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.”

SAN BERNARDINO, CA—The Educational Results Partnership (ERP) named four San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) campuses to its 2023 Honor Roll for being high-performing schools that improve student academic outcomes. The award-winning schools are Hillside, Kimbark and North Verdemont Elementary Schools; Richardson PREP HI Middle School and Rodriguez PREP Academy Middle School.

All but Kimbark Elementary also made the Honor Roll in 2018 and 2019. Kimbark was last honored in 2016. In fact, Richardson has been named to the Honor Roll 11 times and Hillside 8 times. All five schools earned the Star Award in 2023 and in previous years, which recognizes Honor Roll schools that are high performing and closing the achievement gap despite being high-need schools. This is the first year ERP has published the Honor Roll since 2019.

“I already know that our schools SHINE, that they are preparing SBCUSD scholars for success in school with high expectations that make them college and career ready,” said Superintendent Mauricio Arellano. “But it is certainly nice when outside organizations recognize our schools’ efforts.”

ERP is a non-profit organization that uses public school achievement data to help improve student outcomes and career readiness. ERP Honor Roll schools have demonstrated consistently high levels of student academic achievement, improvement in achievement levels over time and a reduction in achievement gaps among student populations.

In California, the ERP Honor Roll is supported by numerous businesses and organizations, including the California Black Chamber of Commerce and the Campaign for Business & Education Excellence.

Associated Press

The third-grade students at Roberta T. Smith Elementary School had only a few days until summer vacation, and an hour until lunch, but there was no struggle to focus as they filed into the classroom. They were ready for one of their favorite parts of the day.

The children closed their eyes and traced their thumbs from their foreheads to their hearts as a pre-recorded voice led them through an exercise called the shark fin, part of the classroom’s regular meditation routine.

“Listen to the chimes,” said the teacher, Kim Franklin. “Remember to breathe.”

Schools across the U.S. have been introducing yoga, meditation and mindfulness exercises to help students manage stress and emotions. As the depths of student struggles with mental health became clear in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last year endorsed schools’ use of the practices.

Children nationwide struggled with the effects of isolation and remote learning as they returned from the pandemic school closures. The CDC in 2023 reported more than a third of students were affected by feelings of persistent sadness and hopelessness.

“We know that our teenagers and adolescents have really strained in their mental health,” CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen told The Associated Press. “There are real skills that we can give our teens to make sure that they are coping with some big emotions.”

Approaches to mindfulness represent a form of social-emotional learning, which has become a political flashpoint with many conservatives who say schools use it to promote progressive ideas about race, gender and sexuality.

But advocates say the programming brings much-needed attention to students’ well-being.

“When you look at the numbers, unfortunately, in Georgia, the number of children of color with suicidal thoughts and success is quite high,” Cooper said. “When you look at the number of psychologists available for these children, there are not enough psychologists of color.”

Black youth have the fastest-growing suicide rate among racial groups, according to CDC statistics. Between 2007 and 2020, the suicide rate among Black children and teens ages 10 to 17 increased by 144%.

“It’s a stigma with being able to say you’re not OK and needing help, and having the ability to ask for help,” said Tolana Griggs, Smith Elementary’s assistant principal. “With our diverse school community and wanting to be more aware of our students, how different cultures feel and how different cultures react to things, it’s important to be all-inclusive with everything we do.”

Nationwide, children in schools that serve mostly students of color have less access to psychologists and counselors than those in schools serving mostly white students.

The Inner Explorer program guides students and teachers through five-to-10-minute sessions of breathing, meditating and reflecting several times a day. The program also is used at Atlanta Public Schools and over 100 other districts across the country.

Teachers and administrators say they have noticed a difference in their students since they’ve incorporated mindfulness into their routine. For Aniyah Woods, 9, the program has helped her “calm down” and “not stress anymore.”

“I love myself how I am, but Inner Explorer just helps me feel more like myself,” Aniyah said.

