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139-482: The National Civic League applies civic engagement principles through key programs: community assistance, research and publications, and awards and events. Key issue areas include, but are not limited to: racial equity , environmental sustainability , health equity , youth leadership , education , and housing . The National Civic League was founded as the National Municipal League in 1894 at

278-626: A humid continental climate ( Köppen climate classification Dfa ) bordering a humid subtropical climate with hot summers, and cool to cold winters. The 2023 USDA places the city in hardiness zone 7a. The influence of the Atlantic Ocean keeps the state of Rhode Island warmer than many inland locales in New England. July is the warmest month with a daily mean of 73.5 °F (23.1 °C) and highs rising to 90 °F (32 °C) or higher an average of 10 days per summer, January

417-685: A 15-foot tall granite statue of Roger Williams gazing over the city. As one of the first cities in America, Providence contains many historic buildings , while the East Side neighborhood in particular includes the largest contiguous area of buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places in the U.S., with many pre-revolutionary houses. Providence's East Side is home to the First Baptist Church in America , which

556-421: A banking account. 3.5% of Asians, 3.3% of white Americans, 21.7% of African Americans and 19.3% of Hispanics and 15.6% of remaining racial/ethnic categories do not have banking accounts. Lusardi's research revealed that education increases one's chances of having a banking account. A full high school education increases the chance of having a checking account by 15% compared to only an elementary education; having

695-537: A charter review commission, who should serve on it and how to engage community members in the process. This publication helps city attorneys and other legal advisors make recommendations in an ever-changing context of public participation and democratic governance for which there are few clear laws or legal precedents. Over the last two decades, a wide range of participatory meeting formats and dynamic online tools have emerged. So why do communities continue conducting public business in such an outdated fashion? One obstacle

834-558: A disproportionate share of Hispanics live in California, Florida, Nevada, and Arizona, which are among the states with the steepest declines in housing values. From 2005 to 2009 Hispanic homeowners' home equity declined by Half, from $ 99,983 to $ 49,145, with the homeownership rate decreasing by 4% to 47%. A 2015 Measure of America study commissioned by the ACLU on the long-term consequences of discriminatory lending practices found that

973-627: A distributor of natural and organic foods; Fortune 1000 Nortek Incorporated; Gilbane , a construction and real estate company. Other companies with headquarters in the city include Citizens Bank , Virgin Pulse , Ørsted US Offshore Wind , and Providence Equity . Providence is the site of a sectional center facility (SCF), a regional hub for the U.S. Postal Service. Providence is also home to some of toy manufacturer Hasbro 's business operations, although their headquarters are in Pawtucket. The city

1112-591: A fairly clear spatial separation appears between the areas of pre-1980s development and post-1980s development; West Exchange Street and Exchange Terrace serve as rough boundaries between the two. The newer area, sometimes called "Capitol Center", includes the Providence Place Mall (1999), Omni Providence Hotel (1993) and Residences Providence (2007), GTECH Corporation (2006), Waterplace Towers condominiums (2007), and Waterplace Park (1994). The area tends toward newer development, since much of it

1251-420: A free monthly webinar series highlighting successful projects around the country with speakers from cities implementing creative strategies for civic engagement. By equipping individuals, institutions and local governmental bodies through this series with ideas, models and insights that can be adopted/adapted to individual communities National Civic League hopes to accelerate the pace of change in communities across

1390-534: A haven for him and his followers. The city developed as a busy port, as it is situated at the mouth of the Providence River at the head of Narragansett Bay . Providence was one of the first cities in the country to industrialize and became noted for its textile manufacturing and subsequent machine tool, jewelry, and silverware industries. Today, the city of Providence is home to eight hospitals and eight institutions of higher learning which have shifted

1529-546: A high school education Ibarra and Rodriguez believe that another factor that influences the Hispanic use of banking accounts is credit. Latinos are also more likely than white Americans or African Americans to have no or a thin credit history: 22% of Latinos have no credit score in comparison to 4% of white Americans and 3% of African Americans. Not taking other variables into account, Chong, Phillips, and Phillips survey of zip codes found that minority neighborhoods don't have

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1668-556: A large portion of African-Americans and Hispanics. Fear of discrimination is another possible factor. Minorities may be distrustful of banks and lack of trust was commonly reported as why minorities, people with low education, and the poor chose not to have banking accounts. Evidence suggests that women of color are disproportionately likely to plan on using informal borrowing as their sole strategy for coping with an emergency expense, potentially due to lack of access to formal banking services. Though African Americans who attend college get

1807-765: A million in net assets. while nearly 10% of white households, totaling over 8 million families have more than 1.3 million in net worth. According to the Federal Reserve of Cleveland the wealth gap between white and Black Americans has remained roughly the same since 1962, when the average white family had seven times the wealth of the average Black family. Lusardi states that African Americans and Hispanics are more likely to face means-tested programs that discourage asset possession due to higher poverty rates. One-fourth of African Americans and Hispanics approach retirement with less than $ 1,000 net worth (without considering pensions and Social Security). Lower financial literacy

1946-467: A mix of live music performances, art installations, craft markets, and food vendors showcasing global cuisines. Providence is home to a 1,200-acre (4.9 km ) park system. Notable among these are Waterplace Park and the Riverwalk, Roger Williams Park , Roger Williams National Memorial , and Prospect Terrace Park . Prospect Terrace Park features expansive views of the downtown area, as well as

2085-566: A note-taking tool, ground rules, a sign-in sheet, sample recruitment letter, and many other resources. In October 2024, the Healthy Democracy Map was launched which tracks and maps all the organizations in the United States working to improve democracy as well as showing links between groups that are members of coalitions. It is designed to help people who want to get involved in promoting and protecting democracy. One of

2224-442: A parent with a high school education rather than only an elementary education increases one's chances of having a checking account by 2.8%. This difference in education level may explain the large proportion of "unbanked" Hispanics. The 2002 National Longitudinal Survey found that while only 3% of white Americans and 4% of African Americans had only an elementary education, close to 20% of Hispanics did and 43% of Hispanics had less than

2363-478: A riverwalk; the construction of a Downtown ice rink; and the development of Providence Place Mall. In 1980, Providence's previously declining population began to grow once again. In the early 2000s, Providence developed an economic development plan that outlined a shift to a knowledge-based economy. These efforts involved the rebranding of the formerly industrial Jewelry District as a new "Knowledge District". Despite new investment, approximately 21.5-percent of

