• Amos (Ramos) Butler was a Mexican-born man who served in a segregated Black regiment during the Civil War.
• His story highlights how 19th-century records often altered or erased the identities of immigrants and people of color.
• Butler’s likely surname, Ramos, appears to have been Anglicized to Butler in official military documents.
• Highlighting his story adds diversity to Rhode Island’s Civil War history for the nation’s 250th anniversary.

As Rhode Island joins the nation in marking its 250th anniversary, I’ve been asked a fair and important question: Why highlight Amos (Ramos) Butler? Why elevate one individual when there are so many well-documented figures already woven into our state’s history?

My answer is simple: because history is not only about what we have long remembered, but about what we failed to see.

I did not set out to find Amos Butler. I encountered him while researching Civil War records connected to Rhode Island: lists of names, enlistment dates, regiments. In those records, I found a man listed as “Amos Butler,” born in Mexico, who served in the 14th Rhode Island Heavy Artillery Regiment (Colored) during the Civil War. His name alone gave me pause. Amos is not a common Mexican name. That detail led me deeper into the archive, where questions of identity, language and recordkeeping began to surface.

What emerged was not a heroic legend or a tidy narrative, but something more historically instructive: a glimpse into how 19th-century bureaucracies recorded – or misrecorded – immigrant lives.

Amos Butler served alongside Black soldiers in a segregated regiment at a moment when the nation was redefining freedom, citizenship and belonging. His likely Spanish surname, Ramos, appears to have been Anglicized – or misunderstood – by the very system charged with preserving his service. That single alteration tells us a great deal about how people like him moved through official history: fully present and contributing, yet partially obscured.

WARWICK, R.I. (WJAR) — Former U.S. National Security Advisor Michael Flynn appeared at a “Rhode Island First” rally in Warwick Saturday night with Vic Mellor, a congressional candidate running to unseat Rep. Seth Magaziner in Rhode Island’s 2nd Congressional District.

Protestors gathered near the entrance of the Crowne Plaza Providence-Warwick ahead of the rally, where Flynn and Mellor gave remarks along with other conservative speakers and musicians.

“The purpose of this is to motivate the base, because there’s such a high percentage of Republicans and Independents that don’t vote,” Mellor said.

Devin Bates reports on a rally for Vic Mellor, a Republican challenger to Rep. Seth Magaziner, that featured Michael Flynn. (WJAR)

Protestors picketing outside the hotel felt differently, with organizers calling out the hotel’s owners for hosting “individuals associated with the January 6 insurrection, election denialism, and extreme rhetoric.”

“We don’t agree with Crowne Plaza letting them be here, we think it’s kind of sad that they do,” said Kristen Lancaster. “They’re not pro-democracy, they’re anti-healthcare, anti-science.”

Ahead of the rally, Flynn shared his thoughts about Rhode Island’s current federal delegation as Mellor seeks to become the first GOP candidate elected to statewide office since 2006, when Donald Carcieri was re-elected as governor.

“You’ve got manufacturing potential here, you have a workforce that really could be first class, but you don’t have a federal elected body of people right now that are bringing that back, because they’re fighting opportunity,” Flynn said.

NBC 10 News reached out to IHG Hotels and Resorts for comment on protestors’ frustration over the Crowne Plaza hosting this event, but the company had not responded.

NEWPORT, R.I. — The Rhode Island Foundation awarded more than $5.2 million in grants to Newport County nonprofits in 2025, contributing to a record-setting year for the organization as it marked the largest grant-making total in its 109-year history.

Among the local organizations receiving support were Strategic Prevention Partnerships (SPP) in Portsmouth and Turning Around Ministries in Newport, both working to address urgent community needs.

SPP received $125,000 to expand its No Wrong Door initiative, a program designed to help Newport County firefighters, EMTs and police officers cope with trauma-related anxiety, PTSD and depression.

“Behind their uniforms, many First Responders face mental health challenges stemming from the high-stress nature of the job,” said Rebecca Elwell, SPP’s executive director. “From the increasing day-to-day traumatic events to large-scale incidents, critical calls are becoming more frequent.”

Turning Around Ministries received $70,000 to continue its work helping residents facing financial hardship access affordable housing, workforce development programs and long-term financial stability.

“The number of unhoused and un- or under-employed people in Newport County is increasing, and so is the number of people needing our help,” said Cheryl Robinson, the organization’s president. “Participants know we are there for them and committed for the long haul.”

Other Newport County nonprofits receiving grants include the Boys & Girls Clubs of Newport County, Newport Community School, East Bay Community Action Program, Conexion Latina Newport, Little Compton Community Center, Jamestown Community Food Pantry and the Newport County YMCA.

Statewide, the Rhode Island Foundation awarded a record $93 million to more than 2,600 nonprofit organizations in 2025, while also launching a new Five-Year Action Plan aimed at addressing some of the state’s most pressing challenges.

“Our work last year reflects what the community identified as their priorities and the areas where we could play a deeper role,” said David Cicilline, the foundation’s president and CEO.

The plan focuses on five community priorities: civic and cultural life, climate action and sustainability, education and student success, healthy and strong communities, and housing and economic mobility.

In addition to its record grant-making, the foundation raised $82 million in donations in 2025, its third-best fundraising year.

“The generosity of Rhode Islanders allows us to respond to emerging issues and invest in initiatives that strengthen communities across the state,” Cicilline said.

Like Newport Buzz? We depend on the generosity of readers like you who support us, to help with our mission to keep you informed and entertained with local, independent news and content. We truly appreciate your trust and support!

Related