Rhode Island considers name change

What’s in the name of a State? Throughout the state of Rhode Island, years of strife about an official label with undertones of slavery.

But change is happening in the tiniest state of the union, as Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo issued an executive order on Monday to take the “first steps” to alter the full name of the state: “The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.”

The “plantations” designation came under greater scrutiny following massive demonstrations following the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.

The act, Executive Act 20-48, would modify the term to ‘Rhode Island’ in official documents from the governor’s office – including potential executive orders, quotes and letterheads. It also calls on all state executive agencies to remove the “plantation” reference from their websites.

The order does not permanently change the official name of the state — which will require voters to amend the Rhode Island Constitution, the order states.

The State Legislature has suggested that it would step on with a referendum after the Rhode Island Senate approved a bill last week asking for a national ballot on the name change.

The bill was proposed by the only black senator of Rhode Island, Harold Metts.

“Whatever the meaning of the term ‘plantations’ is in the context of Rhode Island’s history, it has a horrifying connotation in view of the tragic and racist history of our nation,” Metts said in a statement to the Providence Journal.

Past efforts to modify the name of the state collapsed after the question was placed on the ballot. In 2010, almost 78% of voters opposed a constitutional amendment to remove ‘Providence Plantations’ from the name of the state.

The latest drive for a change of name might have begun after an online petition began to spread after Floyd expired.

“Some Rhode Islanders pride themselves on living in ‘the smallest state with the longest name.’ But the history of how we got this name is often forgotten,” reads the petition. Currently, and has almost 7,500 signatures.