1. In 1636, Rhode Island founder Roger Williams was banished from Massachusetts Bay Colony and fled to what is now Providence, Rhode Island. This event marked the beginning of his establishment of a new colony based on religious freedom and separation of church and state.
2. The Battle of Newport took place on June 26, 1778, during the American Revolution. The British forces, led by General Clinton, tried to capture the strategic port city of Newport but were ultimately repelled by American forces led by General Sullivan.
3. On June 26, 1908, the first automobile race was held in Rhode Island at Narragansett Park in Cranston. The race covered a distance of 50 miles and was won by driver Charlie F. Merz.
4. One of the deadliest fires in Rhode Island history occurred on June 26, 1916, at the Factory Mutual Company building in Providence. The fire claimed the lives of seven firefighters and caused extensive damage to the building.
5. On June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling in the case of Obergefell v. Hodges, legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide. This ruling had a significant impact on the LGBTQ+ community in Rhode Island and across the country.