2502-554: A similar boost in income to white peers, they tend not to have a similar increase in wealth, largely because they spend more money helping poor family members, including older relatives who in white families are instead more likely to help younger kin. Black Americans face consistently worse health outcomes than white, Asian, and Hispanic Americans. Black women are 2½ times more likely to die of maternal causes than white women and this rate increases to 3 times when compared to Hispanic Americans. The infant mortality rate for Black Americans

2641-838: A substantial share of the Black-white gap in birth weight . Segregation reduced upward economic mobility. White communities are more likely to have strict land use regulations (and whites are more likely to support those regulations). Strict land use regulations are an important driver of housing segregation along racial lines in the United States. Black tenants face significantly higher filing and eviction rates than their white counterparts. Looking at neighborhood racial composition in Milwaukee, sociologist Matthew Desmond found that majority-black neighborhoods had an average annual eviction rate of 7.4%, compared to 1.4% in majority-white neighborhoods. In this study, Desmond also emphasizes

2780-589: A systems change approach within the past two years to improve health outcomes for those most impacted by health disparities. In addition to national recognition at the National Civic League's annual All-America City Award and an invitation to participate in Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's yearly Health Equity Award annual learning and recognition the winner will receive a $ 3,000.00 prize. The 2018 Health Equity Award Winner

2919-581: A variety of capacities, including: The League has provided, or is providing, community assistance to the following cities: The National Civic League's focus on civic engagement and environmental sustainability led it to partner with the International City/County Management Association on SolSmart. SolSmart is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative and works to make it faster, cheaper and easier to go solar. The League works to support

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3058-580: Is 11 per 1,000 births which is higher than the US average of 5.7. There exists gaps in life expectancy between races with Black and Native Americans having the lowest life expectancies. The gap between Black and white Americans on average is four years; however, there is great variation between states and even on smaller levels. For example in Wisconsin this gap is six years, and in Washington, D.C., this gap

3197-607: Is 80 °F (26.7 °C) on June 6, 1925. Temperature readings of 0 °F or −17.8 °C or lower are uncommon in Providence and generally occur once every several years. The year which had the most days with a temperature reading of zero degrees or lower was 2015 with eight days total—one day in January and seven days in February. Conversely, temperature readings of 100 °F or 37.8 °C or higher are even rarer, and

3336-657: Is a comprehensive, national and community-based process to plan for, and bring about transformational and sustainable change, and to address the historic and contemporary effects of racism. As a partner of the Kellogg Foundation, the National Civic League introduced the TRHT initiative to their All-America City network. The hope is to see communities face and embrace an accurate narrative of all residents' experiences, pursue healing where divisions exist and experience transformation that comes with addressing inequities. Using

3475-612: Is a large gap between the wealth of minority households and white households within the United States. The Pew Research Center's analysis of 2009 government data says the median wealth of white households is 20 times that of Black households and 18 times that of Hispanic households. In 2009 the typical Black household had $ 5,677 in wealth, the typical Hispanic had $ 6,325, and the typical white household had $ 113,149. Furthermore, 35% of African American and 31% of Hispanic households had zero or negative net worth in 2009 compared to 15% of white households. While in 2005 median Asian household wealth

3614-458: Is an important factor in determining the quality of both individual and family life chances because it can be used as a tool to secure a desired quality of life or class status and enables individuals who possess it to pass their class status to their children. Family inheritance, which is passed down from generation to generation, helps with wealth accumulation. Wealth can also serve as a safety net against fluctuations in income and poverty. There

3753-468: Is based in trade, transportation, utilities, and educational and health services. As the capital of Rhode Island, the city's economy additionally consists of government services, with approximately 70,000 jobs. The unemployment rate in the city is 5.0% as of August 2022, compared to a national rate of 3.8%. Prominent companies headquartered in Providence include Fortune 500 Textron , an advanced technologies industrial conglomerate; United Natural Foods ,

3892-442: Is caused by differences in skills or preferences. The lack of open discussion leads to ethnic groups being treated equally. This means that diverse groups receive the same offers which have different advantages for different groups, which further increases inequality. In 2008, the prison population under federal and state correctional jurisdiction was over 1,610,446 prisoners. Of these prisoners, 20% were Hispanic (compared to 16.3% of

4031-529: Is compact—characteristic of eastern seaboard cities that developed prior to use of the automobile. The street layout of the city is irregular; more than one thousand streets run haphazardly, connecting and radiating from traditionally bustling places such as Market Square . Downtown Providence has numerous 19th-century mercantile buildings in the Federal and Victorian architectural styles, as well as several postmodern and modernist buildings. In particular,

4170-408: Is correlated with poor savings and adjustment behavior. Education is a strong predictor for wealth. One-fourth of African Americans and Hispanics that have less than a high school education have no wealth, but even with increased education, large differences in wealth remain. Conley believes that the cause of Black-White wealth inequality may be related to economic circumstances and poverty because

4309-487: Is either Black or Hispanic." According to a report by the National Council of La Raza, research obstacles undermine the census of Latinos in prison, and "Latinos in the criminal justice system are seriously undercounted. The true extent of the overrepresentation of Latinos in the system probably is significantly greater than researchers have been able to document. Providence, Rhode Island Providence

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4448-591: Is home to the Rhode Island Convention Center , which opened in December 1993. Along with a hotel, the convention center is connected to the Providence Place Mall , a major retail center, through a skywalk . Much of Providence culture is synonymous with the culture of Rhode Island as a whole. Like the state, the city has a non-rhotic accent that can be heard on local media. Providence also shares Rhode Island's affinity for coffee, with

4587-744: Is home to the famous roadside attraction Big Blue Bug , the world's largest termite and mascot of eponymous Big Blue Bug Solutions . Roger Williams Park contains a zoo , a botanical center , and the Museum of Natural History and Planetarium . Providence is home to the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League , who play at the Amica Mutual Pavilion . From 1926 to 1972, the AHL's Providence Reds (renamed

4726-406: Is important to distinguish between episodic poverty and chronic poverty. The U.S. Census Bureau defines episodic poverty as living in poverty for less than 36 consecutive months. From the period between 2004 and 2006 the episodic poverty rate was 22.6% for non-Hispanic whites, 44.5% for Blacks, and 45.8% for Hispanics. Blacks and Hispanics experience rates of episodic poverty that are nearly double

