Statue of Roger Williams

A Radical Vision

This is the story of the founder of Rhode Island, the first secular State. More than 300 years ago this fiery Christian preacher believed that the wall of separation between Church and State was essential for all other liberties. His ideals, incorporated into the Rhode Island Charter of 1663, laid the foundation for the laws that Thomas Jefferson and James Madison would eloquently affirm in this nation’s defining documents: the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States.

This fiery Christian preacher’s name is Roger Williams. The Roger Williams National Memorial and this website are dedicated to his life, legacy, and the ideals we continue to passionately debate today.