Slavery in Colonial Rhode Island: A Talk Given by Fred Zilian, Ph.D

The histories of colonial Rhode Island and of slavery in the New World are intimately connected. This talk will first describe the beginnings of slavery in the colony of Rhode Island, its growth in the colony in the 18th century, and Rhode Island’s key role in the Atlantic slave-trading system. It will then address slavery in Little Compton, Bristol, Providence, “Narragansett Country,” and Newport. It will end by examining the demographics of slavery in RI, the lives of the enslaved, and resistance to slavery. Q & A to follow.