4865-1220: Is just over 1.5 percent. Under slavery , African Americans were treated as property. After the American Civil War, Black sharecroppers became trapped in debt. African Americans were rarely able to homestead. The Freedman's Savings Bank failed, losing many Black assets. Exclusions from Social Security disproportionately affected African Americans. Savings were spent for retirement instead of handed down as inheritance . African Americans are less likely to receive inheritance and more likely to aid poor family members. The Federal Housing Administration and Veteran's Administration shut out African Americans by giving loans to suburbs instead of central cities . Housing segregation caused unequal living standards and poverty. Public education greatly relies on local property taxes , with racial inequality between White affluent suburbs and poor minorities in inner-cities. Criminal records lead to employment and income struggles. Inability to make bail and quality counsel are factors. Racial segregation and racial profiling lead to differences between races. In social science, racial inequality

5004-474: Is known in underground music circles. Providence is also home to the Providence Improv Guild , an improvisational theatre that has weekly performances and offers improv and sketch comedy classes, and AS220 , a long-standing non-profit arts center with exhibition, educational, and performance spaces, as well as live-work studios. A multi-day annual outdoor arts festival, PVDFest, features

5143-564: Is land and the remaining 2.1 square miles (5.4 km ) is water (roughly 10%). Providence is located at the head of Narragansett Bay , with the Providence River running into the bay through the center of the city, formed by the confluence of the Moshassuck and Woonasquatucket Rivers. The Waterplace Park amphitheater and riverwalks line the river's banks through Downtown . Providence is one of many cities claimed to be founded on seven hills like Rome. As with many cities worldwide,

5282-411: Is land reclaimed in the 1970s from a mass of railroad tracks referred to colloquially as the "Chinese Wall". This part of Downtown is characterized by open spaces, wide roads, and landscaping. The streetscape of much of historic downtown has retained a similar appearance since the early 20th century. Many of the state's tallest buildings are found here. At 426 feet (130 m), the city's largest structure

5421-508: Is more than ten years. African American women have the highest rate of obesity or being overweight in the US and non-Hispanic Blacks are 1.3 times more likely to be obese than non-Hispanic Whites. There are large differences in poverty rates across racial groups. In 2009, the poverty rate across the nation was 9.9%. This data illustrates that Hispanics and Blacks experience disproportionately high percentages of poverty in comparison to non-Hispanics whites and Asians. In discussing poverty, it

5560-438: Is most markedly seen in the comparison between urban and suburban populations in which suburbs consist of majority white populations and inner-cities consist of majority minority populations. According to Barnhouse-Walters (2001), the concentration of poor minority populations in inner-cities and the concentration of affluent white populations in the suburbs, "is the main mechanism by which racial inequality in educational resources

5699-539: Is much lower than the percentages of these groups in Rhode Island as a whole. The city also has a sizable Jewish community, estimated at 10,500 in 2012, or roughly 5% of the city's population. In 2020, people of Hispanic or Latino origin composed 43.5% of the city's population. They formed a majority of city public school students as of 2007. The majority of Hispanics in Providence are of Dominican descent. Numbering roughly 25,000 and constituting roughly half of

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5838-448: Is now seeing large amounts of African Americans moving to Africa to benefit from the new growth opportunities . Bowman states that "in the United States, the most significant aspect of multigenerational wealth distribution comes in the forms of gifts and inheritances." However, the multigenerational absence of wealth and asset attainment for African Americans makes it almost impossible for them to make significant contributions of wealth to

5977-456: Is reproduced." In 2016, the unemployment rate was 3.8% for Asians, 4.6% for non-Hispanic whites, 6.1% for Hispanics, and 9.0% for Blacks, all over the age of 16. In terms of unemployment, it can be seen that there are two-tiers: relatively low unemployment for Asians and whites, relatively high unemployment for Hispanics and Blacks. Several theories have been offered to explain the large racial gap in unemployment rates: This theory argues that

6116-434: Is the art deco Industrial National Bank Building . The building contrasts with the city's second tallest structure— One Financial Plaza —which is designed in the modernist style. Other core buildings of the Providence skyline are the postmodern 50 Kennedy Plaza and late modern Textron Tower . Downtown is also the home of the historic Providence Biltmore hotel and Westminster Arcade —the oldest enclosed shopping mall in

6255-541: Is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island . The county seat of Providence County , it is one of the oldest cities in New England , founded in 1636 by Roger Williams , a Reformed Baptist theologian and religious exile from the Massachusetts Bay Colony . He named the area in honor of "God's merciful Providence" which he believed was responsible for revealing such

6394-414: Is the coldest month with a daily mean of 29.2 °F (−1.6 °C) and low temperatures dropping to 10 °F (−12 °C) or lower an average of 11 days per winter. while. Extremes range from −17 °F or −27.2 °C on February 9, 1934 to 104 °F or 40 °C on August 2, 1975; the record cold daily maximum is 1 °F (−17.2 °C) on February 5, 1918, while the record warm daily minimum

6533-1062: Is the legal framework that governs public participation. At the local, state, and federal levels, these laws can stifle innovation and discourage public officials and employees from reaching out to citizens while failing to achieve the intended goal of greater transparency. A working group of representatives from the International Municipal Lawyers' Association, International City/County Management Association, American Bar Association, National League of Cities, National Civic League, Policy Consensus Initiative, National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation, and Deliberative Democracy Consortium developed new set of legal tools for public participation, including: The National Civic League has researched executive orders and ordinances designed to improve equity and inclusiveness. Cities are encouraged to use these models to develop ordinances or other public policies. Model Executive Orders include: *NOTE: Overlapping years of service indicate that

6672-644: Is typically defined as "imbalances in the distribution of power, economic resources, and opportunities." Racial inequalities have manifested in American society in ways ranging from racial disparities in wealth, poverty rates, bankruptcy, housing patterns, educational opportunities, unemployment rates, and incarceration rates. Current racial inequalities in the U.S. have their roots in over 300 years of cultural, economic, physical, legal, and political discrimination based on race. Leland T. Saito, Associate Professor of Sociology and American Studies & Ethnicity at

6811-734: Is working to see 300 communities become designated and advocate for strong community engagement practices in creating and further local community solar goals. Together with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation , National Civic League is recognizing, celebrating and rewarding individuals who are making health equity a reality in their community. The RWJF-National Civic League Health Equity Award recognizes individuals who are leveraging engagement to improve health outcomes for those most impacted by health disparities. The RWJF-National Civic League Health Equity Award recognizes and honors individuals that have successfully implemented

6950-664: The American Civil War because newly freed African American farmers did not own land or supplies and had to depend on the White Americans who rented the land and supplies out to them. At the same time, southern Blacks were trapped in debt and denied banking services while White citizens were given low-interest loans to set up farms in the Midwest and Western United States. White homesteaders were able to go West and obtain unclaimed land through government grants, while

