In 2005, Feminist United (FU), a student organization at Rhode Island College (RIC) received approval from Student Activities to post burma-shave signs along College Road. The signs read, “Keep Your Rosaries Off My Ovaries,” and were placed to coincide with a day of activism on women’s issues. Providence’s Bishop, Father Michael Najim, saw the signs on a visit to the RIC President’s House and requested President John Nazarian have the signs removed, which he did. The removal of the signs led to protests on campus, national news coverage, and a court case claiming the removal of the signs violated the students’ right to free press. The case went to trial in 2006, with the presiding judge finding the college at fault. RIC paid the student group $5,000.
The collection contains correspondence and notes, news clippings, court records, press releases, and flyers relating to the removal the signs and subsequent court case.
Researchers are advised to contact Rhode Island College Special Collections for questions regarding permissions to reproduce, distribute, or otherwise publish material from this collection. Although Rhode Island College has physical ownership of the collection, it does not necessarily hold literary rights. It is up to the researcher to determine the owners of the literary rights and to obtain any necessary permissions from them.
The collection is open for research.
Women’s Studies Organization, Feminist United, of Rhode Island College v. Rhode Island College records, MSS-0088, Special Collections, James P. Adams Library, Rhode Island College.
The collection is arranged in original order.
The collection was compiled and donated by Dr. Leslie Schuster in 2023. A deed of gift was signed by Schuster at the time of donation.
The collection was described by Veronica L. Denison, Digital Archivist and Special Collections Librarian at Rhode Island College, in 2023.
Works used in preparation of inventory: Historical information was provided by the donor, Dr. Leslie Schuster, as well as from materials in the collection.
Materials in this collection have not been digitized.