WSSN Stories

Sacramento, CA – Assemblymember Holden was joined by Senator Bradford to host a reception sponsored by the Congressional Legislative Black Caucus to present a resolution honoring Michael “Coop” Cooper, a 12-year Los Angeles Laker and the only player in Lakers franchise history to win the NBA defensive player of the year award, following his recent induction into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame. Coop never forgot his hometown community of Pasadena where he was raised and is always willing to return and give back. His athletic achievements extend beyond his five NBA Championships and into coaching, mentorship, and philanthropy.

“As a former SDSU Aztec basketball was my first love, and so it gives me great pleasure to honor a player who has not only transformed the game on many levels but also served as a leader from the sidelines. Coop is well deserving of his many accolades and continues to serve as an example of sportsmanship, leadership, talent, and service. On behalf of the CLBC and the State Assembly, I congratulate him on this momumentus achievement!” said Assemblymember Holden.

Drafted by the Lakers in the 1978 NBA draft, Coop became an integral part of the legendary “Showtime” teams of the 1980s, during which time he contributed his defensive skills, playmaking abilities, and shooting prowess alongside future NBA hall-of-famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, and James Worthy as the Lakers won NBA championships in 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, and 1988. After retiring as an NBA player in 1990 and playing a season in Italian professional basketball, Coop returned to the Lakers as Special Assistant to General Manager Jerry West for three years before joining the coaching staff in 1994. He then went on to serve as head coach of the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), earning WNBA Coach of the Year honors in 2000 and leading the team to its WNBA championship victories in 2001 and 2002.

Over the ensuing years, he has served as a head coach or assistant coach for various professional teams and several educational institutions, including the University of Southern California women’s basketball team, Chadwick School’s boys’ varsity basketball team, and Culver City High School’s basketball program, before being named assistant head coach for the men’s basketball team at California State. The reception took place Monday, August 5, 2024 at the California Museum.

By Lou K. Coleman | WSS News Contributor

“Alert! A deadly tornado is approaching; one that the world has never seen. If you are outside of My Protection, get under My Umbrella NOW or you will likewise perish.” [Psalm 91]. This is a very specialized, very particular warning to those living without Me. Get under My Umbrella NOW! For “I will keep you from all harm—I will watch over your life; I will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” [Psalms 121:7-8]. “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” [Isaiah 43:2]. “I will command My angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands, they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.” [Psalm 91:11-12]. Get under My Umbrella NOW! There is no more time to waste. A deadly tornado is approaching. You’ve Been Warned! Do Not Delay!

You know, throughout the Bible, tornadoes are associated with Divine Judgment and the Consequences of Disobedience. They serve as manifestations of God’s Wrath and a call for Repentance, as seen in the flood during Noah’s time and the plagues in Egypt. I plead with you, please, get under the Umbrella of God. Do it quickly, without delay, and do it without looking back knowing that the final days before the return of Christ will be the greatest period of distress in world history. Nothing before or after will be like it. If you take all the trauma of all the wars of all the ages and add to it the damage done by all the earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, tornadoes, tidal waves, snowstorms, sandstorms, droughts, epidemics, and all the genocide from the beginning of time until the present. All of it together will not equal the suffering of the final months and years before the coming of the Lord. As terrible as things have been, the worst is yet to come. Get under the Umbrella of the Almighty God NOW without delay. Because what is predestined to happen will happen soon and very soon. Matter of fact, it has already begun. Just look around you. I tell you; the night is far gone; the day is at hand: [Romans 13:12]. If you want to be saved from what is coming, you must ACT NOW!  For the Bible says that perilous times will come, and those times are here. The days are numbered, and you need to be ready. [2 Timothy 3:1].

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is My Refuge and My Fortress; My God, in Him I will trust. Surely, He shall deliver me from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover me with His feathers, and under His wings I shall take refuge; His truth shall be my shield and buckler. I will not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at my side, and ten thousand at my right hand; but it shall not come near me. Because I have made the LORD, who is My Refuge, even the Most High, my dwelling place, no evil shall befall me, nor shall any plague come near my dwelling; For He shall give His angels charge over me, to keep me in all of my ways. I shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, the young lion and the serpent I shall trample them under under my foot. Because I have set my love upon God, therefore He will deliver me; He has set me on high, because I have known His name. I shall call upon Him, and He will answer me; He will be with me in trouble; He will deliver me and honor me. [Psalms 91: 1-15].

