Newport Jazz Festival is first held in Rhode Island.

Originally The First American Jazz Festival, the two-day series of concerts is produced by George Wein and held initially on the grounds of the Newport Casino in Newport, Rhode Island. Performer include Billy Holiday. The festival becomes an annual event and moves to Freebody Park in 1955. A riot in 1960 leads to cancellation of the event in 1961, it resumes in 1962, and is halted after another riot in 1971. The festival resumes under various names and at various venues in Newport in 1995.