Nobody should be surprised to learn that Newport has a troubled history, and that many relics of that history populate its landscape. The Redwood Library is one of those places that was founded for good intentions on money that was accumulated through the slave trade. Yet, it would be erroneous to dismiss such buildings for their troubled past. Instead, a more constructive option is to turn these relics into socially and culturally constructive institutions that serve the community. Reclaiming their legacy, if you will. This is precisely what my guest this episode, Benedict Leca, is doing with the Redwood Library.

If you are interested, please visit the library! https://redwoodlibrary.org/

This episode is brought to you in part by the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities. Find out more here: https://rihumanities.org/