Port Chicago: Courage, Sacrifice, and Justice

WORLD WAR II – On July 17, 1944, a naval cargo ship was being loaded with ammunition when it exploded at Port Chicago, California, destroying two Liberty ships and killing 320 men, the majority of whom were Black American Sailors working in racially-segregated divisions.

Following the explosion, White officers were granted time off, while the surviving Black Sailors were ordered to clean up the base, including the grisly task of recovering the remains of their fallen shipmates.

Protest

Just three weeks after the explosion, and before an official investigation could determine its cause, hundreds of Black American Sailors were ordered back to handling explosives with no additional safety measures or training. In an act of protest, 258 Sailors spontaneously objected, leading to 50 Sailors being charged with mutiny.

Future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, who was then a young civil rights attorney for the NAACP, attended the trial and publicly denounced the proceedings as unjust. His outspoken advocacy attracted widespread support for the Sailors which included First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. Nevertheless, the young men were convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Advocacy

Following the convictions, the NAACP and other organizations continued to advocate on behalf of the Sailors, gathering thousands of signatures demanding their release and an end to segregation in the military.

Marshall directly appealed the case to the Navy's Judge Advocate in Washington, D.C., and within months the Sailors were released from prison and reassigned to serve aboard ships at sea. Two months later, following intense public pressure, the Navy became the first branch of the military to end racial segregation.

Justice

In 2024, on the 80th anniversary of the Port Chicago disaster, the Navy officially exonerated the Port Chicago Sailors, clearing their records of all wrongdoing.

Heroes

Today, the Port Chicago Sailors are honored as civil rights heroes for protesting the injustices of Jim Crow segregation. Vice President Kamala Harris credited them with "pushing for change," noting that "their sacrifice was a catalyst for strides toward racial equity within the United States military."

The Sailors' heroism is honored throughout the San Francisco Bay Area at various parks, museums, and through a range of events and programs. Visit PortChicago50.com to learn more.