Local history

In the Archive: Queer ephemera past, present, and future

Wanderground Lesbian Archive & Library A note from Wanderground Lesbian Archive & Library: “Wanderground collects and provides access to a broad selection of New England-based publications, artifacts, and personal memorabilia from the period 1950-2000. They offer community gathering spaces in order to preserve the vibrant past of local Lesbians, encourage present-day learning and discovery, and […]

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The Case of Taylor Swift and Rebekah Harkness: How wealth shapes an individual’s role and perception in society

Wealth has a profound impact on an individual’s role and perception within society, providing a platform for influence, control, and legacy building. This dynamic is demonstrated through the lives of two Rhode Island celebrities, one modern day, one from decades past: Taylor Swift and Rebekah Harkness. These two women, whose considerable fortunes have shaped their […]

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Maritime Tattoos: A short history and present significance

While the art of tattooing human skin dates back over 5,000 years, its rich history in maritime culture can be traced more definitively. The earliest reference of the word “tattoo” in western civilization comes from the writings of British captain James Cook aboard HM Bark Endeavor in 1769. While in Tahiti, he noted “both sexes […]

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Talking with Lorén M. Spears

Our state is home to a unique and inspiring institution, the Tomaquag Indigenous Museum in Exeter. The museum is led by executive director Lorén M. Spears, an artist and author with a background in education. Spears is an enrolled Narragansett Tribal Nation citizen. Tomaquag is the only museum in Rhode Island entirely dedicated to telling […]

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A Lifetime of Stories: A conversation with Rhode Island director Christian De Rezendes about his newest, and oldest, project

Behind every abandoned building is a story. Within its walls forgotten voices whisper endless conversations, once-important papers yellow in the sun that sneaks through cracked windows, old time cards sit in their holders, covered in the smudged fingerprints of their old owners. Rhode Island is full of these vacant, lively, buildings. For someone who builds […]

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Sugar Never Goes Bad: The indestructible love of archival work with Darlene Lacey

Read the full interview with Darlene Lacey below. Darlene Lacey started The Candy Wrapper Museum in 1975, when she was just a teenager. She says, “I had the idea to collect candy wrappers, but I wanted to do it with a purpose. I always loved roadside attractions and the way that ordinary things could become […]

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