Malachi Smith, 9, has used his exercises at home, with his father helping to guide him through meditation.

“You can relax yourself with the shark fin, and when I calm myself down, I realize I am an excellent scholar,” Malachi said.

After Franklin’s class finished their meditation, they shared how they were feeling.

“Relaxed,” one student said.

Aniyah raised her hand.

“It made me feel peaceful,” she said.

This resource was supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library via California Black Media as part of the Stop the Hate program. The program is supported by partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to https://www.cavshate.org/

By Aldon Thomas Stiles

According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), hate crimes targeting the LGBTQIA+ community in California were on the rise between 2022 and 2023, despite the state seeing a decline in overall hate crimes.

While the frequency of overall hate crimes reported to the California Attorney General’s Office (OAG) between 2022 and 2023 decreased by 8.9%, 24.2% of all hate crimes reported to the OAG were LGBTQIA+ hate crimes.

According to the California DOJ, anti-LGBTQIA+ hate crime incidents grew by 86.4%.

“As this report makes clear, homophobia and transphobia can all-too-easily morph into something even more dangerous,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta in a letter of this year’s DOJ State of Pride report. “This rise of hate is unacceptable, and we will not stand for it.”

On July 9, the DOJ’s Office of Community Awareness Response and Engagement (CARE) held their annual hate crime report briefing during which members of the CARE Team discussed the report’s findings on overall hate crimes and how the state plans to address them.

Among the next steps the state plans to take based on the report are reaching out to communities that, on average, are reporting less hate crimes than other communities, billboard campaigns, regular updates for underserved communities and “community-specific engagement” through grants and partnerships, including a subgrant with California Black Media.

During the presentation, the DOJ identified organizations that they are partnering with to quell hate crimes in the state, including the California Department of Social Services, the California State Library, and the OAG.

The DOJ intends on taking a “community-centered approach” to their efforts to address hate, ensuring collaboration with community organizations.

These next steps include connecting with culturally competent resources, improving hate incident and crime reporting and continued training in cultural competency

Of the reports made to the OAG, 18.4% cited discriminatory treatment, 16.7% reported verbal harassment and 16.7% reported incidents of the use of slurs.

According to the report, 29.9% of these incidents were reported to occur in residential areas, 9.7% in the workplace and 9.1% in public facilities.

“Everyone has a part to play as we continue to fight prejudice and create safer communities in California,” Bonta stated in a press release. “I urge everyone to review the data and resources available and recommit to standing united against hate.”

In the press release, Bonta spoke about the responsibility of the state to address these issues.

“The California Department of Justice has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to hate, and will continue working with law enforcement, elected leaders, and community organizations across the state to keep our communities safe through education, prevention, and enforcement,” he said.

To report hate incidents or crimes, visit the California Civil Rights Department website, or call 833-8-NO-HATE.

This resource was supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library via California Black Media as part of the Stop the Hate program. The program is supported by partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to https://www.cavshate.org/

By Aldon Thomas Stiles

On July 16, Zócalo Public Square and the University of California, Riverside’s (UCR) College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences hosted a panel titled “How Does the Inland Empire Strike Back Against Hate?”

Moderated by Professor Emeritus of Cal State San Bernardino’s School of Criminal Justice Brian Levin, the conversation centered around the Inland Empire’s history with hate crime as well as the current state of hate in the region.

“In a civil, democratic society, we have to build spaces that actively support strategies to diffuse the underlying elements that give rise to violence and hate crimes,” stated Moira Shourie, executive director of Zo?calo Public Square, on UCR’s events web page. “Our goal with this program is to examine the past, present, and bright future of the Inland Empire’s fight against injustice that local policymakers and advocates in the region are spearheading.”

Assemblymember Corey A. Jackson (D-Riverside), one of the event’s panelists, claimed that there is much work to be done to combat hate in the region.

He also stressed the importance of historical context.

