[CLOSED CAPTIONING HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY CARDI'S FURNITURE AND MATTRESSES] >> TONIGHT ON "RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEKLY," A ROCK CONCERT TURNED DEADLY WHEN A FIRE LOVELY NIGHTCLUB AND KILLED 100 PEOPLE.

>> THE STATION NIGHTCLUB FIRE WAS A PERFECT STORM.

THE 92ND MARK AFTER THE FIRE STARTED, ANYONE LEFT INSIDE THE BUILDING WAS EITHER DEAD OR LEFT DYING.

>> THINGS ARE NOT EASY FOR A BLACK MAN.

THAT WAS THE CONVERSATION WE WOULD HAVE.

JUNK SUPPOSED TO -- JUXTAPOSED TO FORGET YOU ARE A NARRAGANSETT INDIAN AND PEOPLE STILL CARE.

VERY COMPLEX DURING THOSE YOUNGER AGES TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT.

♪ MICHELLE: GOOD EVENING.

WELCOME TO "RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEKLY."

I AM MICHELLE SAN MIGUEL.

BILL BARTHOLOMEW LOOKS BACK AT AN EVENT THAT HAPPENS 18 YEARS AGO AND CHANGED THE LIVES OF HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE.

LIKE MANY SEISMIC EVENTS, IT BEGAN RATHER SIMPLY AND WITH JOY AND HAPPINESS AS PEOPLE GATHERED TO HEAR THEIR FAVORITE BAND.

WHEN A FIRE BROKE OUT AT THE STATION NIGHTCLUB IN WEST WARWICK, THE JOY TURNED TO TERROR.

THE BLAZE KILLED 100 PEOPLE AND INJURED HUNDREDS MORE.

IT IS KNOWN AS THE DEADLIEST ROCK CONCERT IN U.S. HISTORY.

THREE PEOPLE WERE CRIMINALLY INDICTED OVER THE TRAGEDY.

THE STATION FIRE CASE NEVER WENT TO TRIAL AND KEY EVIDENCE NEVER SAW THE LIGHT OF DAY UNTIL NOW.

>> SO MANY THINGS WENT WRONG SIMULTANEOUSLY.

IF JUST ONE HAD NOT GONE WRONG, NOBODY WOULD HAVE DIED.

BILL: SCOTT JAMES HAS SPENT 10 YEARS INVESTIGATING THE STATION NIGHTCLUB FIRE.

HIS NEW BOOK, "TRIAL BY FIRE," FOLLOWS A STRING OF CATASTROPHIC EVENTS THAT BEGAN ON THE NIGHT OF FEBRUARY 20, 2003, 100S GATHERED TO HEAR THE ROCK BAND KNOWN AS GREAT WHITE.

NOT LONG AFTER THE BAND BEGAN TO PLAY THEY LIVE THE STAGE WITH FIREWORKS.

SHOW.

YOU HAVE PYROTECHNICS.

WHEN THE FIREWORKS HAPPENED IN THE FIRE STARTED, FOR THE FIRST 30 SECONDS PEOPLE DID NOT TRY TO EVACUATE BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT IT WAS ART OF THE SHOW.

BILL: AS THIS LAB RE-CREATION SHOWS, THE SPARKS IGNITED THE FOAM.

SCOTT: WITHIN SECONDS THE BUILDING BECAME AN INFERNO.

AT THE 90-SECOND MARK, ANYONE LEFT INSIDE THAT BUILDING WAS EITHER DEAD OR LEFT DYING.

BILL: IN HIS BOOK, JAMES DESCRIBES A SERIES OF FAILURES THAT LED TO THE TRAGEDY.

SCOTT: YOU HAVE A BAND THAT SETS OFF FIREWORKS IN A CLUB.

THE FIREWORKS ARE 15-FEET PA ARCS.

THE FIREWORKS ARE ILLEGAL.

FOAM ON THE WALLS STEPS MUST BE SOUNDPROOFING WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FIREPROOF.

BUT WAS INSTALLED WAS PACKING FOAM.

PACKING FOAM WAS THE EQUIVALENT OF SOLID GASOLINE.

WHEN THOSE FIREWORKS HIT THAT FOAM IT WENT UP LIKE A TORCH.

BILL: WEEKS BEFORE THE TRAGEDY, THE FIRE INSPECTOR HAS CERTIFIED THE SPACE AS SAFE.

