Labor Struggles that Helped Spark the Civil Rights Movement : Indybay

Labor Day 2011

Labor Struggles that Helped Spark the Civil Rights Movement

Forgotten Industrial and Labor History of Mare Island and Port Chicago

An illustrated talk by Michael Daly

The now partially abandoned naval yards at Mare Island and Port Chicago were once abuzz with the toil of some 50,000 workers building ships and supplying the Pacific Front during World War II. On July 17, 1944 some 5000 tons of munitions exploded in Port Chicago, killing 320 sailors, mostly African Americans, as they were loading the merchant marine ship SS E. A. Bryan. Following the worst home-front disaster of the war and fearing for their lives, 258 African American sailors refused to load munitions. The incident was a significant factor in initiating the Civil Rights Movement.

Michael Daly, who formerly worked in the structural steel industry, is a labor historian, a planner for LaborFest, and a citizen activist for the conversion of abandoned military and industrial installations to beneficial civilian use.

Donation: $5-10 (no one turned away)

Labor Struggles that Helped Spark the Civil Rights Movement
Date	Monday August 29
Time	7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
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Location Details
San Jose Peace and Justice Center 48 South 7th Street San Jose, CA 95112
Event Type	Speaker
Organizer/Author	San Jose Peace and Justice Center
Email	sjpjc [at] sanjosepeace.org
Phone	408-297-2299
Address	48 South 7th Street, San Jose, CA 95112
Labor Day 2011 Labor Struggles that Helped Spark the Civil Rights Movement Forgotten Industrial and Labor History of Mare Island and Port Chicago An illustrated talk by Michael Daly The now partially abandoned naval yards at Mare Island and Port Chicago were once abuzz with the toil of some 50,000 workers building ships and supplying the Pacific Front during World War II. On July 17, 1944 some 5000 tons of munitions exploded in Port Chicago, killing 320 sailors, mostly African Americans, as they were loading the merchant marine ship SS E. A. Bryan. Following the worst home-front disaster of the war and fearing for their lives, 258 African American sailors refused to load munitions. The incident was a significant factor in initiating the Civil Rights Movement. Michael Daly, who formerly worked in the structural steel industry, is a labor historian, a planner for LaborFest, and a citizen activist for the conversion of abandoned military and industrial installations to beneficial civilian use. Donation: $5-10 (no one turned away) original image (610x780) For more event information: http://www.sanjosepeace.org Added to the calendar on Monday Aug 15th, 2011 4:53 PM

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