Thursday, September 10th, 2026Richard I. Burnham Resource Center | 82 Touro Street, Newport

Admission $15 – $20 per person | *Student Discounts now available $10 with valid student ID
6:30pm to 7:30pm Lecture at the Richard I. Burnham Resource Center
Doors open at 5:30pm for a complimentary reception at the Edward W. Kane &amp; Martha J. Wallace Center for Black History at the Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House*
In Jamestown, a thriving Black community took root far earlier, in the late 19th century. A Peaceful Patch of Earth explores their remarkable journey in a time marked by racial turbulence in America.
The story unfolds on a rustic island jutting into the vast Atlantic from Narragansett Bay, accessible only by boat and sheltered from the outside world. Through captivating narrative and in-depth research, the book brings to life the island’s pioneering figures such as James Howland, one of Rhode Island’s last survivors of slavery, and the Champlin family members who rose from slavery, established the first Black-owned farm, and were the first island Blacks to vote. The community lived within view of historic Newport; a city that controlled 70% of the American-owned slave trade in the 18th century and where their African ancestors disembarked into bondage. By the 19th century, Jamestown Blacks lived free and cultivated a community that offered refuge to the tide of newly freed survivors of slavery migrating from the South. Together they forged the social, cultural, and economic fabric of a multiracial rural New England.
More than simply a local history, A Peaceful Patch of Earth also documents the rise and response of Black America to the racial oppression and explosive changes shaping the nation before and after the Civil War, from 1850 to 1920. The authors connect Rhode Island to pivotal events in history and underscore its presence and contributions to the national struggle for freedom and civil rights, such as Isaac Rice’s warm embrace of frightened Underground Railroad freedom seekers in Newport and the training of nearly two thousand Black Civil War soldiers on Dutch Island near Jamestown.
*Guests may attend the reception before walking to the lecture venue, or arrive directly at the Richard I. Burnham Resource Center prior to the 6:30pm lecture. Complimentary admission to the Center for Black History is included, and a free admission voucher is available upon request for those unable to visit before the program.

Local Event: A Peaceful Patch of Earth: Blacks in Jamestown, Rhode Island, in a Time of Racial Turbulence in Amer

Newport County

Newport

Rhode Island

A Peaceful Patch of Earth: Blacks in Jamestown,...

Thursday, September 10th, 2026Richard I. Burnham Resource Center | 82 Touro Street, Newport

Admission $15 – $20 per person |...

A Peaceful Patch of Earth: Blacks in Jamestown, Rhode Island, in a Time of Racial Turbulence in Amer

The Newport Colony House

Tuesday, September 22nd, 2026
The Colony House | Washington Square, Newport
5pm to 7pm | Free Public Event
5pm Opening Reception; 5:30pm Meeting
Reflect on a Record Year at the 2026 Annual Meeting
The 250th anniversary of American independence brought more attention, more visitors, and greater engagement with Newport Historical Society programs than ever before in 2026!
Join us to celebrate this historic and record-breaking year at the NHS Annual Meeting on Tuesday, September 22, at the Colony House.
Guests will hear from Executive Director Rebecca Bertrand about how the semiquincentennial showcased Newport’s outsized role in the American story, from the opening of the Center for Black History to the French in Newport living history experience to our first-ever Independence Week. The NHS team will also preview exciting things to come, such as the campaign to transform the Museum of Newport History at the Brick Market.

Local Event: Newport Historical Society Annual Meeting 2026

Newport Historical Society Annual Meeting 2026

Tuesday, September 22nd, 2026
The Colony House | Washington Square, Newport
5pm to 7pm | Free Public Event
5pm Opening...

Lauren Craig

Providence Metropolitan Area

Middletown

Jamestown

Portsmouth

Washington County

North Kingstown

Tiverton-Little Compton

Narragansett-South Kingstown

Kent County

East Greenwich

Bristol County

Bristol-Warren

Warwick

Exeter

Providence Marriott Downtown

Roger Williams University School of Law Providence Law School Fair
Thinking about law school? Join Roger Williams University School of Law for the annual Providence Law School Fair, where you'll have the opportunity to explore legal education and connect with representatives from more than 40 ABA-approved law schools from across the United States.
The event begins with a Law School Admissions 101 Panel from 12:00–1:00 p.m., where admissions professionals will provide an overview of the law school admissions process and answer general questions. Following the panel, attendees are invited to meet one-on-one with representatives from participating law schools during the Law School Fair from 1:00–3:00 p.m.

For additional information and to register, visit: <a target="_blank" href="https://law.rwu.edu/events/providence-law-fair" rel="nofollow noopener">https://law.rwu.edu/events/providence-law-fair</a>
Or contact the RWU Law Admissions Office at 401-254-4555.

Local Event: RWU Law Providence Law School Fair

Providence County

Providence

RWU Law Providence Law School Fair

Roger Williams University School of Law Providence Law School Fair
Thinking about law school? Join Roger Williams University...

Gardner’s Wharf 170 Main Street North Kingstown, RI 02852

Join us on Sunday, September 20, 2026, for the 4th Annual Paddle for Progress RI event as we paddle Wickford Harbor for breast cancer. 100% of every dollar raised goes directly to breast cancer research and care in RI!
Donate or REGISTER NOW and bring your own kayak, SUP, canoe, or rowboat. This is an inspiring and fun paddle in Wickford Harbor for paddlers of all abilities. The meeting point is Gardner’s Wharf, 170 Main Street, North Kingstown, RI. Meet at the public parking lot at the end of Main Street in North Kingstown.&nbsp;
Weather Date: Sept 27, 2026
Let’s turn Wickford Harbor&nbsp;PINK&nbsp;for breast cancer research and care in RI!&nbsp;<a href="https://www.paddleforprogressri.org/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">www.paddleforprogressri.org</a>

Local Event: 2026 Paddle for Progress RI

2026 Paddle for Progress RI

Join us on Sunday, September 20, 2026, for the 4th Annual Paddle for Progress RI event as we paddle Wickford Harbor for breast...

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A Peaceful Patch of Earth: Blacks in Jamestown, Rhode Island, in a Time of Racial Turbulence in Amer

SEP

10

6:30 PM

82 Touro St, Newport, RI

Newport Historical Society Annual Meeting 2026

SEP

22

5:00 PM

The Newport Colony House, Washington Square, Newport, RI

RWU Law Providence Law School Fair

2026 Paddle for Progress RI