Friends of Port Chicago

Few people today know of the Port Chicago events and how they have indirectly impacted the lives of Americans. As for the survivors the memory of the terrible explosion cannot be erased. The families of men who died suffered the irreplaceable loss of a son, husband, father, or brother. For the Navy and the nation a reluctant step toward racial equality was compelled. If we are to learn from the past, it is necessary to recover and remember this important part of the nation’s history.

With publication of a book, newspaper and magazine articles, and the release of several documentaries and films, interest in the Port Chicago story has grown. In 1999 President Clinton issued a pardon to one of the only surviving convicted sailors.

Most recently, a campaign for remembrance and justice has gained widespread public support.

Many persons have expressed support for the campaign. Congressman George Miller has taken the lead in this campaign, characterizing the mutiny trial as “a miscarriage of justice based on the racism of the time.” Miller is working for exoneration of the convicted sailors., and is now taking the lead to establish a permanent Port Chicago National Memorial to be administered by the National Park Service.