Fact-based story about 300 predominantly black sailors who were killed on July 17, 1944 while loading munitions on a ship in San Francisco. Three weeks later, 50 survivors were court-martialed for refusing to load another shipment. The men cited the Navy's lack of care for their safety.
Acting
Michael Jai White delivers quiet, burning dignity.
Writing
Sharp courtroom exchanges that expose systemic racism.
Director
Kevin Hooks
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The real Port Chicago 50 were never officially exonerated by the Navy — only pardoned by the Secretary of the Navy in 1999, the same year this film aired.
This was one of the only mainstream depictions of the disaster until 2014; the 1944 explosion was the deadliest home-front disaster of WWII.
US
