Military Background

The Port Chicago Disaster:

​​​​​​​Communicating the Racial Injustice in the Armed Forces

Military Background

Randolp's letter to the NAACP  (Source) Library of Congress

On December 8, 1941, after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, America joined WWII in the fight against the Axis powers. African-American activist, A. Philip Randolp, threatened to organize a rally to protest segregation and discrimination in the Armed-Forces. In response, Roosevelt passed Executive Order 8802 declaring “There shall be no discrimination in the employment of workers in defense industries and in Government, because of race, creed, color, or national origin.” ​​​​​​​

Executive Order 8802   (Source)Our Documents 

Black sailors unloading
​​​​​​​munition from boxcars 

(Source) National Park Service

White supervisor watching black sailors
​​​​​​​loading heavy munitions  ​​​​​​​

(Source) Berkley News

However, segregation persevered in the military. African-Americans were in segregated units, barracks, hospitals, blood-banks, and received less pay. Commanding officers and white peers would also abuse and harass African-American soldiers. ​​​​​​​

(Source) National Park Service

"No, no training... It was just back breaking labor."
~ Joe Small, Port Chicago 50

"Everybody was scared. If somebody dropped a box or slammed a door, people [began] jumping around like crazy."
~ Percy Robinson, Port Chicago 50

"We were pushed. The officers used to pit one division against the other. I often heard them over what division was beating the others."
~ Joe Small, Port Chicago 50

"They made a terrible sound. Sometimes you thought they'd explode. You'd almost have a heart attack to hear those bombs hitting together. It was the goodness of God that they didn't. I'd ask the lieutenant about it and he'd say, 'Don't worry."
~ Freddie Meeks, Port Chicago 50

(Source) National Park Service

Workers handling munitions  (Source) Naval History and Heritage Command

African-American History
The Explosion