Mexicans in the U.S: 20th Century Migration
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The Mexican immigration to the U.S. between 1890 and 1965 has been called one of the most significant demographic phenomena in the history of the Americas. This Mexican migration took many forms and contributed greatly to the growth and development of the United States as a nation. The first movement to El Norte (the north) took place after the 1910 revolution in Mexico when farmhands, shepherds, miners and vaqueros [cowboys] felt a call to go north in search of better and higher paying work. Going northward was sought out by poor men and women who were unable to find decent work within their borders. They left Mexico looking for a land of milk and honey, where they could raise their children properly and prosperously.
Mexicans in Rhode Island
The presence of Mexicans in Rhode Island is often left out of regional Latino history, yet evidence reveals a layered story that spans more than 150 years. From serving in the Civil War to wartime labor and postwar professional migration, Mexicans have contributed significantly—though quietly—to the economic, civic, and cultural fabric of the state.
The earliest known trace appears in 1863 during the Civil War with a Mexican-born man listed as "Amos Butler" who our Executive Director stumbled upon listed as a member of the 14th Rhode Island Heavy Artillery (Colored), a Black Union regiment. These findings are still under study, but they raise questions about migration patterns, racial classification, and military enlistment during a time when Mexicans were rare and not visible in New England. Questions still remain: How did Butler end up in Rhode Island? Was he here working as a laborer or was he recruited elsewhere and brought to Providence? Where did he end up after the war?
In the 1920s, Rhode Island hosted a little-known Mexican Honorary Consulate in Providence. Headed by an American attorney Edgar L. Burchell and his Vice Consul Edith C. Johnson—who is believed to be the only woman in the Mexican consular service at the time—the office supported few Mexican nationals working in Rhode Island agricultural fields, but a greater number who worked in Connecticut’s agricultural sector. Johnson also served as a de facto social worker, highlighting the personal dimensions of migration and diplomacy.
During World War II, Rhode Island briefly became home to over 140 Mexican laborers recruited through the Bracero Program to work on the New Haven Railroad. They arrived in East Greenwich in 1944 after a 3,700-mile journey from Mexico City, performing grueling winter labor repairing and building railroad tracks to address wartime labor shortages. Their efforts, though temporary, were vital to the region’s transportation infrastructure. After 15 months, the braceros were either repatriated to México or transferred to the West Coast to work on migrant farms.
The postwar period brought Mexican professionals to the U.S. through educational and military channels. One such individual was Dr. Zanoni Ortega, an aspiring physician from Mérida who in 1949 completed his residency in Providence, served in the U.S. Army, and later settled in Cranston, RI with his wife and children. His story signals a shift in immigration policy and the emergence of a stable Mexican-American presence in the state.
In 1987, Gilberto García arrived from Naucalpán, México, recruited by Rhode Island Lace Works to operate complex lace machinery. For four years he worked alongside other skilled Mexican lace workers until the factory closed due to automation and economic shifts. García stayed in Rhode Island, retrained as a Certified Nurses Assistant (CNA), and now lives in Barrington. He cited the impact of NAFTA and the shift to maquiladora labor as key reasons the lace industry disappeared, displacing many Mexican workers who had planned only temporary stays.
In 1988, Enrique Mora Sánchez, affectionately known as Don Quique, opened Rhode Island’s first Mexican market and tortillería in Providence. His business supported a growing Mexican community and served as a cultural anchor. Over time, Don Quique’s legacy continues as members of his extended family have become prominent restaurateurs, operating popular eateries such as Viva Mexico, El Rancho Grande, Casa Mexico, and Dolores.
Today, a new generation continues the Sánchez family’s legacy—not only through food but through activism and public service. In 2022, Grandsons Enrique Sánchez and Miguel Sánchez ran for office and were elected to the Rhode Island General Assembly and Providence City Council, respectively. Influenced by their mother’s immigrant-rights activism, they are among the youngest and most progressive leaders in the city.
Though the family no longer manufactures tortillas, their influence continues to shape Providence’s cultural and political landscape. Their journey—from migration and entrepreneurship to civic leadership—offers a powerful testament to the evolving role of Mexicans in Rhode Island’s history and future.
