1. Rhode Island became the last of the original thirteen colonies to ratify the US Constitution on February 24, 1790. The state initially rejected the document because it lacked a Bill of Rights, but ultimately approved it after assurances that a Bill of Rights would be added.

2. On February 24, 1969, the Rhode Island House of Representatives passed a bill to repeal the state's ban on contraception. The ban had been in place since 1872 and was finally lifted after a Supreme Court case struck down a similar ban in Connecticut.

3. Providence-born artist Gilbert Stuart, best known for his portraits of George Washington, was born on February 24, 1755. Stuart painted over 1,000 portraits during his career, including many of the founding fathers.

4. The Rhode Island State House, located in Providence, was dedicated on February 24, 1904. The building is known for its distinctive marble dome and houses the offices of the governor and other state officials.

5. The Brown vs. Board of Education Supreme Court case, which declared segregation in public schools unconstitutional, was argued on February 24, 1953. Although the case did not originate in Rhode Island, it had a significant impact on the state and the rest of the country.