Latest Posts

Arnold Buffum, one of Rhode Island’s leading abolitionists, was the second son among the eight children of William Buffum and Lydia Arnold.  He was born on December 13, 1782 …
Read More

The following are my top ten turning points in the history of Rhode Island.  You may differ with some of my choices, but that is part of the fun.

…
Read More

Submarines carry a unique danger and mystique to their volunteer crews. In the early days of submarine technology, if a sub ran into trouble, it usually meant a one-way trip …
Read More

In 1914 the city of Providence was convulsed with riots. Starting in late August and lasting into September the streets of the city’s Federal Hill section came alive with violence …
Read More

The People’s Martyr, by Erik J. Chaput (Lawrence, Kansas:  University Press of Kansas, 2013)

“The Rhode Island Question,” otherwise known as the Dorr Rebellion of 1842, is one of the …
Read More

Rhode Island has many claims to fame.  It is unusual, however, to discover a new one.  With “12 Years a Slave” winning the 2013 Academy Award for best picture, its …
Read More