Below is an interview of Miguel Sánchez recorded in 2024 by Marta V. Martínez, where he talks about his grandfather and his influence on both him and the broader community.
The earliest known trace appears in 1863 during the Civil War with a Mexican-born man listed as "Amos Butler" who our Executive Director stumbled upon listed as a member of the 14th Rhode Island Heavy Artillery (Colored), a Black Union regiment. These findings are still under study, but they raise questions about migration patterns, racial classification, and military enlistment during a time when Mexicans were rare and not visible in New England. Questions still remain: How did Butler end up in Rhode Island? Was he here working as a laborer or was he recruited elsewhere and brought to Providence? Where did he end up after the war?
In the 1920s, Rhode Island hosted a little-known Mexican Honorary Consulate in Providence. Headed by an American attorney Edgar L. Burchell and his Vice Consul Edith C. Johnson—who is believed to be the only woman in the Mexican consular service at the time—the office supported few Mexican nationals working in Rhode Island agricultural fields, but a greater number who worked in Connecticut’s agricultural sector. Johnson also served as a de facto social worker, highlighting the personal dimensions of migration and diplomacy.
During World War II, Rhode Island briefly became home to over 140 Mexican laborers recruited through the Bracero Program to work on the New Haven Railroad. They arrived in East Greenwich in 1944 after a 3,700-mile journey from Mexico City, performing grueling winter labor repairing and building railroad tracks to address wartime labor shortages. Their efforts, though temporary, were vital to the region’s transportation infrastructure. After 15 months, the braceros were either repatriated to México or transferred to the West Coast to work on migrant farms.
The postwar period brought Mexican professionals to the U.S. through educational and military channels. One such individual was Dr. Zanoni Ortega, an aspiring physician from Mérida who in 1949 completed his residency in Providence, served in the U.S. Army, and later settled in Cranston, RI with his wife and children. His story signals a shift in immigration policy and the emergence of a stable Mexican-American presence in the state.
In 1987, Gilberto García arrived from Naucalpán, México, recruited by Rhode Island Lace Works to operate complex lace machinery. For four years he worked alongside other skilled Mexican lace workers until the factory closed due to automation and economic shifts. García stayed in Rhode Island, retrained as a Certified Nurses Assistant (CNA), and now lives in Barrington. He cited the impact of NAFTA and the shift to maquiladora labor as key reasons the lace industry disappeared, displacing many Mexican workers who had planned only temporary stays.
In 1988, Enrique Mora Sánchez, affectionately known as Don Quique, opened Rhode Island’s first Mexican market and tortillería in Providence. His business supported a growing Mexican community and served as a cultural anchor. Over time, Don Quique’s legacy continues as members of his extended family have become prominent restaurateurs, operating popular eateries such as Viva Mexico, El Rancho Grande, Casa Mexico, and Dolores.
Today, a new generation continues the Sánchez family’s legacy—not only through food but through activism and public service. In 2022, Grandsons Enrique Sánchez and Miguel Sánchez ran for office and were elected to the Rhode Island General Assembly and Providence City Council, respectively. Influenced by their mother’s immigrant-rights activism, they are among the youngest and most progressive leaders in the city.
Though the family no longer manufactures tortillas, their influence continues to shape Providence’s cultural and political landscape. Their journey—from migration and entrepreneurship to civic leadership—offers a powerful testament to the evolving role of Mexicans in Rhode Island’s history and future.
Below is an interview of Miguel Sánchez recorded in 2024 by Marta V. Martínez, where he talks about his grandfather and his influence on both him and the broader community.
© All Rights Reserved | Nuestras Raíces: Latino History of RI © | When using materials from this website, please acknowledge by stating the name of the URL of the webpage on which it is displayed. Citations should include full bibliographic information as follows: Courtesy of the Latino Oral History Project of Rhode Island, Central Falls, RI.
Citations
When using materials from this website, please acknowledge by stating the name of the URL of the webpage on which it is displayed. Citations should include full bibliographic information as follows: Courtesy of the Latino Oral History Project of Rhode Island, Central Falls, RI.