffered. Removing the name in 2020 is appropriate, serving as one healing step among many. Traditions new or old should carry sensitivity as they take on new or expanded meanings. Traditional American Values is often tossed around as a type of barometer, insisted by some to get back to. My own associations with the TAV harkens to times past with episodes of “Father Knows Best,” with the archetypal actor, Bud- Robert Young, leading his family in gentle and firm ways. Patriarchal times during the Cold War carried themes of apple pie, mom, the flag, baseball, and Commies as our sworn enemy. It was also a period when people of color were left behind, given little to help but the rhetoric, of “picking themselves up by the good old bootstraps.” These were hollow words. Robert Young or John Wayne may have fit the bill 50-plus years ago, but today they are replaced mostly by sports stars and celebs. Most of us would prefer more substance than such shallow heroic examples. We should not wallow in the past, rather turn traditions into constructive reform measures that contribute to today’s stressed and complex world. Marriage and partnerships are a long custom. They are no longer solely about cis gender man-woman combinations, rather now include all kinds of people legally joined. Another newer practice is that women can make decisions for themselves, especially the right to control their own bodies and health. Thank history for that, with some progressive laws to back it up. 66
One can also understand the mixed messages of bronze statues in public places. Historic symbols now send the wrong signals to a populous more aware of the harm done by a Columbus or a Stonewall Jackson. Flags too, representing discrimination, are being taken down, rightfully so. Affirmative Action and Title IX actions were drawn up in recent decades to level the playing field, literally and figuratively. There still persists some resistance to these legal rulings. Ethnic traditions are wonderful, especially when they are celebrated and shared with the arts of foods, dance, and music. These are the things that contribute to a rich society. Social-political traditions that divide and exclude are essentially harmful. Traditions as an expression of history will change as people appreciate more equity in human rights. We should not remain stuck in times past, insisting on traditions that marginalize people. Traditions, like history do evolve, and we should all look to make such things work for the betterment of us all.
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RI revisits name change ballot question by Alex Nunes South County Reporter Rhode Island Public Radio October 29, 2020
Alex Nunes This year, Rhode Islanders again have a chance to shorten the state’s official name via a ballot question. Some say “State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations” is a painful reminder of slavery. The move to allow the ballot question passed in the legislature easily this summer. But others, including some candidates for local office, say they see no reason for a change.
The Rhode Island state seal on the cover of an encyclopedia is pictured here. Photo by Alex Nunes The Public's Radio · RI Revisits Name Change Ballot Question
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A yes vote on ballot Question 1 supports removing the words “Providence Plantations” from the state Constitution, effectively shortening the official name to “State of Rhode Island.” Already this year, Gov. Gina Raimondo has ordered the longer version dropped from state documents and websites. The governor has also placed her support behind the Vote Yes on 1 campaign, including in a recent video backing the ballot question. “Rhode Islanders have an opportunity now to show the rest of the country that we stand for equality and inclusion,” Raimondo says in the video. “You can do that by voting Yes on 1.” This is the second time in 10 years that changing the state’s name has come before voters. In 2010, about 78 percent of Rhode Island voters cast ballots against shortening the state’s name. This year’s effort to change the state’s name follows this summer’s nationwide protests for racial justice. It also comes in a state that’s worked in recent years to reckon with the role it played in slave trading and enslaving people within Rhode Island in homes and on large farms. Supporters hope a well-coordinated online campaign can get the word out and convince voters to eliminate the words Providence Plantations. “I want you to realize it hurts every time we do see it,” a woman, who is Black, says in one campaign video. “When I come in from the highway and I see the 'Rhode Island Plantations,' it’s a trigger.” “My parents have always taught me: when you see something wrong, you make change,” says another supporter in a Vote Yes on 1 video, adding that his father’s ancestors were enslaved. But the ballot question, in a state that holds fast to tradition, also has its opponents. They say the words Providence Plantations weren’t meant to reference slavery and that the effort amounts to political correctness gone too far. 69
When the question came up at a recent Town Council candidate forum in Westerly, responses from candidates Suzanne Giorno, Philip Overton and Caswell Cooke made it clear there’s still resistance to the idea. “We’re the smallest state with the longest name—and be proud of it,” Giorno said. “I’m sorry for those that are far too sensitive about things, but unfortunately you look into things too much, and you start changing everything.” “My feeling is that, you know, we’ve become offended about everything,” Overton said. “I don’t want my history rewritten,” Cooke said. “I want my history ugly, good, whatever it is. So I think this whole political correct generation, I think this whole situation to change history—I’m against it.” But all candidates weren’t in agreement. Councilor Brian McCuin said, “At the end of the day, if we can make other people feel happy by taking off a name that we never use, why wouldn’t we do that?” Alex Nunes can be reached at anunes@thepublicsradio.org.
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Yes on 1 - Rhode Island Name Change Question Why I am Voting Yes on 1 - Governor Raimondo
There are 7 days left until November 3rd. Have you voted to approve Ballot Question 1 yet? Hear directly from Governor Gina Raimondo on why it's so critically important that we come together and vote to remove Providence Plantations from the state's name. It's time to unite and Vote Yes on 1!
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Be sure to VOTE!!!!! đ?™€đ?™–đ?™§đ?™Ąđ?™Ž đ?™‘đ?™¤đ?™Šđ?™žđ?™Łđ?™œ is now open!! Vote đ?—Źđ?—˛đ?˜€ on Question 1 on the Rhode Island ballot to officially remove "ĚśPĚśrĚśoĚśviĚś ĚśdĚśeĚśnĚścĚśeĚś ĚśPlĚś ĚśanĚś ĚśtĚśaĚśtiĚś ĚśoĚśnĚśsĚś"Ěś from our State's name. It’s time to unite, do the right thing, change the name, and Vote đ?—Źđ?—˛đ?˜€ on 1 by November 3rd. đ?—Šđ?—śđ?˜€đ?—śđ?˜ : https://yeson1ri.org/ đ?™ đ?™¤đ?™Ąđ?™Ąđ?™¤đ?™Ź đ?™Şđ?™¨ đ?™¤đ?™Ł đ?™„đ?™‚ & đ?™?đ?™Źđ?™žđ?™Šđ?™Šđ?™šđ?™§: @YesOn1RI #rhodeisland #providence #instagood #newengland #instagram #unitedstates #providenceri #pvd #ri #boston #federalhill #pawtucket #providencepride #oceanstate #providenceclub #prov #networking #providencecollege #jwu #ric #uri #cranston #warwick #newport #oceanstate #401 #ig_rhody #YesOn1RI #DoTheRightThingRI #ChangeTheNameRI
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Question 1 Virtual Celebration SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2020 AT 6 PM EST – 7:30 PM EST Celebrate and thanks Representative Anastasia P. Williams, Representative Joseph Almeida for their lead and push. Also thanking All 200k+ Voters that believed and turn! Music, testimonies, and guest speakers. Toasting at 7! Please open link on Sunday at 6:00pm time of the event! Hope to see you there!
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Representative Anastasia P. Williams, Representative Joseph Almeida Senator Harold Metts
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