SCOTT: WE KNOW THINGS ARE NOT ALL OK.

THE BUILDING WAS A DEATH TRAP.

BILL: THE CASCADING SAFETY ISSUES KILLED 100 PEOPLE AND INJURED ABOUT 230.

THE VICTIMS' FAMILIES WANTED ANSWERS.

LAW-ENFORCEMENT QUICKLY CAME UP WITH SOME.

NAMELY, THE OPERATORS OF THE NIGHTCLUB.

SCOTT: ON THE NIGHT OF THE FIRE THE LOCAL POLICE CHIEF SAID HE THOUGHT THE BROTHERS MOST DEFINITELY WOULD BE INDICTED FOR THE FIRE.

THE PROBLEM WITH THE CHIEF SAYING THIS BECAUSE HE HAD NOT DONE ONE MINUTE OF INVESTIGATING AT THAT POINT.

BILL: MICHAEL WAS A SUCCESSFUL FINANCIAL ADVISOR.

HIS BROTHER JEFFREY WAS A WELL-KNOWN LOCAL TELEVISION JOURNALIST.

WHEN THEIR NAME WAS OUT, JAMES SAYS LOCAL MEDIA STARTED TARGETING THEM.

SCOTT: A LOCAL NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED THE HOME STREET ADDRESSES OF THE BROTHERS.

BILL: SCOTT JAMES FOUND THE CASE AGAINST THE BROTHERS WAS NOT SO CUT AND DRY.

SCOTT: I HEARD ABOUT MOCK TRIALS.

MOCK TRIALS ARE TRIALS FOR PEOPLE TO OTHER EVIDENCE FROM THE PROSECUTION AND DEFENSE BEFORE THE TRIAL STARTS.

THEY TEST OUT THE ARGUMENT TO SEE HOW A JURY WILL REACT.

PRIOR TO WHAT WAS SCHEDULED TO BE THE TRIAL OF THE BROTHERS, THERE WERE THREE DIFFERENT MOCK TRIALS DONE.

BILL: AT EACH MOCK TRIAL THE BROTHERS WERE FOUND NOT GUILTY.

SCOTT: WHEN I HEARD THAT I DECIDED, WHAT ARE THOSE PEOPLE HERE THAT THE PUBLIC DID NOT HEAR?

THE PUBLIC WAS TOLD THIS WAS AN OEN AND SHUT CASE.

BILL: REMEMBER THE FOAM?

JAMES FOUND THE RECEIPT SHOWING THE BROTHERS HAD ORDERED A SOUND FOAM THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FLAME RESISTANT.

THE BROTHERS HAD NO IDEA THEY HAD RECEIVED HIGHLY FLAMMABLE PACKING FOAM INSTEAD.

SCOTT: THAT WAS PROBABLY WHAT CONVINCED THE MOCK JURISTS TO SAY THIS IS MORE COMPLICATED THAN JUST SAYING THESE GUYS ACTED BADLY.

BILL: NOR WAS IT SIMPLE REGARDING WHETHER THE BAND GREAT WHITE AT PERMISSION TO EVEN SET OFF FIREWORKS.

THEY HAVE NEVER WAVERED IN THEIR CLAIM THAT NO PERMISSION WAS EVER GIVEN.

SCOTT: THERE ARE NO DOCUMENTS THAT SHOW THERE WAS PERMISSION GIVEN, NO CONTRACTS THAT SHOW PERMISSION WAS GIVEN BY THE NIGHTCLUB OPERATORS.

THE BAND DID PYROTECHNICS AT ALL SORTS OF CLUBS.

MANY NIGHTCLUB OWNERS SAID THEY DID NOT GIVE PERMISSION.

THE BAND DID IT ANYWAY.

THEY SPECIFICALLY TOLD THE BAND WERE NOT ALLOWED TO DO PYROTECHNICS.

BILL: WHAT ABOUT THE VICTIMS OF THE TRAGEDY?

SCOTT: 100 DIED BUT HUNDREDS WERE HURT.

SOME ARE BROUGHT TO THE CUSP OF DEATH MULTIPLE TIMES AND HAVE SUFFERED TERRIBLY THROUGHOUT THESE YEARS.

IT DID NOT END WHEN THE DEAD WERE BURIED.

