Latino History of Rhode Island

U.S. Census reports 19,707 Hispanics in Rhode Island.

Latin America suffers a debt crisis during the 1980s—a period often referred to as the “lost decade”—many Latin American countries became unable to service their foreign debt.

Oscar Romero, the Archbishop of El Salvador is assassinated while celebrating Mass, the day after he called upon Salvadoran soldiers and security force members to not follow their orders to kill Salvadoran civilians.

Brigadier General Oscar Humberto Mejia Victores of Guatemala overthrows existing government. He allows for a return to democracy, with elections for a constituent assembly in 1984 followed by general elections in 1985.

Anthony Affigne files to run for City Council Ward 3 seat as an Independent candidate against Lloyd Griffin (June).

Republican candidate, Juán Francísco files to run for Ward 5 City Council seat (July).

In June of 1983 he graduates from the Rhode Island Municipal Police Academy after completing a 12-week training course and becomes a full-time patrolman in the Central Falls Police Department.

The Hispanic Chamber renews itself with election of new general officers and a call for a stronger membership (March 10)

Lidia Sánchez, of Cuban descent and a graduate of the New England School of Law, is sworn in as Rhode Island's first female Hispanic attorney.

Patricia Martínez becomes Executive Director of Progreso Latino.

War breaks out throughout Central America (1985-89). During that time, Central Americans, primarily, Guatemalans, Salvadorians, begin to arrive in Rhode Island in large numbers .

Margarita Baez, becomes policy aide to Lt. Gov. Richard A. Licht, making her the highest ranking Puerto Rican in state government. (April 1985)

Lt. Gov. Richard A. Licht appoints a 19-member Advisory Council on Hispanic Affairs to his office (September 25)

Juan Francisco is sworn in as the first Hispanic to the Board of Regents for Elementary by Governor Edward DiPrete (March 13, 1986)

Martínez founds the Hispanic Heritage Committee of Rhode Island and with a seed grant from the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, organizes the first celebration of Hispanic Heritage Week. In 1991, the celebration becomes Hispanic Heritage Month, a 30-day statewide event from September 15-October.

The US Census counts 43,932 Latinos in Rhode Island.

For the first time in the city's history, three Hispanics from the south side file at once as political candidates for office: Juan Francisco (R-District 20), Leo Medina (D-Ward 10) and Jenny Rosario (D-District 18) (September 5, 1990)

In November Luis Aponte becomes the first Latino to win a seat on the Providence city council.