Today in RI History
Explore significant events from Rhode Island's rich history.
April
April 1
April Fools' blizzard dumps 18 inches
The April Fools' Day Blizzard hit Rhode Island and southern New England; T. F. Green recorded 18 inches of snow.
April 2
Lynyrd Skynyrd bassist Leon Wilkeson born in Newport
Leon Wilkeson, who anchored the bass for Southern-rock legends Lynyrd Skynyrd for 29 years, was born in Newport, Rhode Island.
April 3
Newport advertisement documents slavery in Rhode Island
A Newport runaway advertisement preserved evidence of slavery and race in Revolutionary-era Rhode Island.
April 4
Nicholas Brown Jr. born in Providence
Nicholas Brown Jr., namesake benefactor of Brown University, was born in Providence.
April 5
George Washington passes through Revolutionary Rhode Island
George Washington passed through Rhode Island during the Revolution.
April 6
Rhode Island votes on women's suffrage
Rhode Island held a statewide referendum on a women's-suffrage constitutional amendment.
April 7
William Ellery Channing born in Newport
William Ellery Channing, Newport-born Unitarian minister and major American religious thinker, was born.
April 8
Reality TV pioneer Richard Hatch born in Newport
Richard Hatch, who won the debut season of "Survivor" in 2000, was born in Newport, Rhode Island.
April 9
Henry Marchant born to serve Rhode Island
Henry Marchant, Rhode Island judge and Continental Congress delegate, was born.
April 10
Commodore Matthew Perry born in South Kingstown
Commodore Matthew C. Perry was born in South Kingstown; he later led the U.S. naval expeditions that opened Japan to American trade.
April 11
Providence College captures NCAA hockey championship
Providence College won the NCAA men's ice hockey championship.
April 12
Samuel Greene Arnold Jr born in Providence
Samuel Greene Arnold Jr., Rhode Island historian, lieutenant governor, and U.S. senator, was born in Providence.
April 13
Oscar-winning composer Bill Conti born in Providence
Bill Conti, composer of the "Rocky" theme "Gonna Fly Now," was born in Providence.
Baseball pioneer Lizzie Murphy born in Warren
Lizzie Murphy, the first woman to play professional baseball alongside men, was born in Warren. She played first base professionally for 17 years and became the first woman to play in both American League and National League exhibition games.
April 14
Nathanael Greene homestead records preserved for history
Nathanael Greene Homestead-related probate records were proved, preserving the legacy of Rhode Island's most important Revolutionary general.
April 15
Walter Channing born in Newport to medicine
Walter Channing, Newport-born physician and Harvard medical professor, was born.
April 16
Senator Nelson Aldrich dies after Gilded Age
Nelson W. Aldrich, Rhode Island senator and one of the most powerful national Republican figures of the Gilded Age, died
Newport printer Ann Franklin dies
Newport printer Ann Franklin died.
April 17
Rhode Island House grants women presidential voting rights
The Rhode Island House voted to grant women the right to vote for president.
April 18
Red Sox begin longest professional baseball game ever
The Pawtucket Red Sox and Rochester Red Wings began the longest professional baseball game ever played at McCoy Stadium.
April 19
Lexington and Concord news triggers revolutionary mobilization
News of Lexington and Concord triggered Rhode Island's Revolutionary mobilization.
April 20
Rhode Island troops depart for Civil War
Rhode Island troops departed for Civil War service.
April 21
Grateful Dead perform at Rhode Island Auditorium
The Grateful Dead performed a full two-set show plus encore at the Rhode Island Auditorium in Providence as part of their spring 1971 tour.
April 22
Rhode Island creates fifteen hundred man army
Rhode Island created a 1,500-man Army of Observation after Lexington and Concord.
April 23
Coastal weather warnings highlight maritime vulnerability
Block Island and Newport-area coastal weather warnings reflected the state's continuing vulnerability to maritime hazards.
April 24
Pawtucket Red Sox play first McCoy Stadium game
The Pawtucket Red Sox played their first game at McCoy Stadium.
April 25
Mayor Buddy Cianci resigns after assault plea
Providence Mayor Buddy Cianci resigned after pleading no contest to a felony assault charge, ending his first mayoralty.
April 26
Esek Hopkins born to lead Continental Navy
Esek Hopkins, first commander-in-chief of the Continental Navy, was born in Rhode Island.
April 27
Dick Gregory speaks at Rhode Island College
Comedian and civil-rights activist Dick Gregory spoke at Rhode Island College.
April 28
FBI executes warrants in Operation Plunder Dome
FBI agents executed search warrants at Providence City Hall in Operation Plunder Dome
Nine men sign Newport Compact agreement
Nine men signed the Newport Compact.
April 29
FBI concludes major Brown shooting investigation phase
The FBI said it had concluded a significant portion of the Brown University mass-shooting investigation, one of the state's most consequential campus-safety cases.
April 30
Brown Gaza encampment ends with divestment deal
Brown University's Gaza divestment encampment ended after an agreement creating a formal divestment-review process
Buddy Cianci born in Rhode Island
Buddy Cianci was born.