THESE PEOPLE DID NOT GET THE CHARITABLE SUPPORT THEY WOULD GET FOR SOMETHING ELSE.

BILL: UNLIKE THE VICTIMS OF THE 1999 WESTERN, MASSACHUSETTS WAREHOUSE FIRE WHICH KILLED SIX FIREFIGHTERS, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DID NOT GRANT VICTIMS OF THE STATION FIRE RELIEF AID.

JAMES SAYS THE LACK OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT ACROSS THE BOARD IS BOTH TRAGIC AND PREDICTABLE.

SCOTT: THESE WERE WORKING-CLASS PEOPLE, ROCK AND ROLLERS WITH TATTOOS.

THEY DON'T FIT THE TRADITIONAL IDEA OF WHO CHARITIES COME OUT AND HELP.

THEY ARE NOT CHILDREN WITH CANCER.

IT IS NOT A BREAST CANCER WALK.

IT IS NOT ALZHEIMER'S RESEARCH.

SUPPORT RUN OUT QUICKLY.

PEOPLE LOST EVERYTHING.

THEY LOST THEIR HOMES, THEIR CARS BEING REPOSSESSED.

THEY HAD TO FEND FOR THEMSELVES.

BILL: THE VICTIMS FORMED A FUND TO HELP SURVIVORS AND FAMILIES OF THOSE WHO DIED OF BASIC NECESSITIES.

AT THE END OF THE DAY THEY DID NOT JUST WANT RELIEF.

THEY WANTED JUSTICE FOR WHAT HAPPENED.

FOR THAT THEY TURNED TO ATTORNEY GENERAL PATRICK LYNCH.

SCOTT: THE ATTORNEY GENERAL GATHERS THE FAMILIES OF THOSE KILLED AT THE WEST VALLEY INN AT THE WEST VALLEY.

HE ANNOUNCES THE THREE NAMES OF THE PEOPLE THAT WILL BE PROSECUTED.

BILL: THE ONLY PEOPLE CHARGED WERE GREAT WHITE'S MANAGER AND THE CLUB'S OPERATORS.

THE FAMILIES WERE SHOCKED.

SCOTT: THE AUDIENCE IS WAITING, LISTENING FOR OTHER NAMES AND NO OTHER NAMES COME.

THEY ARE ANGRY.

THEY FEEL BETRAYED BY THE SYSTEM.

NO ONE ELSE IS GOING TO BE PROSECUTED.

BY WASN'T THE FOAM COMPANY HELD RESPONSIBLE?

THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DELIVER FLAME RESISTANT FOAM AND THEY DIDN'T.

BY WASN'T THE FIRE MARSHAL HELD ACCOUNTABLE?

HE DID NOT DO TESTING THAT WOULD APPROVED IT WAS DANGEROUS.

IN DO HIS JOB.

BILL: THEY OPERATED THE NIGHTCLUB DID NOT OWN THE BUILDING.

THE OWNER NEVER GOT INDICTED.

NEITHER DID OTHER MEMBERS OF THE ROCK BAND.

JAMES FOUND IT WAS NO ACCIDENT.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL WAS ONLY LOOKING TO INDICT THOSE HE COULD CONVICT, SO HE SENT HIS STAFF TO RESEARCH HOW OTHER FIRES OF THIS MAGNITUDE WERE PROSECUTED AROUND THE WORLD.

SCOTT: IN THESE CASES THE PEOPLE WHO TEND TO BE INDICTED AND CONVICTED ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE THE OPERATORS THE NIGHTCLUBS.

THAT HAD A GREAT ROLE IN DETERMINING WHO THEY WOULD GO AFTER AND INDICT.

THEY DETERMINED SHE WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO GET AS OPPOSED TO WHO IS GUILTY AND SHOULD BE PURSUED BASED ON FOLLOWING THE EVIDENCE.

IT IS ALMOST LIKE INDICTMENT BY SPREADSHEET.

BILL: RHODE ISLAND FIRE SAFETY CODES DID NOT REQUIRE THE OWNER OF THE BUILDING TO INSTALL SPRINKLERS.

AS THIS ELABORATE CREATION VIDEO DEMONSTRATES, SPRINKLERS WOULD HAVE EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE.

SCOTT: SPRINKLERS WOULD HAVE SAVED EVERY LIFE.

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT?

WHERE THE CODES SO BADLY OUT OF DATE?

