On July 17, 1944, a devastating explosion rocked the Port Chicago Naval Magazine near Concord, California, killing 320 people. The explosion was one of the deadliest of World War II and occurred while African American sailors were loading munitions under hazardous conditions. Most of those who died were Black sailors who had been relegated to the most dangerous tasks within the military during the war.

But the explosion was not the only tragedy. In the aftermath, 50 African American sailors—known as the PORT CHICAGO 50—were charged with mutiny for protesting the unsafe working conditions that led to the explosion. Their courageous stand for their own safety and dignity would spark a national debate over racial inequality and civil rights, and their fight for justice would ECHO through history.

The case of the Port Chicago 50 remained largely ignored for decades, but the fight to clear their names was far from over. Over time, civil rights leaders, family members, and supporters rallied to get the men exonerated, arguing that they were victims of racial injustice. Public pressure, along with a growing awareness of their sacrifice, led to a renewed effort to overturn their convictions.

In 1999, after years of advocacy, the U.S. Navy officially acknowledged the wrongful convictions of the Port Chicago 50. The sailors were posthumously exonerated, and their courageous actions were recognized as a pivotal moment in the fight for racial equality in the military. In 2009, Congress issued a formal apology for the military’s treatment of the sailors.