Celebrate Women's History Month in Rhode Island
Let's talk about Rhode Island Women's History (HERstory?)! There are so many women who have contributed their work, ideas, creativity, sweat, elbow grease, philanthropy, bravery, passion, talent, and more to the Ocean State. We have scoured local archives and historical societies, as well as a multitude of websites to put together this information - and we're linking to the original sources so they get proper credit.
You might have heard of some of these women, and others perhaps not. Prepare to be fascinated, impressed, and inspired by these stories - and know that this doesn't even scratch the surface of Women's History in Rhode Island.
Events to Check out
IMAGES & DOCUMENTS FROM THE STATE ARCHIVES
Here are just a few of the images and documents of and about Rhode Island women through the years that have been collected and digitized and made available by Secretary of State Nellie M. Gorbea/ Rhode Island Department of State & the State Archives.
- Lena (Rossi) Zinni outside work at the Berkshire Fine Spinning Associates/Berkshire Hathaway textile mill in Warren, c. 1950's
- Women in Rhode Island, 1965
- Factory Inspector Report photograph, 1906
- Director of Labor correspondence re: investigation of wages paid to women and children in wearing apparel industry, April 22, 1937
- For the Mother publication, c. 1925-1932
- Walsh Kaiser Company Inc. Shipbuilding Division photograph, c. 1942-1945
- Miss Rhode Island, 1953
- Ida Lewis Story Presented by Old Stone Bank
- Ida Lewis News Clippings
- Providence Health Department nursing staff, 1963
- Well Baby Clinic, 1959
- Lt. Governor Garrahy with Girl Scouts, February 21, 1969
- Women Entrepreneurs proclamation, March 23, 1987
- Women's History Week proclamation, February 20, 1984
- Women's Sports Day proclamation, January 5, 1987
- Women's Year proclamation, June 3, 1975
- Chorus line of ten women getting ready for the summer theater audience of the Warwick Musical Tent, c. 1959
- Polio clinic, 1962
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT RHODE ISLAND WOMEN PAST & PRESENT
THE WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT IN RHODE ISLAND
Secretary of State Nellie M. Gorbea/Rhode Island Department of State developed this amazing timeline of the women's suffrage movement in Rhode Island. You can find a treasure trove of Rhode Island history at the Rhode Island State Archives.