No weapon formed against me shall prosper, it won’t work. God will do what He said He would do. He will stand by His word, and He will come through. He’s not a man that He should lie. [No Weapon – Fred Hammond].

Get under the Umbrella of God NOW, a Deadly Tornado is approaching. Thus, saith the Lord!

By Joe W. Bowers Jr. | California Black Media

Since Pres. Joe Biden decided not to seek re-election, Donald Trump has struggled to find his footing in a campaign that was previously geared toward attacking Biden’s age and fitness.

His performance at the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Convention last week highlighted his inability to redefine his new opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump’s comments, particularly his questioning of Harris’s racial identity, failed to resonate with the audience and underscored his reliance on divisive rhetoric.

Trump’s response to Harris’s candidacy has focused on personal attacks rather than her record or Biden’s policies. He has used nicknames like “Laffin Kamala, Lying Kamala, and Phony Kamala” and he has concentrated on her race — her father is Black Jamaican, and her mother is East Asian Indian.

At the NABJ convention, Trump clashed with a panel of Black women journalists, accusing Harris of “switching her race” to gain political advantage. “She was always of Indian heritage, and she was only promoting Indian heritage. I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago when she turned Black, and now she wants to be known as Black?”, Trump claimed.

This approach, intended to sow doubt about Harris’s authenticity, instead highlighted Trump’s persistent use of racially charged rhetoric. His failure to adequately address issues relevant to the Black community, such as the rising cost of living, small business support, maternal mortality, voting rights, and police reform, further alienated the NABJ audience.

Trump’s inability to adapt is also evident in his decision to cancel the Sept. 10 ABC Presidential debate, insisting on a new format with Fox News. This reflects his difficulty in keeping up with Harris’s campaign momentum. He characterized Harris’s rise as a “coup” within the Democratic Party, as he struggles to address her ascent effectively.

Harris, who attended Howard University, a historically Black university (HBCU), and is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA), a Black sorority, has been measured in responding to Trump’s divisiveness. At a Sigma Gamma Rho sorority event in Houston, she stated, “The American people deserve better. The American people deserve a leader who tells the truth. A leader who does not respond with hostility and anger when confronted with the facts.”

Harris, as a multiracial American, has the ability to “code-switch”—a skill many people of color use to navigate various cultural environments and connect with diverse audiences. This skill allows her to authentically engage with different communities, whether she is rigorously questioning Supreme Court nominees, addressing issues at historically Black colleges and universities, or hosting Diwali celebrations. Code-switching is not about deceit but about adapting communication styles to resonate with different groups, a testament to her versatility and relatability.

Trump’s inability to grasp this concept underscores his disconnect from the experiences of people of color and multiracial Americans. Instead of recognizing code-switching as a valuable skill, Trump has tried to frame it as deceitful. This tactic plays into a broader narrative Trump has pushed that questions the authenticity of people who do not fit into a narrow, often racially homogenous, mold. By framing Harris’s multifaceted identity and her ability to adapt her communication as something suspect, Trump reveals his limited understanding of the complex and dynamic nature of American identity.

In contrast to Trump, Harris’ campaign is focused on issues resonating with a broad spectrum of voters, such as voting rights, women’s reproductive freedoms, and economic inequalities. Her message of inclusivity and progress stands in stark contrast to Trump’s attempts to rekindle fears of a changing America. She has even begun defending her border record, releasing a video framing her as pro-border security.

Trump’s reliance on racially charged rhetoric reinforces his image as a candidate stuck in the past. Harris can use Trump’s attacks to her advantage by staying focused on her message of unity and progress.

Harris’ campaign mentioning the “weirdness” and outdated nature of Trump’s worldview may prove effective. She is presenting herself as the candidate of the future. This framing helps her cast Trump and his allies as out-of-touch with modern American values as she and her surrogates point out the rollback of rights spelled out in the ultra-conservative Project 2025 agenda, which includes proposals to restrict voting rights, undermine reproductive freedoms, weaken environmental protections and rewrite parts of the Constitution, such as the 14th Amendment which grants citizenship rights.

As we approach the November election, we can expect the contrast to become starker between Trump’s provocative rhetoric that yearns for a return to an ambiguous bygone era of American greatness and Harris’ upbeat message that imagines a unified, forward-looking, stronger America where our diversity is an asset.

