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Click through some of Newport's founding educational documents here. As you explore, draw connections between the past and the present state of schooling in Rhode Island.Â
Read through the land evidence record from William H. Vernon to the City of Newport in 1826. Vernon's deed to the city established the first public school in Newport, located on Mill Street. As you explore, think of why Vernon wanted his land to be used for a school.
Explore a segment from the handwritten minutes from the Public School Committee's meetings in 1827. Public education in Newport was just beginning to take off after decades of private schoolhouses being a student's only access to organized learning. Read through the requirements for the Committee and compare it to your school today.
Peruse a section of the African Benevolent Society's meeting minutes as they discuss establishing a system of free Black education in Newport. This institution's commitment to schooling for Black children paved the way for Black communities to flourish. As you read, ask yourself why Black schools in Newport during the early nineteenth century were so important.
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