 Historic Sites | Details | Address |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Sissieretta Jones Plaque | Historical plaque honoring the great 19th century soprano. Read more about her here. | 28 S Court St, PVD |
| 2. Grace Church Cemetery | Where Sissieretta Jones was laid to rest. The headstone includes a memory medallion that visitors may scan to learn more about her life, and on the back of the headstone is a memorial for her mother Henrietta Everett Joyner Crenshaw. | 10 Elmwood Ave, PVD |
| 3. Congdon Street Baptist Church | The most historic Black church in Rhode Island. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 for its architectural significance. | 17 Congdon St, PVD |
| 4. Edward Bannister Statue | Oil painter, activist, and founding member of the Providence Art Club and an original board member of the Rhode Island School of Design. | 7 Providence River Greenway 17 Canal Walk, PVD |
| 5. Hardscrabble Riot of 1824 Plaque | The site of the first riot between Black and white residents of Providence. Several hundred white residents tore down about 20 homes occupied by Black residents in a mixed neighborhood, and took what furniture remained and sold it at auction. Some houses were set on fire. | Near 142 Providence Pl, PVD |
| 6. Snowtown Riot of 1831 Plaque | The site of a second riot between Black residents of Providence and white workers. A white mob terrorized Black neighborhoods for four days, five people died, and 18 buildings were damaged or destroyed. The Rhode Island state militia eventually intervened. | North End of Roger Williams National Memorial, PVD |
| 7. Monument to the 1st RI Regiment | Known as the “Black Regiment” because it was comprised mostly of Black enlistees. Some regard it as the first Black military unit in the US. | Patriots Park, Portsmouth |
 Art | Details | Address |
|---|---|---|
| 1. “Tray (Depicting Reverend Lemuel Haynes in the pulpit)” | Oil on papier-mâché painting of the first Black ordained minister in America, Reverend Lemuel Haynes. | RISD Museum 20 N Main St, PVD |
| 2. “Portrait of Christiana Carteaux Bannister” by Edward Bannister | Oil-on-canvas painting of Edward Bannister’s wife Christiana, a prominent business woman born in Providence of African American and Narragansett descent. She worked as a hairdresser and was active in artistic and abolitionist circles. Read more about their loving marriage here. | RISD Museum 20 N Main St, PVD |
| 3. “Portrait of Thomas Howland” by John Blanchard | Oil-on-wood painting of Rhode Island’s first Black elected official – Thomas Howland, warden of Providence’s Third Ward in 1857. | Rhode Island Historic Society 110 Benefit St, PVD |
| 4. “Salt Water” by Garden of Journey AKA George Nakima | 35’ x 110’ mural featuring two figures representing creative and destructive energy in an Afrofuturism style that is characteristic of the artist’s work. | George C. Arnold Building 94 Washington St, PVD |
| 5. Mixed Magic Theatre | Theatre dedicated to bringing diverse stories to the stage. Produces a variety of regular programs, including Rise to Black – a theater series featuring scenes from the works of Black artists and the theatre’s resident choir, the Exult Choir. | 500 Mineral Spring Ave, Pawtucket |
| 6. Worship Arts Restoration – MPACT! | RI’s first federally recognized non-profit organization dedicated to the support and restoration of visual and performing Christian artists and their artistry. | 25 Maple St, Pawtucket |
 Community | Details | Address |
|---|---|---|
| 1. John Hope House | A community-based organization named for John Hope: an alumnus of Brown University and among the founders of the NAACP. | 7 Thomas P. Whitten Way, PVD |
| 2. Cape Verdean Progressive Center AKA the CV Club | A space for parties, social gatherings, and performances. Many Cape Verdean artists began performing here early in their careers, including Vickie and Flash Tavares. | 329 Grosvenor Avenue, East PVD |
| 3. Langston Hughes Community Poetry Reading | Celebrates Langston Hughes’ important contributions to American history, culture, and civic philosophy through annual poetry readings. Events often held at the Providence Public Library. For more information, visit: lhughescpr.org. | 225 Dyer St, PVD |
| 4. Rhode Island Black Storytellers | A non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the awareness, appreciation, and application of Black storytelling in Rhode Island through performance, as well as through educational and cultural experiences. | ribs.org |
| 5. Southside Cultural Center | The heartbeat of the Southside, West End, and Elmwood neighborhoods, SCCRI nurtures the voices of artists of color and cultivates community through the arts. | 393 Broad St, PVD |
| 6. George Wiley Center | Non-profit dedicated to George Wiley, a Warwick-raised civil rights leader and chemist. Keeping in alignment with the mission of his life’s work, the organization organizes “with low-income Rhode Islanders to advocate for systemic changes aimed at alleviating problems associated with poverty.” | 32 East Ave, Pawtucket |
More Posts by The Author:
On the Cover: Gather Glass
Adoptables
In Their Own Words…
Open & Closed
2024 Haunted House Guide
