The collection was created by Rhode Island College Special Collections staff prior to 2018. Although not comprehensive, it provides a brief historical overview of various subjects in Rhode Island's history. Included in the collection are various cultural groups’ histories, including African Americans, Portuguese individuals, and Italian individuals, among others. It also includes brief histories on Rhode Island localities, including Narragansett, Newport, and Providence. Documents in the collection include newspaper clippings, magazine articles, reports, and pamphlets.
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 the researcher's responsibility to determine the owners of the literary rights and to obtain any necessary permissions from them.
The collection is open for research.
Rhode Island Collection subject files, MSS-0165, Special Collections, James P. Adams Library, Rhode Island College.
This collection has been arranged into the following series:
The collection was created by Rhode Island College Special Collections staff prior to 2018. Materials in the collection were taken from other collections donated to Special Collections, as well as a variety of published sources, including the Providence Journal and the Rhode Island Historical Society journal Rhode Island History.
The collection was initially arranged by Special Collections staff prior to 2018. It was further arranged and described by Special Collections intern Rey Plante in 2025 under the supervision of Digital Archivist and Special Collections Librarian, Veronica L. Denison. Further arrangement and description was completed by Denison in 2026.
Special Collections also holds a Rhode Island Book Collection.
Select materials were separated, cataloged, and moved to the Rhode Island Book Collection within Special Collections.
This collection has not been digitized and is not available online.
This series contains newspaper clippings and journal articles relating to various aspects of African American history in Rhode Island. Please note that this is not a comprehensive history.
This series contains a brief history of different localities throughout Providence. Included are newspaper articles, pamphlets relating to the history of the neighborhoods, and walking tour guides. This series is not comprehensive.
This series contains files relating to the history of Providence, Rhode Island. Subjects include streets, companies, and entertainment. The files include newspaper clippings, journal articles, programs, guides, and pamphlets. This series is not comprehensive.
This series contains files relating to the history of Narragansett and Newport, Rhode Island, with a focus on the bay and pier. The files in this series contain programs, tour guides, newspaper clippings, and journal articles. This series is not a comprehensive account of the history of Narragansett and Newport.
This series contains files relating to a variety of topics and people in Rhode Island history. Files include newspaper clippings and journal articles, pamphlets on neighborhood history, walking tour guides, tourism pamphlets, and event programs. This series is not comprehensive.