BILL: THE CRIMINAL CASES NEVER WENT TO TRIAL.

DANIEL BIGLEY PLED NO CONTEST INSERT NEARLY TWO YEARS IN PRISON.

HEARING EVIDENCE WHEN UP ENOUGH TO CLEAR THEM, THE BROTHERS ALSO TOOK A PLEA DEAL.

SCOTT: THE PUBLIC WANTED BLOOD.

THERE WAS A LOT OF PRESSURE ON THE SYSTEM TO CONVICT THESE PEOPLE.

THEY FELT IT.

THEY DID NOT FEEL LIKE THEY WERE GETTING A FAIR SHAKE.

BILL: THE BROTHERS' LAWYER STRUCK A DEAL.

SCOTT: THE DEAL WAS ONE OF THE BROTHERS WOULD HAVE TO SERVE PRISON TIME AND ONE WOULD NOT.

HERE'S THE TWIST.

THEY WERE TOLD THEY HAD TO DECIDE AMONG THEMSELVES WHICH ONE WOULD BE THE ONE TO GO TO PRISON.

BILL: THEY DECIDED THE OLDER BROTHER MICHAEL WOULD SERVE THE TIME.

HE SPENT NEARLY THREE YEARS HERE AT THIS CORRECTIONAL FACILITY BEFORE BEING RELEASED IN 2009.

WHAT ARE THEY UP TO TODAY?

SCOTT: JEFFREY IS NO LONGER A REPORTER.

MICHAEL IS BACK IN FINANCIAL SERVICES.

THEY DID NOT LEAVE.

THEY STAYED IN RHODE ISLAND.

THEY ARE NOT LOOKING FOR SYMPATHY.

NOT LOOKING FOR EXONERATION.

WHAT THEY WANTED WAS TO PUT ALL THE FACTS OUT THERE SO PEOPLE COULD CONSIDER THEM.

THEY STILL FEEL TREMENDOUS GUILT.

THEY THINK ABOUT THIS EVERY DAY.

THEY DO WHAT IFS EVERY DAY OF THEIR LIVES.

WHAT IF WE NEVER BOOKED THAT BAND?

WHAT IF, WHAT IF, WHAT IF?

BILL: WHAT IS THE LEGACY OF THE FIRE?

SCOTT: THAT WE LEARNED A LESSON AND IT WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN.

MY CONCERN IS THAT IS NOT HAPPENING.

THIS IS A STORY ABOUT A FAILED SYSTEM, NOT ABOUT JUST A FEW PEOPLE DOING THE WRONG THING OR MAYBE NOT DOING THE RIGHT THING.

IT IS ABOUT A SYSTEM WE THINK IS THERE TO PROTECT US AND REALLY IS NOT.

MICHELLE: OUR THANKS TO BILL BARTHOLOMEW FOR THAT REPORT.

IN THE WAKE OF THE FIRE RHODE ISLAND OVERHAULED ITS FIRE CODES REQUIRING LARGE PUBLIC PLACES OF ENTERTAINMENT TO HAVE SPRINKLERS AND LIMITING OCCUPANCY.

THE STATE ELIMINATED THE GRANDFATHER CLAUSE THAT EXEMPTED OLD BUILDINGS FROM HAVING TO FOLLOW NEW CODES.

STILL, AROUND THE GLOBE DISASTERS STRIKINGLY SIMILAR TO THE STATION FIRE HAVE CONTINUED TO TAKE PLACE.

IN 2013, A BAND SET UP PYROTECHNICS INSIDE A NIGHTCLUB IN BRAZIL.

THE FIREWORKS IGNITED FOAM, KILLING MORE THAN 240 PEOPLE.

IN 2016, A DEADLY FIRE BROKE OUT AT AN ARTIST COLLECTIVE CALLED THE GO SHIP LOCATED IN A WAREHOUSE IN OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

36 PEOPLE DIED.

BACK IN WEST WARWICK, RHODE ISLAND OR CONTINUE TO REMEMBER THE VICTIMS F THE STATION TRAGEDY.

IN 2017, A MEMORIAL TO THOSE WHO DIED OPENED ON THE SAME LAND THAT USED THE HOUSE THE STATION NIGHTCLUB.

FOR OUR NEXT REPORT WE LOOK BACK AT NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY IN THE OCEAN STATE.

