Bibliographic Information:
Title: The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny, and the Fight for Civil Rights
Author: Steve Sheinkin
ISBN: 9781250073495
Publisher: Square Fish, New York
Copyright Date: 2012
Genre: Nonfiction
Format: Print Book/eBook
Awards/Honors:
National Book Award Finalist
YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction Finalist
School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
Reading Level/Interest Level: Ages 12+
Plot Summary:
In World War II the US military was segregated - brave Black Americans signed up to fight for their country, but instead were given menial labor tasks domestically instead of being sent abroad to fight. One such case was the men who worked at the Port Chicago naval base in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area - they were tasked with loading military boats and barges with bombs to be used in the fight in the Pacific, but were given no training on how to properly handle the devices. White soldiers had been given months worth of training in safety, but when those concerns were brought up leadership claimed that the Black soldiers were too dumb to understand the training - ergo they did not need it. One night proved that they did - and the aftermath represents the issues with segregation and Civil Rights that had already been brewing in the United States. The Port Chicago 50 displays what happens when segregation, civil rights, and war time all collide.
Author Background:
Steve Sheinkin started as an author of things children unanimously hate - textbooks. Since then he has changed his ways and has written novels that (he hopes) children actually enjoy. As a Newbery honor winner, Sheinkin has written a multitude of books that have won various awards and accolades (including this one). While grateful for his time as a history textbook writer, due to the fact it made him write every single day which then made his writing improve over time, he is happy to have moved onto the stories that he wants to tell. Sheinkin largely writes nonfiction, but has been dabbling into graphic novels as of late. He has two books planned to come out in 2025, and another in 2026 (About)!
Critical Evaluation:
I wish there was more: the book is only 170 pages long, which is long enough for the story of the Port Chicago disaster and aftermath to be told, but I wish there was more context. I suppose I am griping about this for two reasons - one, I love history and think there should always be more told, and two, I am from the Port Chicago area, and this was a history that was never told to me, ergo I feel it is important and needs to be talked about more. Outside of my own wishes and wants, The Port Chicago 50 was amazing. It tells the story of the event and aftermath through first hand accounts, cites the sources used, and gives some perspective of what life was like for Black Americans in the military and the country up to that point.
Although I may wish the book was longer, I could see the appeal of it for a young adult who may need to read a book about history but does not want to commit to a 300+ page book, leaving The Port Chicago 50 at the perfect length (I believe a good book is a good book, no matter the length). The hardest part of this book may be keeping all of the key players' names straight inside of your head, but after a while that becomes easier as the same voices continue to be the ones to speak up. Overall, this book shows a history that is rarely talked about but was incredibly important in the history of the United States and the military, and still sees repercussions to this day.
Creative Use for a Library Program:
For me, the Port Chicago disaster is a local history that seems to have largely been forgotten in history classes. Due to this, I want to have a library program where young adults work on their research skills by trying to find local history that they may have never been taught. Going to local museums, archives, or even just that section of the library would be a way to help their critical thinking and research skills while also telling them the local history that did not make it into their national textbook.
Speed-Round Book Talk or Short Book Trailer:
On July 17th, 1944 an explosion at Port Chicago naval base killed 320 service men and injured hundreds more. When the men were ordered to go back to work just days later, many of them refused due to safety concerns. 50 of those men were tried in a court for mutiny - and found guilty. It is argued that if those servicemen had been white they would have been seen as heroes, but since they were Black Americans fighting for their rights amidst segregation, well.. Things didn't go as well for them.
Potential Challenge Issues and Defense Preparation:
The Port Chicago 50 could certainly face challenge issues because of the fact that it shows faults within the military, especially with segregation. People could find issue with this because to them it could be seen as critical race theory, but in reality it is simply the truth of what happened. Part of defending this book would be to say that this is simply part of history and if it makes people uncomfortable then they simply do not need to read it.
Reason for Inclusion:
This is the oldest book that has been chosen for the assignment, but personally I needed to include this piece of history to both expand my nonfiction section, but also to have more local history within my collection. This is a major event that happened in the East Bay, yet it is often overlooked even by local history buffs - including it is necessary to make sure that the story of the Port Chicago 50 is not forgotten.
References:
(n.d.). About. Steve Sheinkin. https://www.stevesheinkin.com/about
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