A remembrance walk in Vallejo honored African American sailors killed in the Port Chicago disaster. The 1944 explosion and its aftermath helped spark a national conversation on segregation, with the sailors’ resistance paving the way for desegregation in the U.S. military.

Vallejo

A remembrance walk was held in Vallejo, California, to honor the African American sailors known as the Port Chicago 50, who were involved in the aftermath of the Port Chicago disaster during World War II. The event, organized by the Port Chicago Alliance, combined birdwatching with historical education and aimed to make history accessible and inclusive.

The Port Chicago disaster was a deadly explosion at an ammunition depot that killed over 300 servicemen. Following the incident, 50 African American sailors refused to return to unsafe working conditions and were subsequently convicted. Their protest played a significant role in the desegregation of the U.S. Navy. The remembrance event was moved to Lake Dalwick Park for accessibility and safety, with hopes to return to the original memorial site in the future.

Remembrance walk for African American sailors

New attend several events taking place in the Bay Area this weekend in remembrance of the Port Chicago disaster, a devastating explosion during World War II that killed hundreds of soldiers. 50 black soldiers were also convicted for refusing to return to those unsafe working conditions. KTVU's Aaron Dickens joining us in studio tonight after attending one of those events in Vallejo. Aaron. Christina, good evening. It's a unique combination. You can see it right behind me. Birdwatching and learning about history. That is what this event was all about, and it had a special meaning. As ever since I became a birder myself, I've always known the importance of showing birding is accessible to black people to Julian loves bird watching not only because of the animals, but because of its rich history in our country. Being able to tie that to environmental justice and events like Port Chicago that showcase black people advocating Port Chicago was an ammunition loading depot in the Bay Area during World War Two. Service members loaded ammunition into ships in unsafe conditions. In July of 1944, a massive explosion killed more than 300 servicemen. 50 African American sailors refused to go back to work in these dangerous conditions. They are called the Port Chicago 50. They led the way for history. They did. They did. Yeah, just a matter of doing it ourselves. Now the Walk of Remembrance was held at Lake Dalwick Park. It was one of several events organized by the Port Chicago Alliance this weekend, highlighting the history. It changed everything. It desegregated the Navy. It started there and then it moved forward with the armed services. And Padmore also says those sailors even protested here on Rider Street in Vallejo. Back then, they were originally going to have the walk here on Rider Street, about a half a mile from the lake. This is where the plaque is in memory of the Port Chicago 50. But Padmore says she moved the event to the park because of this nearby homeless encampment on Rider Street and trespassing alarms going off near the plaque. My concern mostly is if if we have descendants or we're bringing, we're inviting folks into the city of Vallejo, just creating an inviting space. Padmore hopes to hold an event at the plaque next year. And when it comes to supporting history, Julian hopes more people will follow. It's just important to keep history like that alive, especially during this time. And the Port Chicago Alliance has several events planned this weekend. Check out their website, Port Chicago Alliance dot org. I'm in the studio tonight. Aaron Dickens, Christina, back to you, Aaron. Thank you for that report.

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