Hosted by our Cox Communications cable partners, C-SPAN's Local Content Vehicles staff visited numerous locations to explore the history and literary culture of Providence, Rhode Island.
Over the weekend, watch special features on American History TV and Book TV highlighting Rhode Island's capital city.
On American History TV Sunday, January 6 at 5pm ET
Explore:
- The life of Roger Williams, who founded the colony of Rhode Island on the belief that church and state should be separated, and the First Baptist Church in America which he founded as well.
Visit:
- The John Brown Home to learn about this man (Brown University is named after his family) and his family's history which pitted brother against brother over the issue of the slave trade in the days leading into the revolution. Rhode Island was an active importer of slaves during this time period.
Tour:
- The Rhode Island State Capitol building to learn about the history, art and architecture of this distinctive structure.
See:
- The collections of the John Hay Library at Brown University. We feature their diverse collection which includes items ranging from Abraham Lincoln's "Meditation of the Divine Will" original manuscript, to artifacts documenting Rhode Island's Dorr Rebellion, to the coffee pot used by the founding members of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Learn About:
- The Gaspee Affair of 1772. The Gaspee was a British ship burned by residents of Providence in protest of new taxes imposed on the colony by the King.
- Raymond Patriarca and the history of the Mob in Rhode Island. Patriarca was the "Don," of a powerful family involved in organized crime in the state.