2013 Event In the U.S., 2.5 million minimum wage workers will get a raise January 1st in thirteen states including Colorado, Rhode Island and Connecticut 2011 Event The General Assembly of Rhode Island passes legislation allowing same-sex couples to enter civil unions 2009 Death Claiborne Pell, dies in Newport, Rhode Island, of Parkinson's disease, at 90 2003 Event Fire at the Station rock club in Rhode Island kills nearly 100 1999 Death John Chafee, senator, Rhode Island senator, dies at 77 1987 Event Iceberg twice size of Rhode Island sighted in Antarctic 1980 Birthday Kelly Dutra, Miss Rhode Island Teen USA 1996 1979 Birthday Kim Rhode, Whittier California, double trap, Gold Medal 1996 Olympics 1979 Birthday Lauren Alviti, Miss Rhode Island Teen USA 1997 1979 Birthday Mena Suvari, born in Newport, Rhode Island, actress, fashion designer, movies include: 'American Beauty', 'American Pie', 'Day of the Dead' 1978 Event Arlyne Rhode sets female footbow distance record (1,113 yards and 30") 1976 Birthday Karen Bradley, Miss Rhode Island USA 1996 1975 Event 104 degrees F (40 degrees C) at Providence, Rhode Island (state record) 1975 Birthday Elana Eve Chomiszak, born in Providence, Rhode Island, Miss America-Rhode Island 1997 1970 Birthday Elizabeth Patricia Reilly, North Providence, Rhode Island, Miss America-RI 1996 1970 Birthday Dawn Ponte, born in Kent, Rhode Island, dance skater, & Frey-1995 Eastern, Jr. champ 1970 Birthday Kengy Gardiner, born in Providence, Rhode Island, WPVA volleyballer, U.S. Open-5th-1994 1969 Event 78,000 attend Newport Jazz Festival, Newport, Rhode Island 1968 Birthday Ken Ryan, Pawtucket, Rhode Island, pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies 1968 Birthday Susan Emily Savastano, E Providence, Rhode Island, Miss RI-America 1991 1968 Birthday Gianna Amore, born in Warwick, Rhode Island, playmate, August, 1989 1965 Birthday Joe Cioe, Cranston, Rhode Island, Canadian Tour golfer, New Hampshire Open - 1992, 1993 1962 Birthday Eric Lutes, born in Charlestown, Rhode Island, actor, Del-Caroline in the City 1961 Birthday Pat Dufficy, born in Westerly, Rhode Island, female catcher, Colorado Silver Bullets 1960 Birthday Susan Cowsill, Newport, Rhode Island, rock vocalist, Cowsills-We Can Fly 1960 Birthday John Caliri, born in Providence, Rhode Island, actor, Vinnie-Square Pegs, Double Trouble 1956 Birthday Peter Frechette, Warwick, Rhode Island, actor, Paint it Black, George-Profiler 1956 Birthday John Cowsill, born in Newport, Rhode Island, rock drummer, Cowsills-We Can Fly 1954 Birthday Barry Cowsill, Newport, Rhode Island, rock bassist, Cowsills-We Can Fly 1952 Birthday Paul Cowsill, Newport, Rhode Island, rock keyboardist, Cowsills-We Can Fly 1952 Birthday Harry Anderson, Newport, Rhode Island, actor, Judge Harry Stone-Night Court 1952 Birthday William F Readdy, Quonset Point, Rhode Island, astronaut, STS-42, 51, 79 1950 Birthday Richard Cowsill, Newport, Rhode Island, rocker, Cowsills-Hair, We Can Fly 1949 Birthday Jack Reed, born in Cranston, Rhode Island, Representative-D-Rhode Island 1997 - 1948 Birthday Allen Michael Doyle, born in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, PGA golfer, 1991 Memorial-64th 1948 Birthday Jeffrey Osborne, born in Providence, Rhode Island, rock vocalist, On the Wings of Love 1948 Birthday Bill Cowsill, Newport, Rhode Island, rock guitarist/vocals, Cowsills-We Can Fly 1947 Birthday Joyce Jillson, Cranston, Rhode Island, psychic/actress, Superchick 1947 Event 1st (U.S. Navy) air squadron of jets, Quonset Point, Rhode Island 1947 Birthday James Woods, born in Warwick, Rhode Island, actor, Salvador, Against All Odds 1945 Birthday Robert J. Mrazek, born in Newport, Rhode Island, Representative-D-New York 1983 - 1993 1944 Birthday Martha Rockwell, born in Providence, Rhode Island, skier, Mount Washington 1942 Birthday Bill Conti, born in Providence, Rhode Island, composer, For Your Eyes Only, Rocky IV 1942 Event -23 degrees F (-31 degrees C), Kingston, Rhode Island (state record) 1941 Birthday Spalding Gray, Rhode Island, actor, Beaches, Clara's Heart, Heavy Petting 1941 Birthday David