In an increasingly multi-racial and multi-cultural America where there are tendencies to focus on the concerns that divide us, it is incumbent on both candidates to build their candidacies on a commitment to inspire voters to collectively pursue the best possibilities for our country and for all Americans.

We are all in this together.

By Lou K. Coleman | WSS News Contributor

I don’t know whether you know this or not, but EVERY TIME the Bible has predicted a future event, it happened EXACTLY as Scripture said it would. Please don’t wait until it’s too late to repent and give your life to Jesus for [Luke 21:26] says that people’s hearts would faint and fail when they see what’s happening “on the earth.” He said there will be distress, dismay, anguish and great fear, because of “those things which are coming on the earth.” And I tell you, there are antisemitic signs all around us, showing that the end is near. [Luke 21:20].

Oh, how I wish we would all be ready! Because while they are saying, ‘Peace and safety!’ as [1 Thessalonians 5:3] says, then destruction will come upon us suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and we will not escape.” Not only that, “Wars, earthquakes, and famines will escalate” until the end of the Antichrist’s 3.5-year reign, when he will enter a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem and proclaim himself to be God and demand worship [2 Thessalonians 2:4; Matthew 24:15].

Then after that, [another 3.5 years], Jesus predicted, “For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. Untold loss of life and destruction of the earth will occur during the Great Tribulation. Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.” [Matthew 24:21-22] Oh, how I wish we would all be ready!

John records the battle this way: “And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon [Satan] and out of the mouth of the beast [the Antichrist] and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs; for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty…” [Revelation 16:13–16]. Oh, how I wish that we would all be ready because the above events are not speculations or possibilities – they are what will take place in the future for the Bible has never once been wrong.

As Peter asks, given the truth of these prophecies: “Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be…because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!” [2 Peter 3:11–12].

I tell you we are closer to the Rapture and the Tribulation than ever before. If you do not repent and get under the umbrella of the Almighty God, you will be sorry. Don’t ignore the opportunity to get right with God because He is your ONLY ESCAPE!

As Larry Norman said in his song, [I Wish We’d All Been Ready]. “Life was filled with guns and war and all of us got trampled on the floor. I wish we’d all been ready. The children died; the days grew cold.
I wish we’d all been ready. There’s no time to change your mind the son has come, and you’ve been left behind…How could you have been so blind? A man and wife asleep in bed she hears a noise and turns her head, he’s gone, I wish we’d all be ready. Two men walking up a hill one disappears and one’s left standing still, I wish we’d all been ready. There’s no time to change your mind, the Son has come, and you’ve been left behind. You’ve been left behind. You’ve been left behind. You’ve been left behind. You’ve been left behind!”

By Manny Otiko | California Black Media  

Rumors circulating on social media about Vice President Kamala Harris’s family, interests, politics, temperament, love life, beliefs and more did not begin when President Joe Biden dropped out of the race for the U.S. presidency last month and endorsed her candidacy.

However, a steady flow of disinformation has followed that announcement, including questions about her academic achievements. Harris’s life is under the microscope as more facts about her childhood and adult life surface in the national conversation.

As we dig through what’s true and not about the character and past of the woman who could be the next President of the United States, here are 10 little-known facts that give us more insight into her personality, past and private life.

