Ray Rickman, who spent his life advocating for civil rights and was a Rhode Island state representative, took the stage on Feb. 12 in West Kingston at the Courthouse Center for the Arts for his one-man show, Civil Rights Kid.
The show captivated audiences that reached generations — from regular attendees to college students. The performance was developed at Bryant University and served as both a history lesson and a call to action.
Rickman opened the evening with a heated discussion about President Donald Trump’s current executive orders, using the present political landscape as a springboard for his reflections on past struggles.
He stated that Trump’s administration could be deadly, acknowledging the persistent influence of Trump’s base on modern American discourse. Rickman also criticized Trump’s actions on Tariffs and stated they are a political insult. Implementing Trump will go through with his actions.
“90% of people who voted for Trump are going to be heard,” Rickman said.
Rickman transported the audience back to the heart of the Civil Rights Movement. Raised in Detroit, he shared personal stories from his adolescence and recalled his first arrest in junior high. By the time he was 16 years old, Rickman was participating in peaceful protests in Mississippi – where he was arrested once again.
Before joining these peaceful protests, Rickman talked about how he and other young activists underwent rigorous training to prepare them for confrontations with white residents.
“We were taught what to do if we irritated white people,” Rickman said. “They were just going to be worse than they were going to be, and that is what we were trained to understand.”
Rickman also spoke of his daily conversations with Rosa Parks, a relationship that profoundly shaped his activism. For three years, he exchanged thoughts with Parks, learning about the resilience he needed to dismantle systemic racism.
The performance concluded with Rickman’s reflections on the enduring relevance of the Civil Rights Movement.
“I want to remind you what this nation was like,” Rickman said. “Teaching racism to your grandchildren was a sick endeavor. This is a tough country, but a great place.”
After the performance, audience members lingered to discuss the impact of Rickman’s stories, questioning how similar the current state of the country is to the Civil Rights Movement.
Rickman himself stayed after the show to answer questions, emphasizing the importance of continued vigilance in the fight against racism and inequality. He pointed to recent events as evidence that the lessons of the past remain relevant.
“History doesn’t repeat itself exactly, but it rhymes,” Rickman said. “The issues we faced then still echo today, and it’s up to all of us to respond with the same courage and determination.”
With “Civil Rights Kid,” Rickman doesn’t just recount history; he challenges his audience to learn, reflect and act. Rickman emphasizes that the show serves as a reminder that the Civil Rights Movement is not confined to the past but remains a living, breathing call to action for future generations.
Rickman consistently performs 10 minute increments of his play at many colleges and high schools throughout Rhode Island.
