Richard Licht Rhode Island Senatorial Papers

University Archives and Special Collections
15 Lippitt Road
Kingston, RI 02881-2011
Tel: 401-874-4632

email: archives@etal.uri.edu

Published in 2010

Collection Overview

Title:	Richard Licht Rhode Island Senatorial Papers
Date range:	1988-2000
Creator:	Licht, Richard A., 1948-
Extent:	8 linear feet 5.5 box(es)
Abstract:	This collection is comprised of audio and visual materials used by Licht for his campaigns of 1988 and 2000.
Language of materials:	English
Repository:	University Archives and Special Collections
Collection number:	Mss. Gr. 163

Scope & content

This collection is comprised of audio and visual materials used by Licht for his campaigns of 1988 and 2000. The tapes contain television and radio advertisements, speeches, and interviews. The collection is divided into two series.

Series 1, 1988 Campaign, contains VHS video and audio cassette material generated during his 1988 bid for United States Senate against Senator John H. Chafee. About twenty advertisements were aired on local television networks in Rhode Island. Licht's campaign platform was centered around the family and stressed the need to regain the "American Dream." The advertisements challenged the incumbent Senator John Chafee by claiming that his political agenda was focused on Washington ideals and not what was in the best interest of the people of Rhode Island.

In addition to advertisements, there are recordings of news conferences on Rhode Island's local television Channel 10. The news conferences consist of Senator Chafee speaking about the election and of his then opponent Richard Licht. There are also five television commercials produced by Chafee for his campaign against Licht. The audio recordings consist of campaign commercials as well as audio recordings of Licht and Chafee advertisements and endorsements. See also Series II for 1988 VHS campaign tapes.

Series 2, 2000 Campaign, contains VHS video documenting Licht's bid for the state Democratic party's nomination for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by the late John Chafee in 2000. These videos comprise television interviews of Licht and his opponent, Robert Weygand. Political commercials depicting the candidates positions on the issues of affordable healthcare and prescription drugs. The tapes in this series were given in a separate accession, among them are VHS tapes dating from the 1988 campaign. Also in this series is a VHS tape of a testimonial given by Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis at Gov. Frank Licht's funeral. There is one audio cassette tape of an interview of Robert Weygand in which he expresses his views on the importance of healthcare, housing, and the economy.

Arrangement

The tapes are arranged into two series and in alphabetical order by their title.

• 1. 1988 Campaign
• 2. 2000 Campaign

Biographical note

Richard A. Licht, nephew of two term governor Frank Licht, was born in Providence, R.I. on March 25, 1948. In 1968 he graduated from Harvard College, cum laude. Licht received his law degree, cum laude, from Harvard Law School in 1972 and earned an LL.M. degree in Taxation from Boston University School of Law in 1975. After serving as a law clerk for the Honorable Thomas Roberts, then Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1973 to 1974, Mr. Licht went into private legal practice.

Richard Licht served as a member of the Rhode Island State Senate from 1975 to 1984 and held two terms as Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island from 1985 to January 1989. He served on the Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education from 1991-1997 and was Chairman 1992-1995.

As a senator, Licht championed such issues as parental leave and providing access to affordable day care. He sponsored the first open space bond issue for purchasing open space and recreational lands. He also created and chaired the state's Long Term Care Coordinating Council, and fought for small businesses by creating and then chairing the state's Small Business Advisory Council.

In 1988, Licht ran unsuccessfully against Republican incumbent John H. Chafee for a seat in the U. S. Senate. In 2000, Licht made another bid for the U.S. Senate. After Senator John Chafee's unexpected death in October 1999, his son Lincoln, four-term mayor of the city of Warwick, was appointed to serve until the 2000 election. Lincoln had previously declared his candidacy for his father's senate seat after his father had announced that he would not seek reelection in 2000. Richard Licht ran for the Democratic nomination against U.S. Rep. Robert Weygand, who was representing Rhode Island's 2nd district. Licht had the endorsement of the state party but he had been out of politics since 1988. Perhaps this contributed to his defeat by Weygand who garnered 57% of the voting the primary on Sept 12th.

Access & Use

Access to the collection:	Any qualified person doing scholarly research is permitted to use material housed in the Special Collections Unit.
Use of the materials:	Photocopying and scanning of materials is a fee based service available in the repository and is allowed at the discretion of the Archivist when in compliance to the Unit's policy on copyright and publication.
Preferred citation:	Rhode Island Senator Richard Licht Papers, Mss. Gr. 163, University of Rhode Island, University Archives and Special Collections.
Contact information:	University Archives and Special Collections 15 Lippitt Road Kingston, RI 02881-2011 Tel: 401-874-4632 email: archives@etal.uri.edu

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION
Acquisition:	The collection was donated as a gift to the University Archives and Special Collections in 2003.
ABOUT THE FINDING AID
Author:	Finding aid prepared by Sarina R. Wyant.
Encoding:	Finding aid encoded by Mark J. Dionne, updated by Hailie D. Posey 2010 April 27, updated by Mark Dionne on 2020 April 27.
Descriptive rules:	Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Additional Information

Inventory

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Inventory