1. Harris is named after the Hindu deity Lakshmi. The name “Kamala” means lotus in Sanskrit.
2. Her immediate family life is culturally diverse and so is her family background. Her mother was from India and her father is from Jamaica. She’s married to Doug Emhoff, who is Jewish. From the ages of 3 to 5, Harris lived on the west side of Madison, Wisconsin. She also lived in Champaign, Illinois and briefly lived in Canada as a child.
3. Harris is part of a blended family. She is a co-parent to her husband’s two children, who call her “Momala.” Harris’ parenting abilities were praised by Emhoff’s ex-wife. “For over 10 years, since Cole and Ella were teenagers, Kamala has been a co-parent with Doug and I,” said Kerstin Emhoff in a statement to CNN. “She is loving, nurturing, fiercely protective, and always present. I love our blended family and am grateful to have her in it.” Harris’ stepchildren also called her a “third parent.”
4. Harris has a record for breaking barriers according to Biography.com. She was the first woman district attorney in San Francisco, and the first African American woman to serve as California Attorney General. She’s also the first woman to serve as Vice President. Will she be the first woman to serve as Commander-in-Chief.
5. Harris has activism in her DNA. Her parents took her to civil rights marches when she was a child. According to Harris’ own accounts, she and her sister, Maya, protested their Montreal apartment’s policy of banning children from playing on the lawn. Also, her Indian maternal grandfather was an activist for women’s rights.
6. Harris was born at the height of the civil rights movement and experienced some of the huge societal changes common during that era. She was bused as part of Berkeley Schools’ desegregation program.
7. Harris is a foodie. She sees cooking as a good way to relax. According to Glamour, her mother sparked her interest in cooking. In 2019, Harris shot a campaign video with Indian American actress Mindy Kaling where they prepared masa dosa.
8. Although Harris got her start in the Bay Area political scene, she has ties to Southern California and the entertainment industry. She briefly dated former talk show host Montel Williams. When she’s in the Los Angeles area, she stays at her husband’s Brentwood home. Emhoff was an entertainment lawyer.
9. Harris is a Baptist and a Black Greek. One criticism of Harris is that she can’t relate to Black people. However, many of her life experiences have involved important African American cultural and religious organizations. She is a member of a Baptist church, graduated from Howard University, is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA.)
10. During her time as San Francisco DA, Harris instituted the Back on Track initiative. This program expunged young offenders’ records, as long as they performed community service and graduated from high school. The U.S. Department of Justice recognized it as a model reentry program.

Fijian Americans, who comprise a major segment of caregivers, are using their culture to fill an urgent demand for California caregivers.

By Selen Ozturk

As older and disabled Californians grow more diverse, high-tech caregiving can’t meet them where they are unless it’s also high touch.  Fijian Americans, who comprise a major segment of caregivers, are using their culture to fill this urgent demand.

That’s what Dr. VJ Periyakoil, associate dean of research at Stanford Medicine, told a room of about 30 Fijian graduates of LEADER, a first-of-its-kind program run by her through the Stanford SAGE Lab giving health workers practical skills to care for elderly and disabled people in their preferred language and cultural context.

“But what I learned most wasn’t this or that skill, but that any form of care cannot be stagnant,” said LEADER graduate Lusia Barciet about the training, which can span between four and 12 weeks in-person or online.

“When you care for someone, their needs change the more they age or suffer,” she explained. “How you help them keep from falling, what they need to fall asleep, their nutrition needs, how you can keep them talking so their brain is social and active — this all changes from day to day.”

Barciet and her husband Aseri Rika are live-in caregivers for an 82-year-old French man in Sacramento, before which she cared for community members “ages 84 to 94, one or two at a time”.

75% of Fijian Americans live in California, with many in Sacramento. Nationwide, the Census American Community Survey 2015-2019 reports a Fijian immigrant population of 47,000.

“Barciet helps him with physical daily tasks and care including a catheter, while I help him with projects around the house, of which he has so many — right now I’m helping him build a gate,” said Rika.

“He has the mental ability of a man in his 20s, and still thinks he’s in a 20 year old’s body,” he added. “As with stories of people who fall apart as soon as they retire, we’ve both learned how important to care is helping keep the fire alive in his belly, helping him live so he can often have joy.”

Before moving to Sacramento three years ago, Barciet worked as director of human resources at Fiji Marriott Resort, while Rika was a project officer at Fiji Community Development Program.

Fijian care agencies are relatively abundant in California, with three in Sacramento alone.

However, “I’ve only used an agency once,” said Barciet. “It’s so crucial to focus on training us, the caregivers, because we’re so communal. I really work through personal referrals, not agencies. If a child’s parents pass, for example, they refer me to someone else who needs care.”

Among Pacific Islanders in California overall, including native Hawaiians, 26% provide care to friends or family members — the same as white and more than Hispanic and Asian Californians.

In a testament to the strengths of their culture of communal caregiving, Pacific Islanders rank dramatically below all other races and ethnicities for reported financial stress or physical and mental stress due to caregiving. 16.86% of Pacific Islanders report financial stress compared to 56.32% of whites, for example, and 5% of Pacific Islanders report physical or mental stress compared to 16% of whites.

Despite a major dearth of linguistically and culturally specific care training programs like LEADER, language and cultural barriers are often the largest obstacles to care apart from physical difficulties, said Stanford Medicine Dean Dr. Lloyd Miner at the graduation event. “You are often the only ones who can meet them where they are.”

