Dropping “Providence Plantations” from Rhode Island’s official documents and websites is a start, but activists and others say state leaders need to do much more to address systemic racism.
Sen. Harold M. Metts, D-Providence, has fought to remove “Providence Plantations” from Rhode Island’s official name for more than a decade and is finally seeing widespread support for the name change in the wake of nationwide protests following the death of George Floyd, a Black man, while in police custody in Minneapolis last month.
The Senate voted unanimously earlier this month to put the issue of a name change before statewide voters in November. A companion measure is expected to be passed by the House in July. Meanwhile, Gov. Gina M. Raimondo ordered the “Plantations” reference removed from the administration’s communications, and General Treasurer Seth Magaziner announced the phrase would be deleted from state checks, letterheads, citations and other correspondence from his office.
The use of “Plantations” in the state name has drawn criticism from the Black community over the years because of the word’s connection to slavery.
“I applaud them, but this is the least they could do,” Rep. Anastasia Williams, D-Providence, said of the announcements by Raimondo and Magaziner. “I say, keep it going. Because this isn’t enough.”
Williams has said further actions to be taken include boosting diversity among judges in the state court system, citing a lack of any minority representation on the R.I. Supreme Court. She said the curriculum in public schools should include lessons on the history of Blacks in Rhode Island and the U.S.
“People of color built Rhode Island,” she said recently. “Black history is American history. It should have been part of our curriculum from the beginning.”
Juliet Hooker, a political science professor at Brown University, agreed that the name change is merely symbolic and that officials need to take steps such as committing to teaching the state’s involvement in slavery and investing in programs that help improve equity and access for minorities.
Rhode Island has been through this before. In 2010, voters statewide overwhelmingly rejected removing “Providence Plantations” from Rhode Island’s official name. Then-Gov. Donald L. Carcieri opposed the name change, and few leaders publicly supported it.
Metts said he believes the outcome will be different because of a reinvigorated racial-justice movement in recent weeks.
“This awakening is from people of all backgrounds,” said Metts. “This new generation has a greater sensitivity about slavery, and they want to help.”
And Hooker disagreed with the argument that the “Plantations” in the state’s name had no connection to Southern plantations that relied on slave labor before the Civil War. “That argument is just wrong,” she said. “Rhode Island was central to the slave trade.”
Williams said, “[Those opposed to the name change] say we are eliminating history. I say we are adding to history together.”
In a sign of changing sentiment, Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio, D-Providence, and House Speaker Nicholas A. Mattiello, D-Cranston, said in a joint statement that they support placing the question on the ballot and have directed that the reference to “Plantations” be removed from General Assembly documents.
“We know this is an important issue to a lot of people,” the statement said.
Alexa Gagosz is a PBN staff writer. Contact her at Gagosz@PBN.com.
