This small stone, plaque, monument is located behind the Roger Williams Memorial center. For many, it's a forgotten piece of history, for others, it's a stop in historical tours that focus on Black history of the city of Providence.
The Snowtown riots, on Sept. 21-24, 1831, were sparked by a saloon brawl. A white sailor was shot by a black; a mob then sacked houses on Olney's Lane. The next day, it pulled down more houses. On the third day, the militia maintained calm. On the fourth, a thousand rioters crossed the Moshassuck to attack Snowtown, almost overwhelming the 140 members of the First Light Infantry. After rioters ignored warnings from the sheriff and Gov. Lemuel Arnold, the militia fired first into the air, with no effect, and then into the mob, killing four whites.
These events finally led to a city charter, in 1832. For blacks in Providence, suffrage, at least, has been secured.
And today we are all, black and white, safe from mobs, right? Mostly, yes. But racial animosities linger, and whites and blacks still clash, sometimes on sidewalks -- hints of an ugly past. read more