Vivid and compelling, The Port Chicago 50 tells the story of fifty African American sailors in a strictly segregated U.S. Navy who stood up for their humanity and were charged with mutiny. In 1944, these servicemen peacefully refused to continue loading warships with bombs and ammunition under dangerously unsafe conditions. Exploring the national attitudes and personal histories behind this small, powerful act and its aftermath, Steve Sheinkin brilliantly illuminates a dim corner of American experience. (National Book Award Foundation)
National Book Award Finalist 2014
"Hazardous Duty : 'The Port Chicago 50' by Steve Sheinkin" book review by Sarah Henderson Smith in The New York Times February 26, 2014.