7089-461: The American Civil War , as many had ties to Southern cotton and the slave trade. Despite ambivalence concerning the war, the number of military volunteers routinely exceeded quota, and the city's manufacturing proved invaluable to the Union. Providence thrived after the war, and waves of immigrants brought the population from 54,595 in 1865 to 175,597 by 1900. By the early 1900s, Providence was one of

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7228-493: The Community Visioning and Strategic Planning Handbook (2000) aims to help communities convene diverse groups of stakeholders to envision and implement ambitious goals for the future with an inclusive process for planning and decision-making. The handbook also gives communities useful tips on action planning to implement the ambitious goals they have set for themselves. A joint project of the National Civic League,

7367-542: The National Conference for Good City Government in Philadelphia. The convention of politicians, policy-makers, journalists, and educators (including Theodore Roosevelt , Louis Brandeis , Marshall Field , and Frederick Law Olmsted ) met to discuss "incompetence, inefficiency, patronage and corruption in local governments ." During the next 120+ years, the National Civic League led major reforms in

7506-530: The North End (Italian), Fox Point (Portuguese), West End (mainly Central American and Asian), and Smith Hill (Irish). There are also many dedicated community organizations and arts associations located in the city. The city gained the reputation as one of the most active and growing gay and lesbian communities in the Northeast. The rate of reported gay and lesbian relationships is 75% higher than

7645-617: The Northeastern megacity has a large population of feral pigeons ( Columba livia ). Although expecting Providence's population genetics to be continuous with the larger megacity, Carlen & Munshi-South 2020 find Providence and Boston share one population and the rest of the region shares another. This is likely due to the intervening low urbanization zone in western Connecticut . Providence has 25 official neighborhoods, though these neighborhoods are often grouped together and referred to collectively: Geographically, Providence

7784-693: The Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra , as well as groups such as The American Band , once associated with noted American composer David Wallis Reeves . Providence hosts several performing arts centers, such as the Veterans Memorial Auditorium , the Providence Performing Arts Center , and Festival Ballet Providence . The city's underground music is centered on artist-run spaces such as the now-defunct Fort Thunder and

7923-507: The Section 8 housing program. Racial residential segregation doubled from 1880 to 1940. Southern urban areas were the most segregated. Segregation was highly correlated with lynchings of African-Americans. Segregation adversely affected both black and white homeownership rates, as well as caused higher crime rates. Areas with housing segregation had worse health outcomes for both whites and Blacks. Residential segregation accounts for

8062-616: The University of Southern California , writes, "Political rights have been circumscribed by race, class and gender since the founding of the United States, when the right to vote was restricted to White men of property. Throughout the history of the United States race has been used by Whites for legitimizing and creating difference and social, economic and political exclusion." A study by the Brandeis University Institute on Assets and Social Policy which followed

8201-478: The financial crisis will likely widen the Black-white wealth gap for the next generation. The racial wealth gap essentially is composed of a private wealth management industry maintaining Whiteness to act as a barrier to prevent those of color from equal financial development. This disparity has been debated, but never disputed due to its "very real" implications it has on African Americans. Data has shown that "among racial and ethnic groups, African Americans had

8340-447: The poverty line . Of residents in poverty, the largest concentrations are found in the city's Olneyville, and Upper and Lower South Providence areas. Poverty has affected children at a disproportionately higher rate, with 40.1% of those under the age of 18 living below the poverty line. These residents are concentrated west of Downtown in the neighborhoods of Hartford, Federal Hill, and Olneyville. Over one third of Providence's economy

8479-465: The 10% average for colonial Rhode Island, but above the 5% average for the northern colonies. In March 1676, Providence Plantations was burned to the ground by the Narragansetts during King Philip's War . Later in the year, the Rhode Island legislature formally rebuked the other colonies for provoking the war. In 1770, Brown University moved to Providence from nearby Warren . At the time,

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8618-549: The 1940s, just prior to the nationwide period of rapid suburbanization . The Providence metropolitan area includes Providence, Fall River, Massachusetts , and Warwick , and is estimated to have a population of 1,622,520. In 2006, this area was officially added to the Boston Combined Statistical Area (CSA), the sixth-largest CSA in the country . In recent years, Providence has experienced a sizable growth in its under-18 population. The median age of

8757-432: The 1950s to the 1980s, Providence was a notorious bastion of organized crime. From 1975 until 1982, $ 606 million of local and national community development funds were invested throughout the city. In the 1990s, the city pushed for revitalization, completing a number of major development projects. Among these were the realignment of railroad tracks; the relocation of rivers, creation of Waterplace Park , and development of

8896-525: The 1989 Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF) reported that the mean and median values of those money transfers were significantly higher for white American households: the mean was $ 148,578 households compared to $ 85,598 for African American households and the median was $ 58,839 to $ 42,478. The large differences in wealth in the parent-generations were a dominant factor in prediction the differences between African American and white American prospective inheritances. Avery and Rendall used 1989 SCF data to discover that

9035-418: The 500 All-America Cities and other communities. Highlighted projects tackle how cities make progress on issues like health, racial equity, youth and education, housing and neighborhood development, sustainability and conservation, community-police relations and more. The Model City Charter serves as a "blueprint" for communities seeking to draft or revise their own home-rule charters. A city charter establishes

9174-595: The American Opportunity Accounts Act, a bill to introduce Baby Bonds , Morningstar reported that by 2019 white families had more than seven times the wealth of the average Black family, according to the Survey of Consumer Finances . Wealth can be defined as "the total value of things families own minus their debts." In contrast, income can be defined as, "earnings from work, interest and dividends, pensions, and transfer payments." Wealth

9313-724: The Constitution. Following the war, Providence was the nation's ninth-largest city with 7,614 people. The economy shifted from maritime endeavors to manufacturing, in particular machinery, tools, silverware, jewelry, and textiles. By the start of the 20th century, Providence hosted some of the largest manufacturing plants in the country, including Brown & Sharpe , Nicholson File , and Gorham Manufacturing Company . The city's industries attracted many immigrants from Ireland, Germany, Sweden, England, Italy, Portugal, Cape Verde, and French Canada. These economic and demographic shifts caused social strife. Hard Scrabble and Snow Town were

9452-754: The Government Finance Officers Association, the University of Southern California and the University of San Francisco, the Framework for a Financial Sustainability Index was developed with support from the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. It provides a new set of tools and techniques to help local government leaders develop systems of governance and decision-making that will make their communities more financially sustainable. It addresses both technical concerns and