Nearly 6 million Californians, or 15% of the state’s population, were aged 65 and older as of 2021 according to the U.S. Census — a number projected to grow to over 8.7 million, or 20% of the state, by 2030.

The CDC reports that over 7.6 million Californians have a disability.

Caregivers “are truly the backbone of our health care system,” said Connie Nakano, assistant director of the California Department of Aging (CDA), at the Wednesday, July 31 event at the Stanford School of Medicine. To support California’s aging and disabled population, she added, “your commitment is crucial. It makes a difference in countless lives every single day.”

Since it was founded in 2016, LEADER has trained over 650 direct care workers — including home health aides, community health workers, certified nurse assistants and promotores — through funding by agencies including CDA, the National Institutes of Health and the Health Resources and Services Administration.

Nakano pointed to CDA’s own expansive CalGROWS training program as another opportunity for home health workers to earn up to $6,000 for learning and using new caregiver skills. However, time is running out for caregivers to sign up to earn money, as the program ends in August.

The guest of honor at the commencement, Ratu Ilisoni Vuidreketi — Fijian Ambassador to the U.S. — told the Fijian caregivers “Today we celebrate not only your academic achievements. Not only physical support but compassion, kindness and dignity can be the greatest gift you give to those you serve … May you find fulfillment and purpose in every interaction.”

After a traditional Fijian ceremony in the Li Ka Shing Center conference room to honor Vuidreketi and Miner, Periyakoil presented certificates to LEADER graduates, who then convened to sing a traditional hymn.

“Because of our communal culture, the most challenging part of this training was the beginning framework, learning the course of diseases like dementia and how needs change with them,” said Barciet after the event. “For example, in Fiji, there was no dementia. There was no written history. So we are always talking, talking, talking around the dinner table — ‘Remember this person? Remember that place?’ That’s how we live, socially.”

“In Fiji, all our houses were next to each other, so if I’d see someone struggling to wash clothes or build a fire, I’d simply go over and help them, then return to what I was doing,” she added. “We make such good caregivers because caregiving doesn’t even make sense to us as a separate concept. It’s life itself.”

By Lila Brown | California Black Media

As the world turns its eyes to Paris for the 2024 Olympic Games this week, four official delegations appointed by President Biden are representing the United States at opening and closing ceremonies.

Several prominent California officials and public figures are among the delegates.

On July 26, Jill Biden, First Lady of the United States, led a delegation to the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.

Among presidential delegates to that event were California’s Democratic Senior Sen. Alex Padilla; Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass; Casey Wasserman, Chairperson, LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games; and Brian Boitano, three-time Olympian and Olympic gold medalist in figure skating. Boitano is from Sunnyvale in Santa Clara County.

“We must continue our urgent work ensuring that Angelenos benefit from the preparation for the Games, as well as in the decades following,” said Mayor Bass. “Together, we will showcase Los Angeles – not just the popular tourist destinations, but each of our beautiful neighborhoods and communities. Together, we will leverage the Games to help local small businesses, create local jobs and create lasting environmental and transportation improvements throughout Los Angeles.”

The other two non-California appointees on that delegation were U.S. U.S. Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del) and Dawn Staley, three-time Olympic Gold Medalist and Head Women’s Coach, University of South Carolina.

“Mr. Douglas Emhoff, Second Gentleman of the United States, will lead the delegation to the Closing of the Olympic Games,” read a White House Press release dated July 22 announcing the delegations.

Emhoff was a Los Angeles entertainment attorney before moving to Washington when his wife became Vice President of the United States.

Californians appointed to delegation to the Closing Ceremony, which will take place Aug. 11, are Junior Sen. Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.); U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA-42); Denise Bauer, a former Los Angeles TV anchor who currently serves as United States Ambassador to Paris; and  Chaunté Lowe, a member of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition, four-time Olympian and Olympic bronze medalist, Track and Field. Lowe is from Riverside.

The only non-Californian appointed to the Closing Ceremony delegation is two-time Olympic gold medalist and World Cup Champion in Women’s Soccer, Brianna Scurry.

“The Honorable Xavier Becerra, Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, will lead the delegation to the Closing of the Paralympic Games,” read the White House press release. The Closing Ceremony will take place on September 8, 2024.”

Becerra is a Sacramento native and former California Attorney General.

According to the White House, members of each Paralympic Presidential Delegations will be announced at a later date.

