A Piece of Military and Civil Rights History: The Port Chicago Disaster
It was late at night on July 17, 1944, at the Port Chicago Naval Magazine, a munitions facility developed on Suisun Bay to support the war effort. Workers, mostly Black sailors who’d been given little training, were loading two merchant ships with 4,600 tons of explosives.
There were hundreds of workers on or near the pier when at 10:18 p.m., a series of violent explosions rocked the facility, killing 320 people. The ships were destroyed. Every building at Port Chicago was damaged. The blasts were felt as far away as Nevada. Smoke rose two miles into the air. It was, at the time, the largest known man-made explosion.
But it wasn’t just the explosion that made waves in history. Three weeks later, Black survivors of the disaster were ordered to Mare Island in Vallejo to continue loading munitions without being given training, and 258 of them refused. A modern examination concluded they were justified in disobeying, but 50 were convicted of mutiny and imprisoned.
The controversy over the case ultimately contributed to Harry Truman’s order to desegregate the military in 1948, but most of the men who were convicted would not live to see justice.
Sources/additional reading:
Visit the memorial: The Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial accepts visitors via reservations that must be made two weeks in advance. Visiting is allowed on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays. Click here for more information about visiting.
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National Heritage Area News
NHA Signs Going Up in the Delta
Three of 11 planned signs welcoming motorists to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta National Heritage have been installed – welcome recognition of the region’s importance.
“It just acknowledges what we’ve known, that the Delta is special place and it deserves recognition,” said Mario Moreno, chair of the Hood Community Council. “It’s beautiful, and it should be treasured and taken care of.”
Read about the signs in this article, which also includes an interactive map of all current and planned sign locations.
NHA Goals Set
The committee developing the management plan for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta National Heritage Area approved goals for the NHA in June.
“We are excited to make progress on the NHA management plan, but the real significance of this step is that the goals describe our vision of the future of the Delta,” said Blake Roberts, the Delta Protection Commission program manager overseeing development of the National Heritage Area.
You can read more about the five goals set by the committee here.
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Upcoming Meetings – CANCELED
Update: The July 13 Delta NHA Advisory Committee has been canceled. The notice for the August 3 meeting will be posted on the same page no later than July 24.
Exhibits, Events, and Classes
“Chinese in Agriculture: Levees, Asparagus and Bayside Cannery” is one of the lectures offered this fall at Los Medanos College.
Events
Lodi Vines Celebration – TODAY
The San Joaquin County Historical Museum presents “Lodi Vines: Past, Present, & Future,” a celebration of Lodi’s wine and grape industry, at 5:30 p.m. today (July 11) at the San Joaquin County Historical Museum. (SOLD OUT)
Clarksburg Schoolhouse Birthday Party – July 16
This year marks a milestone in the history of the Clarksburg Schoolhouse: its 140th birthday. The Clarksburg Schoolhouse 140th Birthday Party includes appetizers, wines, silent auction and live music from 3 to 6 p.m.
Dutra Museum Foundation Golf Tournament – August 21
The 7th annual golf tournament benefiting the Dutra Museum Foundation will be held on August 21. Follow the Dutra Museum Foundation for more details. (SOLD OUT)
Vallejo Museum Gala – Sept. 9
The Vallejo Museum’s annual gala celebrates Vallejo music through the decades. Event, which runs from 5 to 9 p.m., includes full dinner, cocktail bar, DJ music and performance by Vallejo musicians. Buy tickets here.
Training and Classes
California Office of Historic Preservation, Section 106 Training
The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and California Office of Historic Preservation are holding two, in-person training courses on compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. On July 12, there will be a day-long training on the Section 106 essentials. On July 13, there will be an additional course on how to build agreement and documents for Section 106 consultation. Find out more on the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation’s website.
Los Medanos College Lifelong Learning Lectures – September through December
The Los Medanos College’s Lifelong Learning Center has posted its fall lecture series, which includes several lectures by Carol Jensen, local historian and Delta NHA Advisory Committee member.
Lecture offerings include:
- “Chinese in Agriculture: Levees, Asparagus and Bayside Cannery” (9/19)
- “Death at the Healing Waters” – about the Byron Hot Springs Resort’s history (9/28)
- “Traditional Lifeways of Indigenous Peoples in East Contra Costa and the Delta” (10/10)
- “Water Wars: Water History of California to the Delta Tunnels” (12/19).
Lectures are held in Brentwood, Pittsburg, and Oakland. Enrollment at Los Medanos is not required, but you must register in advance (classes fill quickly) at the Los Medanos College website.
Museum Exhibits
East Contra Costa Historical Museum Open – Ongoing through October
The East Contra Costa Historical Society Museum opened for the season on April 1. The Museum will remain open on Saturdays and the third Sunday of each month through October. Learn more about the East Contra Costa Historical Museum.
Uprooted: an American Story, Bridging the Past and the Present – Ongoing
The California Museum’s revised signature exhibit remains open. This fully rebuilt, technology-enhanced exhibit focuses on the mass incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII and explores how they responded to their forced removal and incarceration. It also highlights Japanese Americans’ ongoing efforts to ensure no other groups experience similar civil rights violations. Learn more on the California Museum website.
Grant Opportunities
National Park Service, Underrepresented Communities Grant Program
This program supports the survey, inventory, and designation of historic properties that are associated with communities currently underrepresented in the National Register of Historic Places and among National Historic Landmarks. Applications are due by July 18.For more information and to apply, visit the National Park Service website.
Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency, CDBG Program
The Housing and Redevelopment Agency is soliciting proposals for eligible public facility improvement activities under the Community Development Block Grant Program.
The maximum award is $100,000. Non-profits are eligible. Projects must be located in the city of Sacramento and serve a CDBG-eligible low-income population.
Request for Proposals will be available after 4 p.m. July 17 on OpenGov Bids – a link that will not work until availability begins.
There will be a pre-proposal meeting Aug. 2 at 9 a.m. via zoom; register in advance for the meeting here. Proposals are due no later than 2 p.m. Sept. 15, 2023.
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