9591-664: The Grinnell Corporation, the Gorham Manufacturing Company, Nicholson File, and the Fruit of the Loom textile company. The manufacturing of jewelry and costume jewelry emerged as a dominant local industry. In the 1960s, jewelry trade magazines referred to Providence as "the jewelry capital of the world." In 1922, it was affected by the 1922 New England Textile Strike , shutting down the mills in

9730-416: The TRHT framework, local communities can address segregated and impoverished neighborhoods, provide equitable opportunities in the economy and ensure fair treatment in public policies as well as civil and criminal law. TRHT was launched in January 2016 with a year-long design phase, and builds upon and complements the foundation's decades-long commitment to advancing racial healing and racial equity throughout

9869-569: The U.S. The Rhode Island School of Design Museum contains the 20th-largest collection in the United States. The Providence Athenæum is the fourth oldest library in the United States, in addition to the Providence Public Library and the nine branches of the Providence Community Library. Edgar Allan Poe frequented the library, and met and courted Sarah Helen Whitman there. H. P. Lovecraft

10008-460: The U.S. The city's southern waterfront, away from the downtown core, is the location of oil tanks, ferry and sailing docks, power plants, and nightclubs. The Russian Submarine Museum was located here until 2008, when the submarine sank. The Fox Point Hurricane Barrier is also found here, built to protect Providence from storm surge like those endured by the city during the 1938 New England Hurricane and 1954 Hurricane Carol . Providence has

10147-492: The U.S. In June 2017 WKKF awarded 10 grants for nearly $ 24 million over the next two to five years to help diverse, multi-sector coalitions in 14 places implement the foundation's TRHT process and framework. The National Civic League has worked with communities across the U.S. to hold "All-America Conversations" across dividing lines and identify ways that we can work together. All-America Conversations are designed to help cities and other groups understand residents' aspirations for

10286-415: The U.S. population that is Hispanic), 34% were White (compared to 63.7% of the U.S. population that is White), and 38% were Black (compared to 12.6% of the U.S. population that is Black). Additionally, Black males were imprisoned at a rate 6.5 times higher than that of their White male counterparts. According to a 2012 study by the U.S. Census Bureau, "over half the inmates incarcerated in our nation's jails

10425-690: The United States Constitution in December 1865. The Freedmen's Bureau was created as part of the War Department by President Abraham Lincoln to provide shelter and supplies to freed slaves. It was supported by the Republican Congress over the veto of Andrew Johnson, but was soon de-funded and abandoned by a Democrat-controlled Congress in 1872. While free African Americans owned around $ 50 million by 1860, farm tenancy and sharecropping replaced slavery after

10564-423: The United States. The wealth gap between Caucasian and African American families substantially increased from $ 85,000 in 1984 to $ 236,500 in 2009. Many causes relate to racial inequality such as: Years of home ownership, household income, unemployment, education, lack of upward mobility, and inheritance. In 1863, two years prior to emancipation, Black people owned 0.5 percent of the national wealth, while in 2019 it

10703-538: The amount of gifts parents can give and the inheritance they leave behind for the children. Angel's research into inheritance showed that older Mexican American parents may give less financial assistance to their children than non-Hispanic White Americans because of their relatively high fertility rate so children have to compete for the available money. There are studies that indicate that elderly Hispanic parents of all backgrounds live with their adult children due to poverty and would choose to do otherwise, even if they had

10842-516: The amount of inheritances. African Americans were 7.3% less likely to have live parents, 24.5% more likely to have three or more siblings, and 30.6% less likely to be married or cohabiting (meaning two people could gain inheritances to contribute to the household) Keister discovered that large family size has a negative effect on wealth accumulation. These negative effects are worse for the poor and African Americans and Hispanics are more likely to be poor and have large families. More children also decrease

10981-508: The assets of many African Americans with it, many African Americans did not trust banks. There was also the threat of lynching to any African American who achieved success. In addition, when Social Security was first created during the Great Depression , it exempted agricultural and domestic workers, which disproportionately affected African Americans and Hispanics. Consequently, the savings of retired or disabled African Americans

11120-520: The city has multiracial ancestry. American Indians and Pacific Islanders make up the remaining 0.9%. Providence has a considerable community of immigrants from various Portuguese-speaking countries, especially Portugal, Brazil, and Cape Verde . These residents are concentrated in the Washington Park and Fox Point neighborhoods. Portuguese is the city's third-largest European ethnicity, after Italian and Irish. Cape Verdeans compose 2% of

11259-490: The city over an attempted wage cut and hours increase. The city began to see a decline by the mid-1920s as manufacturing industries began to shut down. It was deeply affected by the Great Depression , which left more than a third of the city's labor force unemployed. The subsequent Recession of 1937–1938 was immediately followed by the New England Hurricane of 1938 , which flooded downtown. The hurricane

11398-480: The city population lives below the poverty line. Recent increases in real estate values have further exacerbated problems for those at marginal income levels, mirroring a statewide housing affordability crisis. From 2004 to 2005, Providence saw the highest rise in median housing price of any city in the United States. The Providence city limits enclose a small geographical region with a total area of 20.5 square miles (53 km ); 18.5 square miles (48 km ) of it

11537-411: The city was 28 years, while the largest age cohort is 20- to 24-year-olds as of 2000. Providence has a racially and ethnically diverse population. In 2020, white Americans formed 53.1% of the population, including a sizable white Hispanic community. Non-Hispanic whites were 33.8% of the total population, down from 89.5% in 1970. Providence has had a substantial Italian American population since

11676-493: The city's Hispanic population, Providence's Dominican community is the fifth largest in the United States. Other Hispanic groups present in sizable numbers include Puerto Ricans, Guatemalans, and Colombians. Hispanics are widespread in significant numbers in most of Providence, but most concentrated in the neighborhoods of Elmwood , the West End, and Upper and Lower South Providence . African Americans constitute 16.1% of

11815-493: The city's economy into service industries, though it still retains some manufacturing activity. At the 2020 census , Providence had a population of 190,934, making it the third-most-populous city in New England after Boston and Worcester, Massachusetts . The Providence metropolitan area , which extends into Massachusetts, is the second largest metropolitan area in New England by a large margin with over 1.6 million residents, nearly 30% larger than metro Hartford . Providence

11954-656: The city's population, with their greatest concentrations found in Mount Hope and the Upper and Lower South Providence neighborhoods. Providence has small Liberian and Haitian communities in the city. Liberians compose 0.4% of the population; the city is home to one of the largest Liberian immigrant populations in the country. Asian-Americans constitute 5.6% of Providence's population. The largest Asian groups are Cambodians (1.7%), Chinese (1.1%), Indian Americans (0.7%), Laotians (0.6%), and Koreans (0.6%). Another 6% of

