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Power and Politics: The Struggle for the Soul of Providence

Power and Politics: The Struggle for the Soul of Providence

Power to the people!

From pivotal social justice movements to the personal narratives of unsung heroes, Voices of Resilience offers a deeper understanding of Providence’s identity and legacy of courage, resistance, and triumph. The tour highlights the lives and contributions of Providence’s Indigenous peoples, African Americans, immigrants, women, and other historically underrepresented groups who helped shape the city. We’ll take a closer look at how Rhode Island’s tremendous profit on the international slave trade powered the Industrial Revolution, how the state barely overcame revolution in defiance of rebellious suffragists, all the way through how the state fought but failed to prevent the first Gay Pride parade from taking place in Providence in 1976.

Providence has been home to diverse, courageous, and resilient people who were able to achieve incredible feats despite the deck being stacked against them in every way. Learn about Edward Bannister, a 19th-century Black barber who overcame prejudice to become a painter of national acclaim; Princess Red Wing, a passionate educator, storyteller, and Narragansett and Pokanoket activist; Maritcha Lyons, who testified at the age of 16 in favor of Rhode Island school desegregation; and the 1902 labor strike that stopped Rhode Island’s urban core in its tracks.

The walk begins on the Michael Van Leesten Pedestrian Bridge and concludes after a 1-mile stroll at Roger Williams National Memorial.

Book Today

Starting at

$30

per person

Details

  • Meeting Point: Amphitheatre on Michael S. Van Leesten Memorial Bridge 

  • Address: Intersection of James and South Water Street, Providence, RI

  • Distance: About 1 mile

  • Difficulty: Easy

  • Tour Length: About 2 hours

Highlights

Sights to See
  • The Michael Van Leesten Memorial Bridge

  • Site of Sabin’s Tavern

  • Joseph Tillinghast House

  • Market House

  • Old State House

  • First Baptist Church

  • Roger Williams National Memorial

OPTIONS

Starting at:

Per Person

Starting at:

Per Person

Intinerary

5-Star Experiences with Guides Who Make It Unforgettable

Additional Information

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Guests should wear comfortable shoes, weather-appropriate attire, and bring an open mind. In hot weather, hats, sunglasses, water bottles, and sunscreen are usually good ideas.

Tours are rain or shine! Only in dangerous weather conditions will a tour be canceled. A tour guide will reach out to you the morning of the tour to let you know if a tour is canceled- if you have not been contacted, assume the tour is proceeding as scheduled.

Street parking is readily available throughout Providence, and free on Sundays. This is the easiest option.

For the Power and Politics Tour, the closest parking is the South Street Landing Garage at 330 Eddy Street.

There are no bathrooms on this tour.

We love giving tours to private groups- we find that some of the best bonding experiences happen when a group is learning something new together, or sharing a family-style meal.

There are incentives for groups of 10 or above, and we can customize tours to make them more suitable to your group’s budget or timeline. Please send us a message to learn more about group tour options and pricing, or cut straight to the chase and request a private tour.

Tours can be canceled for any reason up to seven days after purchase.

The Providence Tour Company also offers trip protection, which allows guests to cancel up 48 hours before the tour is to begin. The fee for trip protection is a flat 10% of the ticket price.

If you believe that your circumstance warrants an exception to this policy, please contact us.

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