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BRISTOL, R.I. – What is mostly known about Roger Williams, the 17th-century founder of Providence, equates to a textbook version of a historical figure. Through a new book, 91�������� Professor of History Charlotte Carrington-Farmer is revealing a compelling human side to Williams, from what motivated him to revoke society’s norms to the complicated truths of his relations with Indigenous Peoples, and as “a man who missed his wife” during his long travels on colony affairs.

On March 25, Roger Williams University presented an evening of conversation centered on her book, , with Carrington-Farmer and historical reenactor John McNiff, a retired National Park Ranger from the Roger Williams National Memorial, who portrayed Williams in period attire. Carrington-Farmer’s book draws on a variety of 17th-century writings by and about Williams to examine his life, from his childhood in England to his eventual banishment from Massachusetts because of his “new and dangerous opinions” on religious freedom, separation of church and state, and Indigenous land rights.

“I was interested in making the history accessible,” said Carrington-Farmer. “I wanted to show what Roger Williams’s world was really like in all of its complexity.”

When Williams founded Providence in 1636, the colony was “arguably the freest in the Western world,” according to Carrington-Farmer. It was the only place in the world where people could practice their chosen religion without consequence. 

“This little democracy that we have (in Providence) was unlike anywhere else,” said McNiff as “Roger Williams.” “No one gets punished for what they believe, and we, the people, get to decide what form the government is and how much power it has.”

Williams settled Providence with permission and a land agreement from the Narragansett Sachems. In doing so, he became the first person in New England to enter into a documented land agreement with an Indigenous Nation; he also publicly rebuked the King of England’s claims that the land was free for the taking.

“In exchange for that piece of land for me to use, I would translate for them, advocate for them, let them have any of the English goods that they wanted from me whenever they wanted them,” said “Roger” McNiff. “We used that document as a linchpin to be good neighbors with each other, the skills that I had were at their disposal, and the skills and abilities and resources they had were at our disposal. We're going to work together in this place.” 

While Williams is recognized as a proponent of Indigenous land rights and one of his most well-known writings is a book on the Narragansett language and culture, he had a more complicated relationship with the Indigenous people than many realize, according to Carrington-Farmer. One year after Providence was founded, there are accounts he had an unfree Pequot child living in his house –although the exact status of that child remains unclear, according to Carrington-Farmer. After his house and the town of Providence were burned in King Philip’s War, Williams, along with the rest of the town profited from selling Indigenous people as prisoners of war into slavery in the West Indies and beyond. 

As “Roger,” McNiff denounced the war and said it forced Williams to decide between the safety of fellow colonists and his Indigenous friends. 

“The lesson here is that in war, there are no good answers, just more horrible ones,” said “Roger” McNiff. “War is a horrible thing, never to be engaged in lightly; for the decisions you must make, can kill your soul.”

Before the presentation, Carrington-Farmer’s students shared their original research on Williams’ wife, Mary, and her central role in colony affairs. In collaboration with the National Park Service’s Roger Williams National Memorial, each student group took on a different topic: from Mary Williams’ journey from England to New England, to the important part she played in reconciling Providence land agreements with the Narragansett Sachems, to her writings, and the general challenges women’s history faces in its own field. 

“We really learned about the challenges of studying and teaching women's history, and one of the main ones is that there's a lack of sources,” said junior Rachel Cabral, an International Relations and History double major from Cranston, R.I. “I think what's really important is trying to find women in the sources that already exist. So, looking at things like legal records or church records, and trying to tell women's stories, women's histories, using those records that are dominated by male voices.”

Many students said they learned a lot from their projects, including skills that they can carry with them after graduation. 

"Whether we go into fields that involve this or completely different areas of work, I think just the basic skills, like the collaboration and just the teamwork,” said junior Stephen Caniglia, a Political Science major from Cranston, R.I. “I think that's just something that can be used in everyday life in the job setting."

Meanwhile, other students took the opportunity to interview Roger Williams, played by McNiff, asking how it felt having a university named after him, advice for today’s student leaders, and where he would spend the day in modern Rhode Island. If you’re curious, he said Providence and then Narragansett to see his friends. 

Guests were also treated to an exhibition of an original handwritten letter from Williams, presented by the Rhode Island Historical Society, and various artifacts from 91��������’s own Roger Williams Family Association archive collection. As part of an ongoing collaboration between the university and the National Park Service, a representative from the Roger Williams National Memorial presented information on Roger Williams' contribution to the principles of freedom in our country today. 

"National Parks are classrooms," said Andrew Schnetzer, Park Ranger at the Roger Williams National Memorial. "There’s just something special about telling a magical story in the place where that magic happened."

Through courses, seminars, and lectures, 91�������� will continue to offer dialogues and new ways of exploring the legacy of Roger Williams. Informed by our university namesake, Roger Williams University strives to be a forward-thinking institution that provides our graduates with a real-world education that empowers them to make an impact in the world. 

“Our university’s pursuit of excellence in education, academic accomplishment, and community service is rooted in our namesake’s focus on intellectual exchange, critical thinking, and innovation as a means of improving a free society,” said 91�������� Provost Margaret Everett during the presentation. “It is this legacy that inspires our mission – to strengthen society through engaged teaching, learning, and research, and to prepare our students to become the changemakers and leaders for what the world needs next.”