12093-414: The city's population. The per capita income as of the 2000 census was $ 15,525, which is well below both the state average of $ 29,113 and the national average of $ 21,587. The median income for a household was $ 26,867, and the median income for a family in Providence was $ 32,058,. The city has one of the highest rates of poverty in the nation with 29.1% of the population and 23.9% of families living below

12232-469: The college was known as Rhode Island College and occupied a single building on College Hill . The college's choice to relocate to Providence as opposed to Newport symbolized a larger shift away from Newport's commercial and political dominance over the colony. In 1772, a group from Providence burned a British customs schooner south of Providence in the event known as the Gaspee Affair . This

12371-554: The colony. Williams and others established a settlement in Rumford, Rhode Island . The group later moved down the Seekonk River , around Fox Point and up the Providence River to the confluence of the Moshassuck and Woonasquatucket Rivers. The settlement was named after "God's merciful Providence." Providence lacked a royal charter, unlike Salem and Boston. The settlers thus organized themselves, allotting tracts on

12510-555: The community, the divisions facing the community, and most importantly, the small, specific actions that give people confidence that we can work across dividing lines. The League created the All-America Conversations Toolkit to provide communities with everything necessary to hold a productive and meaningful conversation. The toolkit walks readers through every step of holding a conversation from: The kit also includes tips for facilitators and note takers,

12649-505: The conduct of local elections, the administration of budgets and duties of city officials and managers. The Second Printing (2011), Eighth Edition of the Model City Charter expands diversity and inclusiveness language in the charter preamble to underscore the right of every individual to equal opportunities and establish policies to prohibit discrimination. Based on decades of hands-on experience by National Civic League staff,

12788-582: The country. Webinar topics include: For 30+ years, the Civic Index has been a way to measure a community's civic infrastructure—the formal and informal relationships, networks and capacities communities use to make decisions and solve problems. Building on decades of work in communities, the fourth edition updates the Civic Index with a specific focus on equity and engagement; key components for healthy, thriving communities. The database includes summaries of projects that leverage civic engagement from some of

12927-401: The designation program and to encourage communities to engage residents around solar and sustainability issues. The SolSmart designation program recognizes communities that have taken steps to make it easier for businesses and residents to go solar. Communities pursuing SolSmart designation are eligible for no-cost technical assistance from a team of national solar experts. National Civic League

13066-480: The dual disadvantage black women face in housing—black women face the highest eviction rates of any demographic group. In an interview with The Atlantic , Desmond reported that approximately one in five black women will experience eviction, compared to one in fifteen white women. Eviction rates are also linked to the racial concentration of neighborhoods. The RVA Eviction Lab, in Richmond, Virginia, estimates that as

13205-628: The eastern side of the Providence River in 1638 allowing roughly six acres each. These home lots extended from Towne Street (now South Main Street) to Hope Street. Over the following two decades, Providence Plantations grew into a self-sufficient agricultural and fishing settlement, though its lands were difficult to farm and its borders were disputed with Connecticut and Massachusetts. In 1652, Providence prohibited indentured servitude for periods of longer than 10 years. This statute constituted

13344-496: The economic disadvantages of African Americans can be effective in harming efforts to accumulate wealth. However, there is a five times greater chance of downward mobility from the top quartile to the bottom quartile for African Americans than there is for white Americans; correspondingly, African Americans rise to the top quartile from the bottom quartile at half the rate of white Americans. Bowles and Gintis conclude from this information that successful African Americans do not transfer

13483-433: The effects of racial segregation pushed Blacks and Hispanics into the central city during a time period in which jobs and opportunities moved to the suburbs. This led to geographic separation between minorities and job opportunities which was compounded by struggles to commute to jobs in the suburbs due to lack of means of transportation. This ultimately led to high unemployment rates among minorities. This theory argues that

13622-519: The expense of higher yielding assets. These preferences may be due to low financial literacy leading to a lack of demand for investment services. According to Lusardi, even though the stock market increased in value in the 1990s, only 6-7% of African Americans and Hispanics held stocks, so they did not benefit as much from the value increase. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in 2009 found that 7.7% of United States households are unbanked . Minorities are more likely than white Americans to not have

13761-657: The fact that increases in income does not affect wealth as much for minorities as it does for white Americans. For example, a $ 10,000 increase in income for white Americans increases their home equity $ 17,770 while the same increase only increase the home equities for Asians by $ 9,500, Hispanics by $ 15,150, and African Americans by $ 15,900. Conley states that differences between African American and white American wealth begin because people with higher asset levels can take advantage of riskier investment instruments with higher rates of returns. Unstable income flows may lead to "cashing in" of assets or accumulation of debt over time, even if

13900-417: The factors for their success as effectively as white Americans do. Other factors to consider in the recent widening of the minority wealth gap are the subprime mortgage crisis and financial crisis of 2007–2008 . The Pew Research Center found that plummeting house values were the main cause of the wealth change from 2005 to 2009. Hispanics were hit the hardest by the housing market meltdown possibly because

14039-487: The first anti-slavery law in the United States, though there is no evidence the prohibition was ever enforced. However, the Rhode Island General Assembly legalized African and Native American slavery throughout the colony in 1703, and Providence merchants' participation in the slave trade helped turn the city into a major port. By 1755, enslaved people made up 8% of Providence's population, below

14178-476: The form of available school financial resources which provide educational opportunities, facilities, and programs to students. For every student enrolled, the average nonwhite school district receives $ 2,226 less than a white school district. Returning to the concept of residential segregation, it is known that affluence and poverty have become both highly segregated and concentrated in relation to race and location. Residential segregation and poverty concentration

14317-401: The framework for how a municipal government operates—its structure, responsibilities, functions, and processes. Currently in its eighth edition, the National Civic League's model calls for a small city council with deliberative powers to make decisions on policy and an appointed city manager to oversee day-to-day administrative matters. The model provides communities with detailed provisions for

14456-582: The head of Narragansett Bay makes it vulnerable to storm surges. Hurricane Carol in 1954 and the 1938 Hurricane were particularly damaging. See or edit raw graph data . As of the 2000 United States census , Providence's population consisted of 173,618 people, 162,389 households, and 35,859 families. The population density was 9,401.7 inhabitants per square mile (3,630.0/km ), characteristic of other small cities in New England such as New Haven, Connecticut ; Springfield, Massachusetts ; and Hartford, Connecticut . The city's population peaked in