Blue, Cohen, born in Providence, Rhode Island, rocker, Cupid's Arrow 1939 Birthday Wendy, Walter, Carlos, Pawtucket, Rhode Island, composer, Switched on Bach 1938 Birthday Alvin Curran, born in Providence, Rhode Island, composer, professor at Mills College, co-founder of Musica Elettronica Viva, using electronic and environmental found sounds 1936 Birthday Ruth Buzzi, Westerly, Rhode Island, comedienne, Laugh-In, Margie-That Girl 1935 Birthday David Hartman, Pawtucket, Rhode Island, TV personality, Good Morning America 1934 Birthday J. Carter Brown, Providence Rhode Island, art director, Washington National Gallery 1932 Event 30.8 cm rainfall at Westerly, Rhode Island (state record) 1927 Birthday Galway Kinnell, born in Providence, Rhode Island, author, Body Rags, Book of Nightmares 1926 Birthday David Hedison, born in Providence, Rhode Island, actor, Colbys, Voyage to Bottom of Sea 1924 Birthday Nicholas Colasanto, born in Providence, Rhode Island, actor, Coach Ernie-Cheers 1922 Birthday John Chafee, born in Providence, Rhode Island, Senator-R-Rhode Island 1976 - 1999 1918 Birthday Claiborne Pell, born in New York, sponsor of the Pell Grant, U.S. State Senator from Rhode Island 1917 Birthday Ruth Hussey, born in Providence, Rhode Island, actress, Another Thin Man, Philadelphia Story 1916 Birthday Van Johnson, Newport, Rhode Island, actor, Brigadoon, always wore red socks 1915 Birthday Bobby Hackett, born in Providence, Rhode Island, trumpeteer/orchestral leader, Air Time '57 1906 Birthday Aileen Riggin, Newport, Rhode Island, springboard diver, Gold Medal 1920, 1924 Olympics 1903 Birthday Glenna Collett Vare, born in Rhode Island, National Am Golf champ, 1922, 25, 28-30, 35 1903 Birthday Frankie Carle, born in Providence, Rhode Island, orchestra leader, Golden Touch 1901 Birthday Nelson Eddy, born in Providence, Rhode Island, baritone, Duets with Jeanette MacDonald 1899 Birthday George Macready, born in Providence, Rhode Island, actor, Martin Peyton-Peyton Place 1896 Event A. H. Whiting wins 1st automobile race held on a track in Cranston, Rhode Island 1896 Death Wyatt Eaton, artist, painter, portraitist, one of the founders of the Society of American Artists, dies from tuberculosis in Newport, Rhode Island 1895 Event 1st U.S. Golf Open: Horace Rawlins shoots a 173 at Newport Golf Club Rhode Island 1894 Birthday Eddie Dowling, Woonsocket, Rhode Island, actor, Anywhere USA 1894 Birthday Sammy White, Rhode Island, actor, 711 Ocean Drive, Sound Off 1880 Event League of American Wheelmen (1st U.S. bicycle association), forms in Newport, Rhode Island 1875 Birthday Napoleon "Larry" Lajoie, Rhode Island, hall of fame shortstop, .426 in 1901 1862 Event U.S. Naval Academy relocated from Annapolis Maryland to Newport, Rhode Island 1830 Birthday William Sprague, governor of Rhode Island, 1859-63 1813 Event David Melville, Newport, Rhode Island, patents apparatus for making coal gas 1798 Event David Wilkinson of Rhode Island patents a nut and bolt machine 1790 Event Rhode Is becomes last of original 13 colonies ratifying Constitution 1778 Event Rhode Island General Assembly authorizes enlistment of slaves 1776 Event Rhode Island establishes wage and price controls to curb inflation: Limit is 70 cents a day for carpenters, 42 cents for tailors 1776 Event Rhode Island declares independence from England 1774 Event Rhode Island becomes 1st colony to prohibit importation of slaves 1772 Event Burning of Gaspee, British revenue cutter, by Rhode Islanders 1761 Event Puritan version of "Othello" opens in Newport Rhode Island 1707 Birthday Stephen Hopkins, Governor of Rhode Island signed Declaration of Independence 1664 Event Roger Williams is granted a charter to colonize Rhode Island 1663 Event King Charles II of England grants a charter to Rhode Island 1652 Event Rhode Island enacts 1st law declaring slavery illegal 1644 Event England grants patent for Providence Plantations (now Rhode Island) 1639 Event William Coddington founds Newport, Rhode Island 1636 Event City of Providence, Rhode Island form 1631 Event Rhode Island, founder, Roger Williams arrives in Boston from England
