Rhode Island Governor orders removal of ‘Providence Plantations’ from state name as it has links to slavery
Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo has signed an Executive Order as a first step to change the formal name of Rhode Island. The official name of the state is “the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations” and reportedly “Providence Plantations” are the two words that have come under scrutiny following the May 25 death of George Floyd, the 46-year-old African-American who was killed in police custody. The words “Providence Plantations” have slavery connotations that have raised concerns in the present scenario.
On Monday, June 22, Raimondo signed the Executive Order 20-48 that addressed the state name’s connection to slavery and put the issue as a referendum on the ballot in November. The order stated, “For many years, there has been a public discussion about removing the word "plantations" from Rhode Island's official name. Many of the State's residents find it painful that a word so closely associated with slavery should appear in the official name of the State.”
It continued: “The pain that this association causes to some of our residents should be of concern to all Rhode Islanders and we should do everything in our power to ensure that all communities can take pride in our State. Changing the State's official name would require the voters to amend the Rhode Island Constitution, and I urge the voters to approve the name change in November but will take all measures that are within my control to eliminate the name from my official communications and those of my executive agencies.”
According to reports, the bill was introduced by Rhode Island’s only Black senator, Harold Metts. Metts introduced the legislation last Wednesday, June 17, to give people of Rhode Island a chance to change its name. “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. The images that come to mind when I hear the word ‘plantations’ are of the inhuman and degrading treatment of the African-Americans who came before me, families ripped apart by slave sales, rapes, and lynchings. It is a hurtful term to so many of us,” Metts said in a statement last week.
He added: “Not unlike the debate over the Confederate flag, retaining the term does nothing to memorialize history but conjures an unnecessary and painful reminder of our racist past.” While a spokesman of House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello said Mattiello agrees this should “ultimately [be] a vote of the people.” “This is an issue that deserves a fair hearing. The House will be returning sometime in July for the budget and several other matters will also be considered at that time, including this one,” spokesman Larry Berman stated.
It has been said that Metts had earlier also tried to change the name of Rhode Island, but his effort failed at the polls in 2010. At the time, the vote was 250,466 (77.9%) to 71,162 (22.1%) against the name change, The Providence Journal reported. However, the ongoing nationwide protests in the US against racism and police brutality following Floyd’s death have brought the state-name issue to the forefront again. Earlier this month, an online petition was also launched demanding the state name to be shortened to “Rhode Island.”