Patriots or Loyalists? New Exhibit Profiles Newport’s Contribution to American Revolution

"Whose side are you on?"

That's the question the Newport Historical Society is asking through its latest American Revolution exhibition, "Newport 1775: Whose Side Are You On?" The exhibit will open on Friday, May 16, in commemoration of the community's semiquincentennial birthday, ahead of the nation's 250th birthday next year.

Newport Historical Society Executive Director Rebecca Bertrand explained to The Newport Daily News that the exhibition will be displayed for the remainder of 2025 at the Richard I. Burnham Resource Center, 82 Touro St. Visitors will be able to glimpse artifacts and learn about six Newport residents who represent the Patriot vs. Loyalist divide among the New England colonists.

As guests enter the exhibit, they'll choose a side — red for Loyalists or blue for Patriots. 

The exhibition will feature several audio displays, letters, and newspaper articles from May to December of 1775. A 17th-century Franklin printing press, which had been buried by a Loyalist, will also be on display. According to the Newport Historical Society, British soldiers confiscated the press and circulated their own news about the war in the colonies from the English perspective. 

Interestingly, according to Bertrand, not every Newport resident was in favor of going to war with England. She noted that Newport was an active shipping center, and the American Revolution was detrimental to the area's economy.

Many Rhode Islanders were involved in the fight for American independence, Bertrand said. She noted that, at the end of the exhibition, visitors will be asked to vote in favor of the Patriots or Loyalists after they've explored both sides of the debate within the exhibit.