“We are not doing enough in the Inland Empire,” said Jackson. “I think that we have to remember the history of the empire and this rise of hate, only to me, shows me that it’s going back to its roots and we have got to do all that we can to fight against that.”

Near the beginning of the event, organizers played a video of California Attorney General Rob Bonta discussing hate crimes, citing hate crime statistics.

“Between 2022 and 2023, we witnessed a 20% increase in overall hate crimes. Crimes based on race, religion, and sexual orientation,” said Bonta. “Hate against any one of us is hate against all of us. That’s not something we can ever stand for.”

Panelist Luis Nolasco, Senior Policy Advocate and Organizer for ACLU’s Southern California Inland Empire Office, spoke about the immigrant experience in the state and his involvement in projects meant to improve it.

He said that during election years, immigrants tend to be “scapegoats” for the nation’s woes and that the Inland Empire is “no different.”

“I think one of the biggest projects has been ensuring that our localities are implementing policies that are proactive in defending and affecting our immigrant community,” Nolasco said.

Jackson said that one step the Inland Empire can take toward reducing hate crime is to build anti-racist institutions.

He mentioned the Commission on the State of Hate, California’s Civil Rights Department’s commission dedicated to identifying, addressing and preventing hate activity statewide.

“We are making sure that we are upholding what other generations did for us so that when hate, racism and xenophobia raises its ugly head, we’re going to beat it back into the shadows where it belongs,” said Jackson.

Project Director of Mapping Black California and speaker on the panel Candice Mays spoke about reporting hate crimes and how crucial that is for understanding the scope of these types of crimes in the region.

She asserted that citizens need to be made aware of how to report hate crimes and who to report them to, considering that sometimes the perpetrators of hate crimes are those sworn to protect the citizenry from them.

“I think the first hurdle to report a crime is how do you tell the police on the police,” said Mays.

In terms of victimization, Jackson stated that no one is safe from hate crime, saying that “we are all on the menu.”

“As a matter of fact, it is starting to become a buffet when it comes to hate,” he said.

During the event, Inland Valley News inquired of the panel what measures the state can take to improve upon how they respond to reports of hate crimes.

“When instances of hate arise, the Civil Rights department cannot respond to it unless someone calls them and asks them for support,” Jackson said. “So we’re changing the law to say that they can be proactive so that they can begin. And their direction is going to be to send someone into the community, provide them with training, help them build coalitions and the infrastructure to prevent it from happening again or to respond in a better way.”

He went on to emphasize the crucial role lawmakers play in addressing hate.

“The idea is that we have to make sure that we’re eliminating legislative legal barriers, but also unleashing the power of the state to actually be the in the forefront of anti-hate,” he said.

PERRIS, CA – This past Saturday, July 27th, the community gathered for Assemblymember Dr. Corey A. Jackson’s first annual Community BBQ Competition, an event that celebrated local culinary talent and brought together over 1000 community members. The competition featured four local BBQ small businesses, each vying for top honors in the categories of Best Meat and Best Side.

The participants included Mama T’s Food for the Soul (Moreno Valley), D.E.N. Catering (Riverside), Coronado BBQ (San Jacinto), and Nini’s BBQ (Menifee). Attendees had the delicious task of tasting the offerings and voting for their favorites.

The winners are:

• Best Meat: D.E.N. Catering earned top honors with their expertly prepared and flavorful BBQ meats.
• Best Side: Nini’s BBQ delighted voters with their outstanding side dish, securing the win in this category.

“We are thrilled to have hosted this event and look forward to it becoming a beloved annual tradition,” said Assemblymember Dr. Corey Jackson. “Events like these showcase the incredible talent and entrepreneurial spirit within the 60th Assembly District and the Inland Empire.”

This event was not only a culinary celebration but also an excellent opportunity to support our small businesses. All BBQ competitors are proud local business owners who contribute greatly to their community.

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.