BEFORE ENGLISH SETTLERS BEGAN ARRIVING IN THE 16 20'S, NATIVE AMERICANS HAD LIVED IN THE NARRAGANSETT BAY AREA FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.

IT IS ESTIMATED PRIOR TO 1610, SOME 144,000 NATIVES LIVED IN SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND.

IT IS BELIEVED THE NATIVE PEOPLE GENERALLY WELCOMED THE SETTLERS, BUT THE DISEASES THEY BROUGHT WOULD KILL HUGE PORTIONS OF THE NATIVE POPULATION.

DISEASE, WAR, SLAVERY AND RELOCATION WOULD CONTINUE FOR TWO CENTURIES, PUSHING THE NATIVE PEOPLE OUT 12 MORE AND MORE SETTLERS MOVED ONTO THEIR LAND.

BY 1832, THE RHODE ISLAND CENSUS RECORDED ONLY 80 NATIVE AMERICANS LIVING IN THE STATE.

SINCE THEN, THE NATIVE POPULATION HAS GROWN.

TODAY THEY CONTINUE TO STRUGLE TO MAINTAIN THEIR CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS.

TONIGHT WE HEAR FROM TWO NATIVE AMERICAN RHODE ISLANDERS AS THEY DESCRIBE THE PREJUDICE THEY FACE GROWING UP IN THEIR CONTINUING STRUGGLE TO FIND A PLACE IN TODAY'S SOCIETY WHILE RETAINING THEIR INDIGENOUS HERITAGE.

♪ >> MY NAME IS DEBORAH.

I WOULD SAY, HELLO [SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE].

HELLO, MY NAME IS DEBORAH TALKING WATER.

HOW ARE YOU?

I GREW UP THE YOUNGEST OF SIX.

WE LIVED IN LINCOLN PARK.

WE WERE THE ONLY -- MAYBE THERE WAS ONE OTHER FAMILY OF COLOR IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

GREW UP WITH MOSTLY NON-NATIVE PEOPLE.

MOST OF MY NEIGHBORS WERE WONDERFUL PEOPLE.

THEY WERE THE GREATEST PEOPLE YOU WOULD EVER MEET.

HE WAS DIFFICULT BECAUSE -- THERE WASN'T ANYBODY THAT LOOKS LIKE ME.

I HAD A REALLY HARD TIME RELATING.

>> RAYMOND TO HAWKS WATSON -- TWO HAWKS WATSON.

MY GRANDMOTHER ALWAYS SOUGHT OUT EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES WHEN THERE WAS DIVERSITY OF PEOPLE.

THAT IS HOW IT IS IN PROVIDENCE GENERALLY UNLESS YOU GO TO ONE OF THE EXPENSIVE PRIVATE SCHOOLS.

EVEN LIKE IN DAYCARE, THEY WERE ALL KIDS FROM ALL DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS.

MY GRANDMOTHER, A CHRISTIAN WOMAN, PUT ME IN A LUTHERAN SCHOOL.

A SMALL LUTHERAN SCHOOL.

ONCE AGAIN, SUCH A DIVERSITY OF STUDENTS.

WE HAD QUITE A MULLINS, OTHER INDIANS FROM DIFFERENT TRIBES.

I THINK THERE WAS A HAITIAN YOUNG LADY.

ALWAYS THEY MIGHT EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES MY GRANDMOTHER WAS VERY SPECIFIC ABOUT MAKING SURE I WAS IN CERTAIN ENVIRONMENTS WHERE THERE WOULD BE A DIVERSITY OF PEOPLE.

>> IN THE FOURTH GRADE, MY TEACHER WAS HISPANIC.

HE ASKED EVERYONE TO TELL THEIR ETHNICITY.

I JUST SAID BLACK BECAUSE EVERYBODY WAS CALLING ME BLACK ALL THE TIME.

MR. BLANCO SAID, WHAT YOU DOING?

I KNOW I'M INDIAN BUT NOBODY WILL BELIEVE ME.

HE SAID I KNOW YOU ARE INDIAN.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT YOU.

HE WAS IN THE PERSON THAT ACTUALLY VALIDATED WHO I WAS.

>> I LEARNED FROM A VERY EARLY STAGE THERE WERE LOTS OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE AROUND.

NOT EVERYONE WAS LIKE ME AND THAT WAS NOT A BAD THING.

THAT DEFINITELY COLORED HOW I ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE AS I GREW UP.

