Rhode Island History is published twice a year by the Rhode Island Historical Society. We welcome articles that present interpretations of Rhode Island’s history, of individuals and groups primarily associated with Rhode Island, or of a phase of New England history in which Rhode Island or Rhode Islanders figure prominently. Articles should show evidence of research using primary source materials. Edited primary documents, with an interpretive framework and scholarly annotations, are also welcome (see The CABINET for the RIHS’s online catalog of manuscripts and other materials). Authors should consult back issues before submitting an article to make sure their subject presents new scholarship and subject.

Style and Length:

Rhode Island History does not have a style sheet, but authors may follow forms recommended in the University of Chicago Press’s Chicago Manual of Style. The editor is the final arbiter of length, grammar, and usage; articles will be edited to conform to Rhode Island History’s style regarding punctuation, capitalization, and the like.

Please observe the following guidelines and submit proposed articles as a Word document:

  1. Double-space all copy, including text, quotations, notes, and tables.
  2. Use endnotes rather than footnotes.
  3. Number pages consecutively throughout.
  4. Remove all mention of your name on the manuscript itself.

Articles typically run between 15 and 30 double-spaced pages in length.

Digital Images:

Authors of submissions accepted for publication in Rhode Island History will be responsible for providing digital images, at their own expense, to accompany their published articles. Authors are encouraged to obtain images from the Rhode Island Historical Society’s collection (provided free of charge) but may use images from other sources provided that all necessary permissions are secured. Further information about images will be supplied after an article is accepted for publication.

Submission Process:

Submissions are sent to readers for anonymous evaluation, and acceptance or rejection is based on their recommendations.

Articles should be submitted by email to editor@rihs.org.