14595-440: The highest poverty rate at 27.4%”. Before the 1808 abolition of the transatlantic slave trade , Africans would be captured and brought into the United States as enslaved people , depriving them of all property, and in some cases family. In order to prevent rebellion or escape, the slave codes in some states banned education of slaves , especially teaching a slave to read or write . Redistribution of land from white owners to

14734-582: The land grants and rights of African Americans were rarely enforced. After the Civil War the Freedman's Bank helped to foster wealth accumulation for African Americans. However, it failed in 1874, partially because of suspicious high-risk loans to White banks and the Panic of 1873 . This lowered the support African Americans had to open businesses and acquire wealth. In addition, after the bank failed, taking

14873-515: The mean value in 2002 of white Americans' inheritances was 5.46 times that of African Americans', compared to 3.65 that of current wealth. White Americans received a mean of $ 28,177 that accounted for 20.7% of their mean wealth while African Americans received a mean of $ 5,165 that accounted for 13.9% of their mean current wealth. Non-inherited wealth was more equally distributed than inherited wealth. Avery and Rendall found that family attributes favored white Americans when it came to factor influencing

15012-606: The most coffee and doughnut shops per capita of any city in the country. Providence is also reputed to have the highest number of restaurants per capita of major U.S. cities. During the summer months, the city regularly hosts WaterFire , an environmental art installation that consists of about 100 bonfires which blaze just above the surface of the three rivers that pass through the middle of Downtown Providence. There are multiple WaterFire events that are accompanied by various pieces of classical and world music . Providence has several ethnic neighborhoods, notably Federal Hill and

15151-716: The nation's oldest and most respected journals of civic affairs, the National Civic Review includes case studies, reports, interviews and essays to help communities learn about the latest developments in collaborative problems-solving, civic engagement, local government innovation and democratic governance. Some of the country's leading doers and thinkers have contributed articles to this invaluable resource for elected officials, public managers, nonprofit leaders, grassroots activists, and public administration scholars seeking to make America's communities more inclusive, participatory, innovative and successful. Th League hosts

15290-629: The national average. Former mayor David Cicilline won his election running as an openly gay man. Former Mayor Buddy Cianci instituted the position of Mayor's Liaison to the Gay and Lesbian community in the 1990s. and Providence is home to the largest gay bathhouse in New England. The city is the home of the Tony Award -winning theater group Trinity Repertory Company , the Providence Black Repertory Company , and

15429-501: The next generation. Data shows that financial inheritances could account for 10 to 20 percent of the difference between African American and White American household wealth. Using the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) of 1992 Avery and Rendall estimated that only around one-tenth of African Americans reported receiving inheritances or substantial inter vivo transfers ($ 5,000 or more) compared to one-third of white Americans. In addition,

15568-472: The number of months spent in poverty. The median length of poverty spells was 4 months for non-Hispanic whites, 5.9 months for Blacks, and 6.2 months for Hispanics. The length of time spent in poverty varies by race. Non-Hispanic whites experience the shortest length of poverty spells when compared to Blacks and Hispanics. Housing segregation in the United States is the practice of denying African American or other minority groups equal access to housing through

15707-532: The people formerly forced to work it was attempted under the forty acres and a mule policy of Union General William Tecumseh Sherman . This was reversed by President Andrew Johnson , a Southern Democrat who also opposed political rights for African Americans and protections against white violence in the South. Slavery continued in the border states until ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment to

15846-511: The position changed hands mid-year. Racial inequality in the United States In the United States, racial inequality refers to the social inequality and advantages and disparities that affect different races . These can also be seen as a result of historic oppression, inequality of inheritance, or racism and prejudice , especially against minority groups . There are vast differences in wealth across racial groups in

15985-796: The process of misinformation, denial of realty and financing services, and racial steering . Housing policy in the United States has influenced housing segregation trends throughout history. Key legislation include the National Housing Act of 1934, the GI Bill, and the Fair Housing Act. Factors such as socioeconomic status, spatial assimilation, and immigration contribute to perpetuating housing segregation. The effects of housing segregation include relocation, unequal living standards, and poverty. However, there have been initiatives to combat housing segregation, such as

16124-1060: The progress they have made. Each year hundreds of leaders, volunteers, and young people from the finalist communities travel to Denver to present the story of their work and their community to a jury of national experts. The awards conference includes workshops on promising practices. The National Civic League hosted the 109th National Conference on Local Governance in Denver on June 22, 2018. The Conference focused on inclusive civic engagement, innovation and collaboration as essential elements for making progress on complex issues. The conference featured three issue tracks: Health Equity, Youth and Education, Police-Community Relations. Confirmed speakers included: National Civic League facilitates strategic planning processes, community engagement trainings, and development of local engagement plans and materials—helping local governments and institutions engage and involve residents in ways that lead to tangible outcomes. The National Civic League consults with communities in

16263-438: The proportion of a neighborhood's black population increases by 10%, eviction rates would increase by 1.2%. In the United States, funding for public education relies greatly on local property taxes. Local property tax revenues may vary between different neighborhoods and school districts. This variance of property tax revenues amongst neighborhoods and school districts leads to inequality in education. This inequality manifests in

16402-584: The psychological and interpersonal aspects of financial governance that have a critical impact on how decisions are made. A local charter is the foundation of a local government and functions as the municipal equivalent of a state or federal constitution, setting forth guiding principles for governance. Composed by citizens, a charter specifies the most fundamental relationships between a government and its community. This publication, from 2011, helps communities decide when and how to draft or review their home rule charters. It provides useful information on how to set up

16541-445: The rates of non-Hispanic whites. The U.S. Census Bureau defines chronic poverty as living in poverty for 36 or more consecutive months. From the period between 2004 and 2006 the chronic poverty rate was 1.4% for non-Hispanic whites, 4.5% for Hispanics, and 8.4% for Blacks. Hispanics and Blacks experience much higher rates of chronic poverty when compared to non-Hispanic whites. The U.S. Census Bureau defines length of poverty spell as

16680-461: The reason minority disadvantage exists is because the majority group is able to benefit from it. For example, in terms of the labor force, each job not taken by a Black person could be job that gets occupied by a white person. This theory is based on the view that the white population has the most to gain from the discrimination of minority groups. In areas where there are large minority groups, this view predicts high levels of discrimination to occur for

16819-447: The reason that white populations stand to gain the most in those situations. This theory argues that the unemployment disparity can be attributed to lower rates of academic success among minority groups (especially Black Americans) leading to a lack of skills necessary for entering the modern work force. The author remains unclear why Black Americans have low academic success. It is politically incorrect to assume that racial inequality

