Rhode Island voters will decide on Election Day whether or not to remove the phrase “Providence Plantations” from the state’s official name.
The phrase, which has been part of Rhode Island’s name since 1636, when a royal British charter joined two separate colonies, has long been the subject of debate. Advocates for removing it argue that it conjures up images of slavery, while opponents point out that Rhode Island was never a slave state.
“Whatever the meaning of the term ‘plantations’ in the context of Rhode Island’s history, it carries a horrific connotation when considering the tragic and racist history of our nation,” said state Rep. Harold Metts in June when introducing a ballot question proposing a name change after the George Floyd protests rocked the country this summer.
Metts said that his measure, like previous pushes to drop “plantations,” addresses the fact that many people associate the word with the antebellum South, “a time and place when slavery was widely accepted.”
Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo signed an executive order in June, removing the name from official state documents. The ballot measure will determine if those changes will outlive her administration.
This is not the first time lawmakers and activists have moved toward changing the state’s name. Rep. David Cicilline, while a state representative, introduced a bill in 2000, putting a possible name change on the ballot.
“If it’s really causing people some pain and we have the ability to correct it, then we ought to do it,” Cicilline said at the time, adding that the government should “demonstrate some sensitivity” to the state’s ethnically diverse population.
Cicilline ignited statewide debate but was unsuccessful in getting the question in front of voters. Cicilline’s office did not immediately respond to request for comment on the most recent ballot question.
Other state lawmakers renewed the effort a few years later, and in 2010 placed a question about “Providence Plantations” on the ballot. Republican Gov. Donald Carcieri opposed the measure, saying that the original definition of “plantation” had nothing to do with slavery.
Rhode Islanders at the time voted overwhelmingly in favor of keeping “Providence Plantations,” with nearly 80% of voters rejecting a change.
Advocates for the change hope that the calls for racial justice this summer will lead to a different outcome. Early voting begins Wednesday.
