Rhode Island Genealogical Society Half Day Member Meeting

The next meeting of the Rhode Island Genealogical Society will be held on Saturday, November 8, 2025 In-Person at the Weaver Library - East Providence Public, 41 Grove Ave, East Providence, RI 02914 and virtually on Zoom.
RIGS Hybrid Member Meeting — November 8, 2025
Schedule:
• 12:00 PM – Social Time (online and in person!) with coffee and light refreshments
• 12:45 PM – News & Announcements
• 1:00 PM – Featured Speaker: Caleb Horton, Providence City Archivist
​If you would like to bring something for the refreshment table, it would be greatly appreciated.
Caleb Horton is the current city archivist for the City of Providence and has served in various capacities in the archives for twelve years. Prior to his tenure with the City of Providence, Caleb earned his bachelor's degree in U.S. History and a master's degree in Library and Information Science (MLIS) at the University of Rhode Island, graduating in 2013. Caleb apprenticed under the former city archivist, Paul Campbell, before assuming the role. He currently has two published articles, " The Tide Taken at the Flood: The Black Suffrage Movement during the Dorr Rebellion in the State of Rhode Island (1841-1842)" and "Recollections of Old Friends: A Historical Account of Rhode Island African American Community and Anti-Slavery Society Leaders in the Affairs of the Dorr Rebellion," on the city's website and the Providence College Dorr Rebellion project, which is featured on their digital resource page. Caleb has a finished manuscript on Rhode Island's African American Civil War soldiers, slated for publication next year.
Featured Presentations:
The Black Warrior: Accounts of Citizens, Soldiers of Color, Rhode Island, and the Civil War
During the American Civil War, nearly 179,000 African American soldiers served in the Union Army, including almost 2,000 in a volunteer heavy artillery regiment from Rhode Island. These troops, led by white officers, faced high mortality rates—especially from disease—and their contributions have often been overlooked. Rhode Island authorized a “colored company of heavy artillery” in June 1863, which became the Fourteenth Rhode Island Heavy Artillery by September. Despite the regiment’s name, most of its members were not from Rhode Island, and was arguably one of the most diverse Union regiments of the war. This talk explores the broader involvement of Black Rhode Islanders, including those in the U.S. Colored Troops, the U.S. Navy, and escaped enslaved individuals who joined Rhode Island regiments. This lecture concludes with the examination of the African American community’s support on the home front and the post-war settlement of veterans in Rhode Island. Through detailed research, this presentation seeks to honor and illuminate the complex legacy of these soldiers and their families.
Resources in the Providence City Archives
Discover how tax records, vital records, city directories, and more at the Providence City Archives can help uncover your ancestors’ lives and neighborhoods in Rhode Island’s capital city.
DIRECTIONS:
From the North: Head south on I-95 S. Take Exit 36A toward for US-6 E toward I-195/E. Providence/Cape Cod. Take exit 1B-C for US-44 E/Taunton Ave. Keep left to continue on exit 1C, follow signs for US-44 E/Taunton Ave. Turn right onto Grove Ave.
From the South: Head north on I-95 N. Take Exit 36A toward for US-6 E toward I-195/E. Providence/Cape Cod. Take exit 1B-C for US-44 E/Taunton Ave. Keep left to continue on exit 1C, follow signs for US-44 E/Taunton Ave. Turn right onto Grove Ave.
From East: Head west on I-195 W. Take exit 2 toward US-44. Keep right at the fork, follow signs for US-44. Merge onto Broadway. Turn left onto Grove Ave.
Hybrid and Virtual Meetings are recorded and available to RIGS members on our website.

Members can register for free, non member tickets are $5. Join RIGS now to enjoy all our great member benefits, including free Zoom/Hybrid Meeting registration and access to our meeting recordings!

Host or Publisher Rhode Island Genealogical Society