16958-466: The resources to do so. African American and Latino families are less likely to financially aid adult children than non-Hispanic white families. The racial wealth gap is visible in terms of dollar for dollar wage and wealth comparisons. For example, middle-class Blacks earn seventy cents for every dollar earned by similar middle-class whites. Race can be seen as the "strongest predictor" of one's wealth. Krivo and Kaufman found that information supporting

17097-405: The same access to financial planning services as white neighborhoods. There is also client segregation by investable assets. More than 80% of financial advisors prefer that clients have at least $ 100,000 in investable assets and more than 50% have a minimum asset requirement of $ 500,000 or above. Because of this, financial planning is possibly beyond the reach of those with low income, which comprises

17236-479: The same sets of families for 25 years found that there are vast differences in wealth across racial groups in the United States. The wealth gap between Caucasian and African-American families studied nearly tripled, from $ 85,000 in 1984 to $ 236,500 in 2009. The study concluded that factors contributing to the inequality included years of home ownership (27%), household income (20%), education (5%), and familial financial support and/or inheritance (5%). In an analysis of

17375-702: The sites of race riots in 1824 and 1831. Providence residents ratified a city charter in 1831 as the population passed 17,000. The seat of city government was located in the Market House in Market Square from 1832 to 1878, which was the geographic and social center of the city. The city offices soon outgrew this building, and the City Council resolved to create a permanent municipal building in 1845. The city offices moved into Providence City Hall in 1878. Local politics split over slavery during

17514-488: The start of the 20th century, with 14% of the population claiming Italian ancestry. Italian influence manifests itself in Providence's ' Little Italy ' in Federal Hill. Irish immigrants have also had considerable influence on the city's history, with 8% of residents claiming Irish heritage. The percentages of people claiming Irish and Italian ancestry, though high, has gone down considerably from historical highs, and

17653-510: The time-averaged streams of income and savings are the same. African Americans may be less likely to invest in the stock market because they have a smaller parental head-start and safety net. Chong, Phillips and Phillips state that African Americans, Hispanics, and Asians invest less heavily in stocks than white Americans. Hispanics and in some ways African Americans accumulate wealth slower than white Americans because of preference for near-term saving, favoring liquidity and low investment risk at

17792-407: The way local communities were governed, including the professionalism of city services, the creation of the city manager system, the nonpartisan makeup of many local elected bodies, electoral reform and inclusive civic engagement . The League is best known for its All-America City Award , celebrating the best in civic innovation since 1949. The Award, bestowed yearly on 10 communities recognizes

17931-486: The wealthiest cities in the United States. Immigrant labor powered one of the nation's largest industrial manufacturing centers. Providence was a major manufacturer of industrial products, from steam engines to precision tools to silverware, screws, and textiles. Giant companies were based in or near Providence, such as Brown & Sharpe, the Corliss Steam Engine Company, Babcock & Wilcox ,

18070-529: The work of communities in using inclusive civic engagement to address critical issues and create stronger connections among residents, businesses and nonprofit and government leaders. Once called the " Nobel Prize for constructive citizenship" – it has been awarded to more than 500 communities across the country. The Award is open to all American communities, from major cities, counties and regions to tribes, neighborhoods, towns and villages. In applying, communities reflect on their strengths, weaknesses, challenges and

18209-631: The year with the most days in this category was 1944 with three days, all of which were in August. Monthly precipitation in Providence ranges from a high of 4.43 inches (112.5 mm) in March to a low of 3.17 inches (80.5 mm) in July. In general, precipitation levels are slightly less in the summer months than the winter months, when nor'easters can cause significant snowfall on occasion. Hurricanes have impacted Providence, and Providence's location at

18348-724: Was Angela Bannerman Ankoma and Sharon Conard Wells, of the Sankofa Initiative in Providence, RI . The Sankofa Community Initiative is a unique urban agricultural project integrating food production and economic development with high-quality, stable affordable housing for the sizable refugee and immigrant population of Providence, Rhode Island. Due to the League's focus on civic engagement and racial equity, they have engaged with W.K. Kellogg Foundation's Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation (TRHT) initiative. Kellogg's TRHT

18487-532: Was also a regular patron. The Bank Newport City Center is located near Kennedy Plaza in the Downtown district, connected by pedestrian tunnel to Waterplace Park, a cobblestone and concrete park below street traffic that abuts Providence's three rivers. Another downtown landmark is the Providence Biltmore , a historic hotel which stands adjacent to Kennedy Plaza. The southern part of the city

18626-573: Was founded by Williams in 1638, as well as the Old State House which served as the state's capitol from 1762 to 1904. Nearby is Roger Williams National Memorial. The dome of the State House is the fourth-largest self-supporting marble dome in the world and the second-largest marble dome after St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. The Westminster Arcade is the oldest enclosed shopping center in

18765-572: Was greater than white households at $ 168,103, by 2009 that changed when their net worth fell 54% to $ 78,066, partially due to the arrival of new Asian immigrants since 2004; not including newly arrived immigrants, Asian net wealth only dropped 31%. According to the Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances, of the 14 million Black households, only 5% have more than $ 350,000 in net worth while nearly 30% of white families have more than this amount. Less than 1% of Black families have over

18904-468: Was particularly destructive to the struggling textile industry, with many mills never reopening following the storm. Providence's population declined from a peak of 253,504 in 1940 to only 179,213 in 1970, as the white middle class moved to the suburbs. From the 1940s to 1970s, white middle class residents vacated Providence faster than any other American city other than Detroit . The remainder of these residents were disproportionately poor and elderly. From

19043-517: Was settled in June 1636 by Puritan theologian Roger Williams and grew into one of the original Thirteen Colonies . As a minister in the Massachusetts Bay Colony , Williams had advocated the separation of church and state and condemned colonists' confiscation of land from the Indians. For these and other "diverse, new, and dangerous opinions," he was convicted of sedition and heresy and banished from

19182-599: Was spent during old age instead of handed down and households had to support poor elderly family members. The Homeowner's Loan Corporation that helped homeowners during the Great Depression gave African American neighborhoods the lowest rating, ensuring that they defaulted at greater rates than White Americans. The Federal Housing Authority (FHA) and Veteran's Administration (VA) shut out African Americans by giving loans to suburbs instead of central cities after they were first founded. The growing Blaxit movement

19321-698: Was the first act of armed resistance to British rule in America, predating the more famous Boston Tea Party by more than a year. Rhode Island was the first of the Thirteen Colonies to renounce its allegiance to the British Crown on May 4, 1776. It was also the last of the Thirteen States to ratify the United States Constitution on May 29, 1790, once assurances were made that a Bill of Rights would become part of

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