YOU ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS RIGHT AND WRONG BECAUSE IF RHODE ISLAND GOT STARTED BY TAKING LAND FROM MY PEOPLE, WHY SHOULD I BE PROUD OF BEING A RHODE ISLANDER?

I GO TO SCHOOL EVERYTHING IS GREAT ABOUT RHODE ISLAND.

YOU ARE CONSISTENTLY IN THE SPACE WHERE YOU ARE NOT QUITE SURE HOW TO EVEN DEAL WITH SOCIETY AROUND YOU.

AND AT A VERY YOUNG AGE BEING INTRODUCED TO THAT SORT OF CONFLICT.

>> IT SEEMED TO ME SOCIETY CAP TRYING TO PUT THIS MESSAGE THAT IF YOU WEREN'T OF A CERTAIN LOOK, STYLE, STATUS THEN YOU ARE LESS THAN.

I HAVE THE SELF-ESTEEM THAT WAS LIKE I DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, WHITE SKIN, BLONDE HAIR, BLUE EYES.

I DON'T HAVE A MERCEDES IN MY YARD.

I DON'T HAVE A BIG CAR.

I DON'T HAVE THE STATUS SYMBOLS THAT SAY YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE SELF-ESTEEM.

I DID NOT FEEL MY BELLY WAS REALLY HIGH THEN.

IT WAS A REALLY DIFFICULT TIME IN MY LIFE BECAUSE THAT WAS WHEN I NEEDED TO THINK MY BELLY WAS VERY HIGH.

-- MY VALUE WAS VERY HIGH.

I NEEDED THROUGH BUT IT WAS DIFFICULT.

>> GROWING UP HERE IN MOUNT HOPE, BECAUSE OF ANYONE IS FAMILIAR WITH THE COMMUNITY -- MIDDLE SCHOOL AND INDIAN BUT I'M A BLACK MAN.I'M I'M AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN.

I AM HERE IN THE CITY.

I WILL GO BE AN NBA PLAYER.

WE WILL GO TO A POWWOW ONCE A YEAR.

MY GRANDMOTHER BRINGS ME DOWN THERE AND THAT'S COOL.

WE WILL EAT SOME JOHNNY CAKES OR CHOWDER.

I'M IN THE CITY BUT I HAVE TO FOCUS ON WHAT I NEED TO DO IN THE CITY.

MY GRANDMOTHER RAISING "A BLACK MAN" IN AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT.

SHE WAS ALWAYS FEARFUL OF POTENTIAL FOR THINGS IN SOCIETY THAT CAN BE HARMFUL TO ME.

HER SORT OF ADVICE TO ME GROWING UP WAS TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW I FIT INTO THIS STRUCTURE AROUND.

THINGS ARE NOT EASY FOR A BLACK MAN.

THAT WAS THE CONVERSATION WE WOULD HAVE.

ONCE AGAIN, JUXTAPOSED TO DON'T FORGET YOU'RE A NARRAGANSETT INDIAN AND THIS IS YOUR LAND AND PEOPLE ARE STILL HERE.

VERY COMPLEX DURING THOSE YOUNGER AGES TRYING TO FIGURE ALL THAT OUT.

>> THE FIRST TIME I SOUGHT RACISM WAS MY FIRST WALK TO SCHOOL.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS A MONDAY OR TUESDAY.

I WAS LEAVING MY HOUSE AND WALKING TO SCHOOL WITH MY SISTER AND MY FRIEND'S BROTHER CAME BACK.

HE JUST PICKED UP A STICK AND STARTED HITTING ME AND CALLING ME NIGGER.

I TOOK TWO HITS AND I JUST GOT ANGRY AND TURNED RIGHT AND GOT A STICK AND HIT HIM BACK.

THAT WAS THE END OF HIM HITTING ME.

HE NEVER HIT ME AGAIN BECAUSE I WAS SOMEONE WHO FOUGHT BACK.

HOW DARE I HAVE COLOR IN MY SKIN?

IT JUST SEEMED SO SILLY TO ME NOW.

THE PEOPLE THAT DID THAT MUST FEEL SO AWFUL THEY DID SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

>> I HAD JUST TURNED 12.

I HAD JUST TURNED 12 AND I FINALLY FELT LIKE I WAS ALMOST A TEENAGER.

NANA, CAN WE GO TO THE MALL?

