From Paradise Valley To Peru: 10 Places You Need To Travel To In 2024

For little-known Black History

If you’re not sure what to expect from a visit to the smallest state in the U.S., Keith Stokes, a Black 9th generation Newporter and the director of business and economic development for the city of Providence says that along with 400 miles of coastline, wineries, and boutique shopping, Rhode Island is home to lots of little-known Black history. “On November 10, 1780, a group of free Africans chartered the Free African Union Society, the first African heritage civic institution in America,” Stokes says. “Later, Newport influenced the creation of African societies in Boston, Philadelphia, and Providence, Rhode Island, which evolved into America’s earliest Black churches.” To learn more about Rhode Island’s Black history during your visit, schedule a tour through the Rhode Island Black Heritage Society.