1. Rhode Island became the first British colony to declare independence from Great Britain on March 20, 1776. The Rhode Island General Assembly passed a resolution declaring its independence two months before other colonies voted for independence.

2. On March 20, 1865, the Rhode Island State Legislature ratified the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which abolished slavery and involuntary servitude. Rhode Island was the second state in the Union to ratify the amendment after Illinois.

3. Rhode Island hosted the first National Folk Festival on March 20, 1987, in Providence. The festival celebrated traditional music, dance, crafts, and food from various cultural communities across the United States.

4. A major blizzard hit Rhode Island on March 20, 1958, dumping up to 7 feet of snow in some areas. The storm, known as the Great Blizzard of 1958, caused widespread power outages and stranded thousands of people.

5. On March 20, 1848, Rhode Island Governor Elisha Dyer signed an act that established the first state-supported school for the deaf in the United States. The Rhode Island School for the Deaf, now known as the Rhode Island School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, provided education and training for deaf and hard-of-hearing students.