Who was Roger Williams? Was he an innovator? An instigator? How did his contemporaries view his new ideas about a separation of church and state, communicating with the native people as equals, and granting women heads of household voting rights and land ownership? How would he look at the questions our country is grappling with today? Are the questions we’re asking ourselves in 2017 inherently different than those Williams was grappling with in 1636?
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The new exhibit that opened this month at Roger Williams National Memorial, New & Dangerous Opinions, doesn’t tell us the history of Roger Williams, or how he settled in Providence. Instead, this exhibit invites us to ask ourselves questions about issues that seem to arise with every generation. Questions about religion, government, and citizen rights.
Park Ranger, John McNiff (who regulars of our summer Storytime series will know as our Tales of the Gaspee reader) met me in the visitor center to talk about the new exhibit, the first new exhibit for the center in 24 years. His enthusiasm was infectious as he explained that New & Dangerous Opinions has been in the works for 2.5 years, yet feels so relevant today. Considered radical and “dangerous” by many of his contemporaries, 100 years later Williams’ ideas would inspire the writers of the US Constitution and Bill of Rights.
McNiff explains that the purpose of the exhibit isn’t to answer any questions for the viewer, but to raise questions. “Root questions about America.”
The exhibit encourages interaction, allowing visitors to read about a theme and explore how questions about that theme are being asked right now, as well as how they were asked in the time of Roger Williams. For example, on a panel about civil rights, the viewer is prompted to ponder, “What is your role in balancing the liberties, restrictions and responsibilities of democracy?”
When Rhode Island declared its freedom from the English crown, it was described as being “a lively experiment.” An experiment they weren’t sure would work. Would this idea that church and state existing separately really work? Could a place exist where people followed their own “liberty of conscience”? History looks back on Williams as a revolutionary that invented the very idea of separation of church and state, an idea that has become a cornerstone of our democracy. Yet, at the time, the Puritans from Massachusetts saw him as a dangerous instigator with an idea that could disrupt their very society.
This exhibit is a must-see for all Rhode Islanders, and visitors to Providence who want to learn a bit more about our state’s history. While the themes may seem heavy, it is curated in an approachable way that sparks conversation and is appropriate for the whole family. For the kids, there is a touch screen display that invites them to touch different Providence characters and listen to them speak. There is also a “Let’s trade!” box which includes different items that native peoples and colonists would have been trading.
For those who don’t know much about Roger Williams, be sure to start your visit by watching the 5 minute introduction video. This background will prove helpful in understanding the exhibit that follows. The visitor center is open to the public every day from 9 – 4:30 and is always free. A visit to the Roger Williams National Memorial is a reminder that this part of the National Park Service is a treasure in our small state.
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