Today in RI History
Explore significant events from Rhode Island's rich history.
May
May 1
Dorr launches People's Government challenge
Thomas Wilson Dorr's extralegal "People's Government" period began during the Dorr Rebellion.
May 2
Chafee signs same-sex marriage into law
Gov. Lincoln Chafee signed Rhode Island's same-sex marriage law; marriages began Aug. 1.
May 3
Dorr's faction establishes competing Rhode Island government
Thomas Wilson Dorr and a rival slate of officers launched a competing government under the People's Constitution, creating two rival governments in Rhode Island.
May 4
Rhode Island renounces allegiance to King George III
Rhode Island became the first North American colony to renounce allegiance to King George III.
May 5
Rhode Island enters first days of independent government
Rhode Island moved into the first days of independent colonial government after its May 4 break with the Crown.
May 6
Rhode Island authorizes revolutionary military organization
Rhode Island authorized Revolutionary military organization after Lexington and Concord.
May 7
Speaker Shekarchi steps down for Supreme Court seat
House Speaker Joseph Shekarchi stepped down while seeking a Rhode Island Supreme Court seat, one of the state's most consequential modern separation-of-powers episodes.
May 8
Settlers found Newport in colonial Rhode Island
Newport was founded by settlers including William Coddington and Nicholas Easton.
May 9
Rhode Island preserves revolutionary war veterans' service records
Revolutionary War memory and veterans' records preserved the service of Rhode Island officers and soldiers.
May 10
Record-setting swimmer Doris Brennan Weir born in Providence
Doris Brennan Weir, a Providence-born champion swimmer who held national and world records in the late 1930s and 1940s, was born. She qualified for the 1940 Olympics, which were canceled by World War II.
May 11
Rhode Island prepares for crucial Newport campaign
Rhode Island Revolutionary War operations continued as the state prepared for the Newport campaign.
May 12
Pocasset gets renamed Portsmouth
Pocasset was renamed Portsmouth.
May 13
Pocasset holds early New England town meeting
Pocasset held one of the earliest town-meeting-style gatherings in colonial New England.
May 14
Rhode Island reorganizes Continental Forces during Revolution
Rhode Island Continental forces were reorganized during the Revolutionary War.
May 16
Newport Compact Families establish new Newport community
The remaining Newport Compact families settled into the new Newport community.
May 17
Gina Raimondo, Rhode Island's first woman governor, born
Gina Raimondo was born in Rhode Island. She served as the state's first woman governor from 2015 to 2021 and later became U.S. Secretary of Commerce under President Biden.
May 18
Dorr's Forces launch failed Arsenal attack
Dorr's followers made a failed attack on the Providence arsenal, the military turning point of the Dorr Rebellion
Rhode Island passes early anti-slavery law
Rhode Island passed one of North America's early anti-slavery laws.
May 19
David S. Barry becomes Senate Sergeant-at-Arms
Rhode Island's David S. Barry became Senate sergeant-at-arms.
Rhode Island establishes land-grant agricultural college
Rhode Island's land-grant college, later the University of Rhode Island, was established
May 20
Susan Cowsill of The Cowsills born
Susan Cowsill was born. The Cowsills, the pop group that inspired "The Partridge Family," was based in Newport, where the family performed at Bannister's Wharf in the 1960s.
May 21
Station Fire Memorial Park opens in West Warwick
The Station Fire Memorial Park opened in West Warwick, memorializing the 100 people killed in the 2003 fire.
May 22
Rhode Island shapes constitutional order after Dorr rebellion
Rhode Island's post-Dorr constitutional order continued to take shape after the rebellion's collapse.
May 23
Ambrose Burnside born, future general and governor
Ambrose Burnside, Civil War general, Rhode Island governor, and U.S. senator, was born.
May 24
Curt Schilling's 38 Studios collapses amid loan scandal
Curt Schilling's 38 Studios laid off its staff as Rhode Island's $75 million loan-guarantee scandal collapsed.
May 25
McKee signs law legalizing adult-use cannabis in Rhode Island
Gov. Dan McKee signed the Rhode Island Cannabis Act, legalizing adult-use cannabis and providing for expungement of prior possession charges
Senate passes legislation creating Pell Grants program
The Senate passed legislation containing the Basic Educational Opportunity Grants that became Pell Grants.
May 26
USS Bennington explosion kills more than 100 sailors off Newport
The USS Bennington exploded off Newport, killing more than 100 sailors in one of the deadliest peacetime U.S. Navy disasters. A memorial was later dedicated near Fort Adams.
May 27
Rhode Island returns Providence schools to local control
Rhode Island approved the transition of Providence Public Schools back to local control after the 2019 state takeover
U.S. Senate resolves contested Rhode Island Senate election
The U.S. Senate resolved a contested Rhode Island Senate election.
May 28
Federal judge allows student to bring same-sex prom date
A federal judge decided Fricke v. Lynch, allowing Aaron Fricke to bring a male date to the Cumberland High prom in an early LGBTQ student-rights victory.
May 29
Rhode Island ratifies Constitution, becomes 13th state
Rhode Island ratified the U.S. Constitution by a 34-32 vote, becoming the 13th state.
May 30
Brigantine Seaflower enters Rhode Island maritime records
The brigantine Seaflower appeared in Rhode Island maritime records, part of the state's early Atlantic economy.
May 31
Aaron Fricke attends prom under federal court protection
Aaron Fricke attended prom under federal court protection, turning the Fricke v. Lynch ruling into a lived civil-rights milestone.