Senate backs name change bill
RI voters will decide to change state name
Updated: Saturday, 27 Jun 2009, 8:14 AM EDT
Published : Saturday, 27 Jun 2009, 8:14 AM EDT
PROVIDENCE (WPRI) - The Rhode Island Senate has backed a bill allowing voters to decide whether to shorten the state's name, which some argue raises painful images of slavery. Officially, the state is called the "State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations." Legislation approved Friday would allow voters to decide next year whether to drop "Providence Plantations" from the name.
The House adopted similar legislation this week. One of the
two bills must be adopted by both chambers before going to Gov. Don
Carcieri.
Sen. Harold Metts, a Providence Democrat, says plantations
conjure up images of slavery. Merchants in Rhode Island made a
fortune off the slave trade.
The bill's opponents say Providence Plantations was the name
of a 17th-century settlement and doesn't refer to slavery.
Ground rules for posting comments: No profanity or personal attacks. Please comment on the subject of the story itself. If you do not follow these rules, we will remove your post. Keep it civil, folks!
Our commenting section is powered by IntenseDebate. If you registered for an account but didn't receive a verification e-mail, check your spam folder or click here for more information. For additional technical help, click here.
Email This
Print This
View Story on a Single Page