THE MALL WAS IN WARWICK BEFORE PROVIDENCE PLACE WAS THERE.

WE WILL GO HANG OUT.

I'M ALMOST A TEENAGER.

OK, YOU CAN GO THERE.

I MET THREE OR FOUR OF Y FRIENDS.

I TOUCHED BASE WITH A GOOD FRIEND WHO GREW UP A COUPLE OF BLOCKS FROM HERE.

US BEING AT THE MALL AND GETTING APPROACHED BY SECURITY AND TELLING US THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WERE JUST HANGING AROUND AND NOT BUYING ANYTHING SO WE HAD TO LEAVE.

HERE I AM WITH MY CD IN MY HAND FROM THE CD STORE.

I'M LOOKING AROUND.

PROBABLY SOME OF THE VERY FEW BROWN FACES THAT ARE THERE.

ONE OF MY FRIENDS ASKED, HOW COME THE REST OF THE KIDS DON'T HAVE TO LEAVE?

WE SEE THEM HANGING.

NO REAL ANSWER.

JUST ESCORTED TO THE DOOR.

I CALLED MY GRANDMOTHER.

THEY JUST KICKED US OUT OF THE MALL.

THEY SAID WE WERE NOT -- SHE GETS UPSET BUT I'M NOT REALLY PROCESSING WHY SHE IS SO UPSET.

COME TO FIND OUT YEARS LATER SHE HAD MADE CALLS TO THE ADMINISTRATION.

WHY WAS MY GRANDSON TREATED THAT WAY?

NO RETURN PHONE CALLS OR ANYTHING.

AS I GOT OLDER I UNDERSTOOD, OH, OK. >> WHY DO I HAVE TO PUT AWAY WHO I AM?

WHY DO I HAVE TO PUT IT AWAY?

I THINK COLONIAL TECHNIQUES WERE SET UP FROM THE GOVERNMENT TO TRY TO MAKE NATIVE PEOPLE BELIEVE THEY SHOULD JUST BECOME ASSIMILATED SO THAT THEY DON'T -- THERE IS NO WAY THEY CAN SAY THAT WE HAVE BEEN DONE WRONG.

THE TREES HAVE NEVER BEEN ADDRESSED.

THEY NEVER HONORED OUR TREATIES.

THEY HAVE TAKEN OUR LAND.

THEY MURDERED OUR ANCESTORS.

ALL THAT.

DISRESPECTED US.

SO IF THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTS THAT WERE MADE FROM THE GOVERNMENT THROUGH COLONIZATION TECHNIQUES SET IT UP SO THAT IT IS SO MUCH EASIER OR COMFORTABLE TO JUST SAY, OK, I WON'T BE WHO I AM.

I WILL JUST BE PART OF THE MELTING POT.

I'M AN AMERICAN SO IT DOES NOT MATTER WHO I AM.

GROWING UP IN WARWICK A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE LIKE THAT.

THEY WERE LIKE IT DOES NOT MATTER WHO YOU ARE.

BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE LIKE YOU HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED LESS THAN BECAUSE YOU HAVE COLOR.

>> GETS IN EVERYDAY STRUGGLE.

-- IT IS AN EVERYDAY STRUGGLE.

ONE OF THE WAYS YOU SEE PEOPLE COPING WITH IT AND WHY IT IS SUCH A BIG PROBLEM IN THE COMMUNITY IS SELF-MEDICATING.

YOU KNOW SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT HERE AND YOU CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO ADDRESS IT.

I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF THAT.

YOU ALSO SEE THE OTHER SIDE OF PEOPLE -- I THINK THIS IS WHERE I TENDED TOWARDS AS I'VE GOTTEN OLDER.

FULLY EMBRACING THEIR CULTURE AND WANT TO GET AWAY FROM THIS THING.

YOU KNOW IT IS NOT REAL.

I KNOW THIS ISN'T REAL.

I KNOW WHAT YOU DID AND WHAT YOU'RE STILL DOING.

I WILL DEAL WITH THAT INASMUCH AS I HAVE TO.

WHEN I DON'T HAVE TO, I WON'T.

I THINK THE BEST WAY TO CAPTURE IT IS IN THE WORDS OF MY UNCLE CHIEF SUND SET.

LIVED -- CHIEF SUNSET.

AN INDIAN TODAY, A MODERN MAN THAT DOES NOT FORGET HIS FOREFATHERS.

