A Matter of Truth
The Struggle For African Heritage & Indigenous People Equal Rights
in Providence, Rhode Island (1620-2020)
A MATTER OF TRUTH
“Today, the City of Providence is one step closer to understanding and acknowledging the depth of our history of racial injustice, and its unfortunate continued impact on our Black and Indigenous residents. As outlined in this report, African heritage and Indigenous people were subjected to overt racism and mob violence by their fellow citizens, but one of the greatest threats they faced came not from individual actors, but from laws and policies promulgated by our own governments and private institutions. While I do not anticipate the City alone can repair generations of pain, violence, and systemic oppression suffered by our African heritage and Indigenous residents, we can bring our communities together to heal by discussing and accepting these uncomfortable truths. I want to thank our African American Ambassador Group and local historians for leading us through this stage of the Truth-Telling, Reconciliation, and Municipal Reparations process.” -Honorable Mayor Jorge O. Elorza.
