This two hour, one mile walk will explore 200 years of history and lead you inside four local historic sites, discussing Rhode Island’s complicity and resistance to the international slave trade from a variety of viewpoints. Everyone from the state’s wealthiest early citizens to its most recent antebellum immigrants helped the Ocean State become the US’s largest contributor to the slave trade. Tour stops include the John Brown House, John Carter Brown Library, University Hall, Stephen Hopkins House, Cathedral of St. John cemetery, and the Cathedral itself. Cost: $20. Discounts are offered for groups of 10 or more. There are limited spots available, and registration is required. Additional Walking Tours are planned through October.   To register, click here. 

All proceeds from the tours go toward the Center for Reconciliation's programs and exhibitions. 

CFR Church Liaisons are individuals or pairs who volunteer to help us build a bridge between the work of the Center for Reconciliation and the race-related educational needs or interests of their church's congregation. 

Americans of faith across the country and around our state have been calling for guidance, educational opportunities and safe spaces for dialogues on race relations. On June 20, the Center for Reconciliation (CFR) continued its efforts to answer this call by leading racial reconciliation programs including creating a new long term initiative, the CFR Church Liaisons. This first, introductory gathering of Center for Reconciliation Church Liaisons included individuals representing nine churches within the Rhode Island Episcopal Diocese, as well as a representative from American Baptist churches in the Greater Providence area.

Church Liaisons and CFR staff met to get to know one another, discuss upcoming programs, and ways for houses of worship to partner with the CFR. The meeting and  materials, links and resources provided to Church Liaisons will aid them in sharing with their churches and partnering with the CFR to produce events centered on racial reconciliation.   

Interested in becoming the CFR Church Liaison for your house of worship? All that is required is to be interested in the CFR’s mission, be willing to learn more about the history of slavery and the slave trade in RI, be committed to sharing CFR events with your congregation, and to keep the CFR informed about local events and programs involving race . Interested individuals can send a message and their preferred contact information to: info@cfrri.org. 

Elon Cook, Program Director and Curator for the Center for Reconciliation, presented “Interpreting Oppression: An Uncomfortable Opportunity,” at the American Association of Museums Conference in St. Louis, May 8-9, 2017. Ms. Cook discussed the challenge of interpreting narratives of trauma, racial oppression, slavery, and racial justice activism in a region that remains wrapped comfortably in its liberal, abolitionist mythology. Myth busting race work is becoming a necessary component of interpreting slavery, race and American history in general at modern historic sites. She discussed examples and strategies she has employed at multiple historic sites to encourage staff sensitivity and improve research and interpretation. She also explored the struggle of interpreting the history of the violent oppression of black bodies for mostly white audiences, while inhabiting a black body, and living through the seemingly constant repetition of violent, state sanctioned Black deaths in the news.

Pam McDonald, Volunteer Program Coordinator, represented the Center for Reconciliation (CFR) on a panel discussion at the Rhode Island Docent Symposium, titled, “Race in Museums.” The Symposium took place at the Whaling Museum, New Bedford, MA, on May 8.

Pam presented a 15 minute video interview with Elon Cook, Program Director and Curator for the CFR. Ms. Cook talked about how to develop respectful interpretations of enslaved and gradually emancipated people, by collaborating with universities and other historic sites. She emphasized the importance of telling the truth about our history. Keith Stokes from the Rhode Island Black Heritage Society then spoke about the importance of representing enslaved people from the point of view of the people themselves (their family, food, culture, religion, skills, etc.) rather than simply as "slaves." Pam, Keith, and Morgan Grefe, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Historical Society answered questions posed by the 40 docents present at the program.

We've hosted three College Hill and the International Slave Trade Walking Tours so far in 2017. The walking tours are one of the most popular programs offered by the Center for Reconciliation.  Additional tours will be held throughout the summer and fall. To schedule a tour for a group of friends, class, colleagues or congregation please contact info@cfrri.org. Discounts are available for groups of 10 to 20.

In early April the Center for Reconciliation had the privilege of being a partner with Read Across Rhode Island and the Rhode Island Committee on the Humanities for a presentation by Bryan Stevenson, author of Just Mercy. Bryan Stevenson is a law professor at New York University and the founder of the Equal Justice Initiative eji.org in Montgomery, Alabama. His presentation focused on four themes: proximity, narrative, hope, and discomfort. These are significant themes for anyone who is focused on racial reconciliation.

Center for Reconciliation members joined other members of Rhode Island’s Interfaith Community who gathered in response to the increased acts of anti-Semitism in our community. The vigil was held on Sunday, March 5th at the Rhode Island Holocaust Memorial in downtown Providence.