The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny, and the Fight for Civil Rights
By Michael Berry,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Little-known disaster gets overdue, in-depth treatment.
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What you will—and won't—find in this book.
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What's the Story?
On July 17, 1944, a massive explosion rocked Port Chicago on San Francisco Bay, where ships were being loaded with bombs and ammunition for American troops in the Pacific. The surviving African American sailors were ordered to resume business as usual, but more than 200 refused, insisting that the work was too dangerous and should not be limited only to African American servicemen. Eventually, 50 sailors were court-martialed on mutiny charges. What could they do to avoid facing a firing squad?
Is It Any Good?
THE PORT CHICAGO 50 does an excellent job of spotlighting an important yet little-known incident from World War II. Author Steve Sheinkin provides a concise history of segregation in the U.S. armed forces, providing a clear context for the work stoppage at Port Chicago. He smoothly weaves together information from trial transcripts, newspaper articles, and oral histories to devise a well-researched, compelling account of an incident that played a key role in ending segregation in the military.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about segregation and what effect it had on the lives of African Americans in the South and elsewhere. Why do you think it took so long to integrate the U.S. armed forces?
How do you like the author's use of trial transcripts, newspaper articles, and oral history to tell the story of the Port Chicago 50? Does that kind of material help the history come alive?
During World War II, how were incidents of racism reported differently in the African American press and in the mainstream press?
Book Details
- Author: Steve Sheinkin
- Genre: History
- Topics: Activism, Friendship, History
- Book type: Non-Fiction
- Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
- Publication date: January 21, 2014
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 10 - 14
- Number of pages: 208
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Award: ALA Best and Notable Books
- Last updated: October 30, 2020
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