Just 'Rhode Island': Voters Ax Providence Plantations

PROVIDENCE, RI — In a historic vote, Rhode Islanders decided Tuesday to officially change the state's name, dropping the "and Providence Plantations" once and for all.

The ballot question — the only statewide one of the election — passed by a narrow margin of just under 6 percentage points.

Gov. Gina Raimondo, a vocal supporter for the initiative since it was first proposed over the summer, said Wednesday that she was "excited, thrilled and proud of Rhode Island."

"Voters came together to send a message that the State of Rhode Island stands for equality and inclusion," Raimondo said. "We cannot ignore the ugly role that slavery played in our country's history, but we can determine our state's future. This victory marks an important step in our ongoing fight to address the systemic racism that has plagued our state and our nation for centuries."

Read more: Rhode Island: Smallest State With Largest Name Controversy

It's been exactly 10 years since Rhode Islanders last considered an official name change. In 2010, the question was overwhelmingly defeated, with 78 percent of voters rejecting it. Earlier this year, advocates again called for the change, saying that "Providence Plantations" called to mind the state's painful history with slavery.

The name "Providence Plantations" comes from the state's founder, Roger Williams. Although the state did not have the large, slave-holding plantations most often associated with the Antebellum South, that state's colonial economy was extensively reliant on the slave trade, at times controlling as much as 60 to 90 percent of slave traffic, according to one article.

Providence Sen. Harold Metts, who introduced the resolution to put the question on the ballot, said at the time that the word calls to mind "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. 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," Metts said.

Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza, who in June announced that "Providence Plantations" would no longer be used in the city's official documents and oath ceremonies, praised the decision.

"This is a massive step forward toward supporting Black, Indigenous and people of color residents and creating a more inclusive Rhode Island for future generations," he said.