>> ALWAYS KNOW YOU HAVE YOUR OWN VOICE AND USE YOUR OWN VOICE AND WRITE YOUR OWN STORY.

DON'T LET ANYBODY WRITE YOUR STORY FOR YOU.

THAT'S GOOD.

♪ MICHELLE: FINALLY TONIGHT, GUEST COMMENTATOR SCOTT MACKAY TAKES US BACK TO THE NIGHT OF THE STATION FIRE AND ITS AFTERMATH.

SCOTT: THE WORST DISASTER IN MODERN RHODE ISLAND HISTORY WAS THE 1938 HURRICANE WHICH CLAIM TO MORE THAN 200 LIVES.

IT WAS A NATURAL EVENT THAT CAUGHT OUR COASTAL COMMUNITIES BY SURPRISE AND AN ERA WHEN WEATHER FORECASTING WAS IN ITS INFANCY.

THE STATION ECHO FIRE THAT KILLED 100 AND MAIN TO MANY MORE WAS CAUSED BY HUMANS.

THOSE OF US WHO LIVED THROUGH THIS HORROR WILL NEVER FORGET THE GRUESOME TELEVISION FOOTAGE THAT CAPTURE THE INFERNO AS IF IT WAS A WAR.

FLAMES RACED THROUGH THE WOODEN ROADHOUSE IN WEST WARWICK.

HOSPITALS FROM PROVIDENCE TO BOSTON WERE FLOODED WITH THOSE FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES.

MORGUES FILLED.

BY DON, CHARRED BODIES WERE LIFTED FROM THE SMOLDERING RUINS AS HUNDREDS OF REPORTERS FIRST RESPONDERS AND DEVASTATED FAMILY MEMBERS WATCHED.

IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WE CALL RHODE ISLAND EVERYONE SEEMS TO KNOW EVERYBODY.

THE FOLKS WHO LIVE NEXT DOOR CARE WHEN YOU ARE SICK AND HELP COAX YOUR CAR FROM SNOWBANKS.

THE NEIGHBOR NOTICES THE STRANGE CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY YESTERDAY AND KNOWS WHAT YOUR BROTHER IS REALLY LIKE.

SHE DATED HIM BEFORE SHE MARRIED YOUR COUSIN.

IN THE DAYS AND WEEKS THAT FOLLOWED, THE FIRE WAS THE LONE TOPIC OF CONVERSATION.

PATRONS OF MOVIE THEATERS IN THE PROVIDENCE PERFORMANCE ARTS CENTER ANXIOUSLY SCANNED THE EXITS.

RHODE ISLANDERS OPENED THEIR HEARTS AND WALLETS TO CONSULT FAMILIES AND HELP DESK CONSULT FAMILIES AND HOW VICTIMS.

DOCTORS PERFORMED NEAR MIRACLES.

REPORTERS REPORTED, INVESTIGATORS INVESTIGATED, AND PRIESTS PRAYED.

POLITICIANS CRAFTED MEASURES TO ENSURE AN END TO THE STATE'S LOOK THE OTHER WAY CULTURE OF FIRE SAFETY.

FOR TOO MANY QUEST FOR CLOSURE AND ACCOUNTABILITY LINGERS.

RHODE ISLAND'S HISTORY OF GOVERNMENT WRONGDOING LED TO CONSPIRACY MONGERING.

THERE WERE NO CRIMINAL OR CIVIL TRIALS, ALL THE VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES DID GET MILLIONS IN SETTLEMENT MONEY.

THE SEARCH FOR FACTS CRASHED INTO THE REALITIES OF AN IMPERFECT LEGAL SYSTEM.

MANY OF THE VICTIMS FAMILIES ARE UNDERSTANDABLY BITTER.

JUDGE FRANK DEAR AGAIN ACKNOWLEDGED THE LEGAL SYSTEM WOULD NEVER ASSUAGE THE GRIEF.

ONE OF THE CIVIL CASE LAWYERS SAID PEOPLE THINK THE LEGAL SYSTEM IS A SEARCH FOR THE TRUTH.

IT IS NOT.

IT IS A SEARCH FOR A RESULT.

MICHELLE: OUR THANKS TO SCOTT MACKAY.

I AM MICHELLE SAN MIGUEL.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND PLEASE STAY SAFE.

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