Celebrating Heritage in Rhode Island
The Rhode Island Heritage Commission was founded on July 1, 1977, in recognition of the need to cultivate and preserve the pride of the diverse cultural heritage of Rhode Islanders. In 1995, the Heritage Commission was merged with the Rhode Island Historical Preservation Commission.
Today, we recognize our state's remarkable ethnic diversity and the contributions that Indigenous peoples and immigrants from around the world have made to Rhode Island's social, economic, political, and cultural history. For five decades, we've supported and maintained a state heritage program by sponsoring and coordinating the Rhode Island Heritage Festival and promoting local heritage events.