1. On January 18, 1755, a group of enslaved Africans were apprehended and taken to Providence, Rhode Island. They were accused of attempting to escape to freedom and were subsequently punished by their owners.

2. Rhode Island was the first colony to declare independence from Great Britain on January 18, 1776. The Declaration of Independence was signed in Providence by members of the Continental Congress.

3. On January 18, 1933, the Rhode Island State House was completed and officially opened to the public. The building's dome, which stands 50 feet wide and 220 feet high, is made of white Georgia marble.

4. In 2002, the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra performed its first concert at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Providence on January 18. The concert featured renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma.

5. Rhode Island native and former professional basketball player Vinny Del Negro was born on January 18, 1966. Del Negro played for several NBA teams, including the San Antonio Spurs and the Chicago Bulls, before becoming a coach for the Los Angeles Clippers and the Phoenix Suns.