⚔ Contra Costa County, CA – The Port Chicago Alliance expresses deep gratitude to Congressman Mark DeSaulnier for securing $850,000 in federal funding for the East Bay Regional Park District to support critical visitor infrastructure at Thurgood Marshall Regional Park – Home of the Port Chicago 50.

This funding will support essential improvements including restrooms, drinking fountains, public parking, and a turnout lane on Bailey Road—important steps toward expanding public access to this extraordinary landscape.

For the Port Chicago Alliance, this investment represents far more than infrastructure. It is a meaningful investment in remembrance, education, and equitable community access to a place that carries immense historical significance for the City of Concord, Contra Costa County, the Bay Area, and the nation.

As an organization committed to honoring the legacy of the Port Chicago Sailors, the Port Chicago Alliance has long advocated for greater public and community access to spaces connected to this history, believing that places of remembrance and learning should be accessible to the communities whose stories they preserve.

The Alliance also shares a personal connection to the park’s history. Port Chicago Alliance Executive Director Yulie Padmore, as co-founder of the East Bay Black Employee Collective, and Port Chicago Alliance Board Member Lewis Thrower, as President of Citizens for Historical Equity, were among the community advocates who helped champion the naming of Thurgood Marshall Regional Park and the inclusion of the Port Chicago 50 within its identity.

“This park represents far more than open space — it is a place of reflection, education, healing, and historical truth,” said Padmore. “We are sincerely grateful to Congressman DeSaulnier for his continued support of Thurgood Marshall Regional Park – Home of the Port Chicago 50, and for helping secure resources that move greater public access closer to reality. We also deeply appreciate the East Bay Regional Park District for its stewardship and commitment to preserving both the natural beauty and historical significance of this remarkable place.”

Named in honor of Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and designated as the home of the Port Chicago 50, the park stands as a powerful intersection of civil rights history, public memory, and community connection.

For families, students, educators, and visitors, expanded access will create greater opportunities to engage directly with the history of the Port Chicago Sailors and the broader story of courage, sacrifice, and the fight for justice.

“We strongly believe that this history belongs to the public,” Thrower added. “Making spaces like this more accessible ensures that future generations can learn from this chapter of American history in a direct and meaningful way.”

The Port Chicago Alliance also recognizes the leadership of the East Bay Regional Park District, whose continued efforts are helping transform this landscape into a place where history and community can come together.

As the nation marks the 80th anniversary of the U.S. Navy’s desegregation and the broader America250 commemoration, this investment is a timely reminder that preserving history also means ensuring the public can access and experience the places where it happened.