Illinois U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth will lead the delegation to the Opening Ceremony of the Paralympic Games on Aug. 28.

Dear Vice President Kamala Harris:

From Charlotta Bass to Rosa Parks to Shirley Chisolm, Black Women have never been afraid of a righteous fight. All three of these women have stood in the gap for Black Americans and in the process changed history. Today is no different. Our very own, California born and raised, Vice President Kamala Harris has taken the baton to be the first woman to be elected as President of the United States of America in the 2024 election.

As California Black women, we commit our unwavering support for your historic candidacy. Your leadership, vision, and commitment to justice and equity resonate across the golden state and beyond.
As the first woman, the first Black woman, and the first South Asian woman to hold the office of Vice President, you have not only broken historical barriers. You have also served as a beacon of hope and inspiration for countless individuals who see themselves reflected in your journey.

Madame Vice President, your steadfast dedication to addressing systemic inequities, championing comprehensive healthcare, and advocating for criminal justice reflect the values we need in a leader right now.

Throughout your tenure as Vice President, you have been relentless in your efforts to advance policies that directly impact our communities. From your advocacy for maternal health and reproductive rights to your focus on economic empowerment and voting rights protection, you have consistently demonstrated a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by Black Women, Black Families and the Black Community, resulting in creating meaningful change.

Our endorsement is not merely inspired by your accomplishments, but it is also an acknowledgment of the potential we see in your continued leadership. We believe that your presidency will usher in an era of progress, unity, and opportunity for all Americans, with a special emphasis on those who have been historically marginalized.

In supporting your campaign, the California Black Women’s Collective PAC, made up of Black Women throughout the state, pledges to mobilize our network, engage our communities, and amplify your vision for a more just and equitable nation, Madame Vice President.

We are confident that your leadership will inspire a new generation of activists, leaders, and changemakers who will carry forward the torch of progress.

The signatures below demonstrate the solidarity of a community within California that is committed to putting the work in to take this historic campaign over the finish line.

Join us and be a part of the change we need now.

See the list of signatories.

By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media

Three days after U.S. Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro posthumously exonerated the remaining 256 African American Port Chicago defendants who were court-martialed for mutiny in 1944, he visited the historical site to participate in the 80th-year commemoration of the worst homefront disaster in the U.S. history.

Del Toro said the occasion at the Port Chicago Naval Magazine Memorial on the Suisun Bay, 35 miles north of San Francisco in Contra Costa County, was two-fold. According to him,  the 90-minute ceremony was organized to honor all who died in the blasts and officially announce the absolving of Black men who were unjustly court-martialed for refusing to load bombs on naval cargo ships during World War II due to safety concerns.

“This event marks a turning point in our nation’s history, a moment when we confront the ghosts of the past and embrace the promise of more justice,” Del Toro said. “For eight decades, the story of Port Chicago has been a stark reminder of a grave injustice. We as a nation will never be able to express our full gratitude to all deceased and their families for their dedication, service, and sacrifice.”

On July 20, a diverse group of 500 people were shuttled from the Military Ocean Terminal Concord (MOTCO) to the Port Chicago Naval Magazine Memorial where two deadly explosions occurred on the night of July 17, 1944.

The ceremony was hosted in partnership with the National Park Service (NPS), Friends of Port Chicago National Memorial, and the U.S. Army’s 834th Transportation Battalion.

The event also marked the 30th year the site was erected as a memorial. Along with Del Toro, dignitaries and elected officials in attendance were U.S. Congressmen John Garamendi (D-CA-08) and Thurgood Marshall Jr., whose father, Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, sought justice for the Port Chicago 50, the Black men who were wrongfully convicted in the fall of 1944 of insubordination during World War II.

Kelli English, the NPS’s service-wide Program Manager for Cooperating Associations and Partnerships, said tears from colleagues were flowing the day they heard about the exoneration of the men. English is part of the NPS crew that conducts tours of the National Memorial and shares the history of the tragedy.

“They never should have been court-martialed in some cases and convicted of other cases, but it does provide some closures for the families and descendants of those men,” English told California Black Media. “It’s so important to us. It’s the only amount of justice delivered years after the fact.”

The blasts resulted in the death of 320 sailors, 202 of them Black American sailors who were loading nearly 5,000 tons of munitions from a train into the naval cargo ships. About 400 more people were injured and the cargo train and both ships – SS Quinault Victory and SS EA Bryan – were destroyed.

