San Francisco, California – On October 24, 2024, Treasure Island Museum, in partnership with the Treasure Island Development Group, Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial, East Bay Regional Park District, Treasure Island Development Authority, and Hood Design Studio, unveiled the only permanent monument dedicated to the Port Chicago 50 that is fully accessible to the public.
The dedication ceremony took place in Panorama Park on Yerba Buena Island, where the permanent panels were revealed. Carol Cherry and Deborah Sheppard, daughters of Port Chicago Sailor Cyril Sheppard, were honored to unveil the panels after hearing from speakers representing Treasure Island Museum, the National Park Service, Naval History and Heritage Command, Contra Costa County Bar Association, Port Chicago Alliance, and Friends of Port Chicago National Memorial.
Walt Bilofsky, Vice President of Treasure Island Museum, played a key role in locating the original site of the mutiny trial on Yerba Buena Island, just 300 feet below the new monument. Bilofsky spoke on the significance of the mutiny trial as an early milestone in the civil rights movement:
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"There was racism, there was Jim Crow, but by finding those men guilty of mutiny, the Navy put fifty faces on it. As Thurgood Marshall tried to get the verdict overturned, he and the NAACP were able to get public attention by talking about these victims of unfair treatment. And that's exactly what the mutiny pamphlet did. The pamphlet interwove the improprieties of the trial with the humanity of a number of the men. The pamphlet was a focus of Marshall's and the NAACP's publicity campaign, which created widespread awareness of racism in the Navy, and was a major factor in desegregation.
"It's terrible that the men and their families suffered so much, but had the Navy not overreached and charged and convicted the fifty of mutiny, that campaign never would have happened. That widespread awareness of racism would not have been created. And that's why the trial was such a turning point."
At the ceremony, Dr. Tyler Bamford of Naval History & Hertitage Command emphasized the importance of remembrance and justice, stating:
- "In order to truly right past wrongs, it is not enough to change the record. We must also ensure that the stories of those who suffered and died because of unjust policies are remembered. This monument will do just that by serving as a permanent reminder to all who see it. And when visitors come here, I hope that they do not just read the words on these panels, but that they also feel the significance of this place and reflect that on this very island, Black US Navy sailors stood up for their rights."
The panels are located at San Francisco's newest park, Panorama Park, located on Yerba Buena Road on Yerba Buena Island, San Francisco, California. ⋆