Special Collections
College Archives
Special Collections includes the College Archives, which is a rich depository of the history, records, and memorabilia of Rhode Island College. Publications by faculty members are kept in Special Collections, as are copies of theses submitted for graduate degrees from the college. There are also collections of source materials in education, papers and manuscripts, ethnic materials, and socio-political materials.
Papers and Manuscripts
Nathaniel Terry Bacon was a Rhode Island engineer, industrialist, philanthropist, and scholar. His papers illustrate his business and personal activities from 1876-1926. The collection includes papers of other Bacon and Hazard family members.
Maribelle Cormack was a naturalist, teacher, and writer. Her papers include correspondence and manuscripts, as well as a set of glass slides for instructional use.
Michael DeCiantis was a lawyer and judge active in Rhode Island politics. His papers document his career, with materials on Rhode Island politics from the 1930s through the 1960s and the Rhode Island Family Court from 1961-1974.
The papers of Irving Jay Fain document the struggle for fair housing and civil rights in Rhode Island from 1950-1970.
Carl Russell Gross was a Providence physician. His papers chronicle the African American experience in Rhode Island from 1696-1971. The collection includes the manuscript of an unpublished book and a subject file of historical and cultural materials.
The Nancy Elizabeth Prophet collection documents her career as an artist.
The Maurice and Vera Vendettuoli papers describe the opposition to school busing in Providence from 1950-1970.
Education Resources
Rhode Island Normal School records and archives of the are an important resource for the history of education.
Osky Vartanian Cascone collection of nursing texts documents nursing education.
19th-century education journals and textbooks
Ethnic Materials
The Joseph R. Muratore collection contains materials on Italian culture and history. It includes extensive materials on Italian genealogy, as well as a collection of books on Columbus.
The Cape Verdean Collection is a repository for materials related to Cape Verde and its American connection. The collection includes books, newspapers, clippings, pamphlets, maps, photographs, and personal papers relating to Cape Verdean history and culture. It is especially strong in materials on Cape Verdean Americans.
Other ethnic materials in Special Collections include the research files of the Ethnic Heritage Studies Project, the papers and records of the International Institute, and the archives of the Portuguese Cultural Association.
Socio-Political Materials
The Social and Political Materials Collection covers U.S. left- and right-wing groups and socio-political movements from 1950-1970. It includes newsletters, pamphlets, and flyers.