James P. Adams Library: Special Collections: Special Collections (by subject)

Ethnic Collections

Cape Verdean Collection: a repository for materials related to Cape Verde and its American connection. It 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.

Baxter Gallery of Images of Cape Verde

Carl Russell Gross Papers: chronicle the African American experience in Rhode Island from 1696-1971. The collection includes the research materials of African American physician Dr. Carl Russell Gross and the manuscript of his unpublished book.

International Institute of RI Records: documentation of the educational, legal, and social services provided by this Institute to immigrants and refugees since 1921.

Joseph R. Muratore Collection
extensive collection of materials on Italian culture and the Italian-Americans of Rhode Island. It includes the personal papers and writings of Grandé Ufficalé and retired Vice Consul Joseph R. Muratore and book collections on Christopher Columbus and Italian geneaology.

Ethnic Heritage Studies Project
In February 1972, Rhode Island College announced the establishment of the Ethnic Heritage Studies Project. The project set out to document the experiences of Rhode Island's many ethnic groups and to create curriculum materials, conferences, and the acquisition of ethnic materials for the newly created Special Collections at Rhode Island College.

Education Collections

Rhode Island Normal School Records and Archives

Osky Vartanian Cascone collection of nursing texts (history of nursing education)

Rhode Island History Makers

Nathaniel Terry Bacon Papers
Papers illustrate the business and personal activities, 1876-1926, of Nathaniel Terry Bacon, a Rhode Island engineer, industrialist, philanthropist, and scholar. Includes the papers of other Bacon and Hazard family members, including Rowland Hazard, 1763-1835; Joseph Peace Hazard, 1807-1894; Thomas Rutherford Bacon, 1850-1913; Caroline Hazard, 1856-1945; Helen Hazard Bacon, 1861-1925; and Leonard Bacon, 1887-1954.

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Maribelle Cormack Papers
Documentation of naturalist, teacher, and writer Maribelle Cormack. Includes her books, manuscripts correspondence, scrapbooks, and instructional materials.

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Nancy Elizabeth Prophet Collection
Artwork, photographs, and memorabilia of Nancy Elizabeth Prophet (1890-1960), American sculptor of African American and Native American Descent, who was the first woman of color to graduate from the Rhode Island School of Design.

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Michael DeCiantis Papers: documentation of the career of Judge Michael DeCiantis. 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.

Smolski Collections: Images and writings by Urban Geography expert and RIC professor Chester Smolski.

Social Issues

Irving Jay Fain papers: Document the struggle for fair housing and civil rights in Rhode Island from 1950-1970. Includes several original Providene Journal political cartoons.

Maurice and Vera Vendettuoli papers. MSS-0004. Records relating to the opposition of school busing in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood, as well as the Providence Desegregation Plan circa 1970-1975.

Social and Political Materials Collection: consists of primary resource material intended to provide an overview of contemporary American social and political controversies, extremism, and the youth counter-culture. It includes publications, 1950-1970, from groups ranging from the John Birch Society to the Fund for the Republic to the Students for a Democratic Society.