October 9th, 1944. In California, 50 U.S. sailors are on trial for the Navy’s most serious crime, mutiny. It’s a rarely used charge, yet these 50 sailors—all of whom are Black—face the death penalty if convicted. But today, their chances of a fair trial get a little better.
Thurgood Marshall enters the courtroom. He is the lead attorney for the NAACP, and believes that this trial is a direct result of ongoing segregation and racism in the U.S. military. Knowing the odds are against him, Marshall will do everything he can to prevent a miscarriage of justice.
Today, the Port Chicago Mutiny. Why did 50 Black sailors working on the homefront get charged with a capital crime? And with Thurgood Marshall on their side, will justice prevail in the courtroom?
Special thanks to Matthew Delmont, professor of history at Dartmouth College and author of [Half American: The Epic Story of African Americans Fighting World War II at Home and Abroad] (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/624655/half-american-by-matthew-f-delmont/) ; and Steve Sheinkin, author of [The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny, and the Fight for Civil Rights] (https://www.amazon.com/Port-Chicago-50-Disaster-Mutiny/dp/1250073499) .
To stay updated: [historythisweekpodcast.com] (An%20American%20Mutiny%20in%20WWII%20%20October%209th,%201944.%20In%20California,%2050%20U.S.%20sailors%20are%20on%20trial%20for%20the%20Navy%E2%80%99s%20most%20serious%20crime,%20mutiny.%20It%E2%80%99s%20a%20rarely%20used%20charge,%20yet%20these%2050%20sailors%E2%80%94all%20of%20whom%20are%20Black%E2%80%94face%20the%20death%20penalty%20if%20convicted.%20But%20today,%20their%20chances%20get%20a%20little%20better.%20%20%20Thurgood%20Marshall%20enters%20the%20courtroom.%20He%20is%20the%20lead%20attorney%20for%20the%20NAACP,%20and%20believes%20that%20this%20trial%20is%20a%20direct%20result%20of%20ongoing%20segregation%20and%20racism%20in%20the%20U.S.%20military.%20Knowing%20the%20odds%20are%20against%20him,%20Marshall%20will%20do%20everything%20he%20can%20to%20prevent%20a%20miscarriage%20of%20justice.%20%20Today,%20the%20Port%20Chicago%20Mutiny.%20Why%20did%2050%20Black%20sailors%20working%20on%20the%20homefront%20get%20charged%20with%20a%20capital%20crime?%20And%20do%20they%20ultimately%20see%20justice%20prevail?%20%20Special%20thanks%20to%20Matthew%20Delmont,%20professor%20of%20history%20at%20Dartmouth%20College%20and%20author%20of%20Half%20American:%20The%20Epic%20Story%20of%20African%20Americans%20Fighting%20World%20War%20II%20at%20Home%20and%20Abroad;%20and%20Steve%20Sheinkin,%20author%20of%20The%20Port%20Chicago%2050:%20Disaster,%20Mutiny,%20and%20the%20Fight%20for%20Civil%20Rights.%20%20To%20stay%20updated:%20historythisweekpodcast.com)
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