U.S. Navy Exonerates 256 Black Sailors Punished Unjustly in 1944 Port Explosion

In a long-overdue act of justice, the U.S. Navy has exonerated 256 Black sailors who were unjustly punished in 1944 following a devastating port explosion at the Port Chicago naval weapons station near San Francisco. The explosion, which occurred on July 17, 1944, killed 320 sailors and civilians, with nearly 75% of the victims being Black.

The Black sailors, who were primarily responsible for loading munitions onto cargo ships, had expressed concerns about the safety of the loading operations before the explosion. Despite their valid concerns, they were ordered to return to work without any improvements to their safety protocols. When they refused, citing the need for training on handling explosives safely, they were accused of mutiny and sent to prison.

Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro, in an interview with The Associated Press, acknowledged the injustice faced by the Black sailors, stating that there were numerous legal violations and inconsistencies in the proceedings that punished them. The decision to exonerate the sailors, who are now deceased, was made on the 80th anniversary of the Port Chicago disaster.

Thurgood Marshall, who later became the first Black justice on the Supreme Court, defended the sailors accused of mutiny. President Joe Biden praised the decision to exonerate the sailors as “righting a historic wrong,” acknowledging the courage they displayed in the face of immense danger.

The exonerations not only clear the names of the sailors but also restore their honor and acknowledge the systemic racism they faced in the military at the time. The Navy’s action to upgrade their discharges to honorable will allow surviving family members to seek past benefits owed to them. This long-awaited act of justice serves as a reminder of the ongoing fight against racial injustice and the importance of recognizing and rectifying past wrongs.