PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Jan. 24, 2008) – Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis will mark February’s Black History Month by bringing the original 1784 law granting Rhode Island slaves their freedom to schools throughout Rhode Island.
“It is crucial to continue to talk about the struggles and accomplishments of African Americans in Rhode Island. In order for students to appreciate the progress we have made on civil rights, they need to be aware of our history,” said Mollis.
Mollis will tell students about the significance of the 224-year-old bill and the importance of learning lessons from Rhode Island’s past. The law gave freedom to the children of slaves born in Rhode Island after March 1, 1784.
The handwritten document states, “… all Men are entitled to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness, yet the holding Mankind in a State of Slavery, as private property, which has gradually obtained by unrestrained custom and the Permission of the Laws, is repugnant to this Principle and Subversive of the Happiness of Mankind…”
Aldrich Jr. High School in Warwick, Central High School in Providence and Western Hills Middle School in Cranston are among the places Mollis will visit. The tour is part of his strategy to encourage youngsters to take part in the state’s civic affairs.
“The fight for civil rights underscores an important example for youngsters. Working together, it is possible to achieve the seemingly impossible. That is an critical lesson for the next generation of civic leaders,” said Mollis.
Signed into law in 1784, “An Act authorizing the Manumission of Negroes, Mulattos & others, and for the gradual abolition of Slavery” is among thousands of historic documents preserved in the Secretary of State’s State Archives.
Located at 337 Westminster St., Providence, the State Archives is open to the public weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Secretary of State Mollis is committed to making it easier for Rhode Islanders to vote, helping businesses grow and making government more open and accessible.