The explosion shook the San Francisco Bay and could be felt as far away as Nevada. The blasts damaged many surrounding structures and buildings in the nearby town of Port Chicago. In the mid-1960s, the United States government bought 5,000 acres of land in the Port Chicago area and the town ceased to exist by 1969.

The White officers in command were given hardship leaves while the surviving Black sailors were ordered to clear debris from the blasts and painfully retrieve the appendages of their fellow servicemen. The treatment of the Black sailors exemplified the racial policies manifested by the Navy. After threats of disciplinary action, 208 of the Sailors resumed work but it did not stop the Navy from convicting the men at a summary court-martial for rebellion. Over the years, two sailors had the charges expunged from their records, which left 256 convicted Black men.

Fifty of the Black sailors stood their ground and in September 1944 were found liable for mutiny, a serious offense that tarnished their military record. The 50 sailors were represented by Thurgood Marshall, who was the chief counsel for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the disaster and racism in the Navy led to President Harry Truman desegregating all four branches of the military.

Ten years later, Marshall was able to win the monumental Brown v. Board of Education case that ruled separate but equal public schools were unconstitutional.

“It’s deeply moving to me that his work and the work of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund caught the attention of the sailors, and the family involved in Port Chicago,” Marshall Jr. said of his father who later became a US Supreme Court Justice. “They contacted them for guidance, and he was able to come out here to California to do what he did so well.”

Carol Cherry traveled from Chicago to attend the 80th ceremony. Her father Cyril Oscar Sheppard Jr. is now officially one of the 50 former mutineers. Cherry was presented with the ceremonial U.S. flag by the English.

Rev. Diana McDaniel, President of the Friends of Port Chicago National Memorial was one the guest speakers. Her uncle Irvine Lowery was one of the surviving Black sailors who was ordered to collect the remains of the deceased after the explosion. McDaniel told CBM that Lowery was injured in the blast when he was in the barracks but was not aware of it.Other speakers at the event included English, NPS Superintendent K. Lynn Berry, Supervisory Park Ranger, Hilary Grabowska, and Lt. Col. Lauren Cabral, MOTCO Commander of the 834th Transportation Battalion

“I ask that all of you amplify the message so that we can get to many family members that we have not been able to reach to let them know what has occurred,” Del Toro told reporters.

By Lou K. Coleman | WSS News Contributor

This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: [Jeremiah 11:3-14;22-23]. “Tell them that this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Cursed is the one who does not obey the terms of this covenant— the terms I commanded your ancestors when I brought them out of Egypt, out of the iron-smelting furnace.” I said, “Obey me and do everything I command you, and you will be my people, and I will be your God. I warned them again and again, saying, “Obey me.” But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubbornness of their evil hearts, returning to the sins of their ancestors, who refused to listen to my words. So, I brought on them all the curses of the covenant. Pestilences, diseases, defeat by the enemy, affliction, disaster upon disaster leaving no survivors. The Point of No Return! So, I admonish you to obey me and do everything I command you or you will be punished as the people of the old if you don’t repent of your disobedience or evil ways [Leviticus 26:14; 1 Chronicles 21:14].

God is clear. He wants us to follow his commands. Paul writes: “All these things happened to them as examples—as object lessons to us to warn us against doing the same things; they were written down so that we could read about them and learn from them in these last days as the world nears its end” [1 Corinthians 10:11]. Because not only will disobedience be dealt with, but the Bible tells us that all the disobedience will finally be cast into hell fire where you will spend eternity if you don’t repent. [Matthew 13:41].

As Joseph Addison Alexander said in his poem, [Hidden Line] “There is a time, we know not when, a point we know not where, that marks the destiny of men to glory or despair. There is a line by us unseen, that crosses every path, the hidden boundary between God’s patience and his wrath. To pass that limit is to die, to die as if by stealth; It does not quench the beaming eye or pale the glow of health. The conscience may be still at ease, the spirits light and gay; That which is pleasing still may please, and care be thrust away. But on that forehead God has set indelibly a mark, unseen by man, for man as yet is blind and in the dark. And yet the doomed man’s path below may bloom as Eden bloomed; He did not, does not, will not know, or feel that he is doomed. He knows, he feels that all is well, and every fear is calmed; He lives, he dies, he wakes in hell, not only doomed, but damned.”

The Point of No Return!