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■HHHHMHBH HI September 10, 2003
Dear Oral History Participant,
Thank you for participation in the History project. I'm happy to report that the West Coast Oral History videos have just been placed in the African American Museum and Library in Oakland. I have enclosed your personal copy for your video library.
Also, as you may know, Earl recently was appointed the position of Endowed Chair at the Hampton School of Journalism. He will be continuing the Oral History project in conjunction with Hampton. It is his hope that Hampton will join MIJE in hosting a celebration of the West Coast Oral History Project. He will contact you with an update on the project and our future collaboration.
I will be in touch in with any future information. Again, thanks for your participation.
Best regards,
Amanda Elliott I Program Coordinator
409 Thirteenth Street, 9th Floor, Oakland, CA 94612 t: (510) 891-9202, f: (510) 891-9565, e: [email protected] BAYlTV PresS Release
Date: March 23,1999 Contact: Jodie Chase (415)561-8658 Number: 99-3-51 ’ t REOfflVED MAR 2 S 1999 Ken Kaplan (415)561-8724 i “*■«* »', V' _
“PORT CHICAGO MUTINY: A NATIONAL TRAGEDY” - BAYTV TO PRESENT REBROAPCAST OF KRON-TV’S AWARD-WINNING DOCUMENTARY
“I told my officer several times that one day this stuff is going to explode, and his answer was, ‘If it does, you and I won’t know anything about it.’ So we just continued to work.” — Joe Small, a seaman who was later charged with mutiny in the Port Chicago Trial
(San Francisco) - With renewed interest in The World War II Port Chicago Mutiny case, BayTV will rebroadcast KRON’s Emmy Award-winning documentary, “Port Chicago Mutiny: A National Tragedy.” Hosted by actor Danny Glover, the documentary looks at the controversial trial which found 50 African American soldiers guilty of mutiny after they refused to return to work following a huge munitions explosion. The one-hour documentary tells the story from firsthand accounts of three black survivors and the white defense attorney who represented the men during the trial. “Port Chicago Mutiny: A National Tragedy” airs on Tuesday, March 30 at 10:00 p.m. on BayTV (Channel 35 on most Bay Area cable systems). NBC will air “Mutiny,” a two-hour film based on the Port Chicago Mutiny, this Sunday, March 28 at 9:00 p.m. on Channel 4.
“Port Chicago Mutiny: A National Tragedy” originally aired on KRON-TV on February 17, 1990. At that time, “Port Chicago Mutiny: A National Tragedy” revealed evidence that suggested the mutiny trial of 50 black seamen was prejudicial and compelled Bay Area congressmen George Miller, Ron Dellums and Pete Stark to ask the Department of the Navy to overturn the convictions.
THE STORY On July 17, 1944, an explosion with a force rivaling the Hiroshima Bomb destroyed two military cargo ships loaded with ammunition at the Port Chicago Naval Depot. Three hundred and twenty men were killed. Two hundred and two of them were black. The blast damaged every structure in the nearby town of Port Chicago, 35 miles northeast of San Francisco.
It was the worst home-front disaster of World War II, but another tragedy followed. When ammunition loading resumed two weeks later, 258 black seamen refused to return to work more...
NEWS SALES BAY*TV (415) 561-8043 (415) 561-8933 1001 Van Ness Avenue Chronicle Broadcasting of San Francisco, Inc. FAX (415) 561-8745 FAX (415) 561-8665 San Francisco, California 94109 p< Tcagb/BayTY/rage under the same unsafe conditions that had sparked the explosion. Eventually under orders, 208 seamen did return to work, but 50 still refused and were charged with mutiny, punishable by death. What followed was the largest mass mutiny trial in U.S. naval history and a story of racial injustice and national disgrace.
While researching the documentary, producers Ken Swartz and Will Robinson and researcher Mary Borrelli discovered a potential conflict of interest in the case against the black sailors. In the trial, the sailors were convicted largely due to the testimony of their commanding officer, Lt. Ernest Delucci. Swartz, Robinson and Borrelli learned that Delucci, the chief witness for Prosecutor Lt. Cmdr. Frank Coakley, was married to Coakley’s sister, Alice. No one knew at the time of this brother-in-law relationship except a reporter from a small left-wing newspaper. Had the facts been known, the defense attorney, Lt. Gerald Veltmann, could have asked for a mistrial, or at least, argued that Coakley should be removed as prosecutor.
In addition to firsthand accounts from three black survivors and their white defense attorney, the documentary features four actors reading actual testimonies of the mutiny trial and segments video taped in New Jersey, Los Angeles and Treasure Island.
THE UPDATE
U.S. Congressman George Miller (D-Calif.) announced today that Morrison & Foerster LLP, a major San Francisco and Washington law firm, has initiated a formal pardon appeal process on behalf of one of the surviving sailors who was court martialed following the deadly Port Chicago explosion. Morrison and Foerster’s involvement consists of attorneys in Washington D.C. reviewing the records of the court martial at Port Chicago to assist the convicted Naval servicemen and their survivors with applications for presidential pardons. Morrison and Foerster are representing Mr. Meeks, the only known living serviceman who was convicted by court-martial at Port Chicago.
Will Robinson and Ken Swartz co-produced the documentary. Karyne Holmes was the editor. Robert Allen, author of the book, Port Chicago Mutiny, was program consultant. Mary Borrelli was researcher.
Bay TV is Chronicle Broadcasting and Liberty Media Company’s 24-hour news, sports and information cable channel, serving 1.3 million households in the Bay Area. Janette Gitler is director of news and programming. more... KRON is an NBC affiliate, owned by Chronicle Broadcasting of San Francisco. Dan Rosenheim is news director. A1 Holzer is vice president and station manager. Amy McCombs is president and general manager.
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4/21/98
Hello Gentlemen & Mrs. Small:
As promised, enclosed is your video copy of the Sacramento session. I will be forwarding additional information in the coming weeks. Enjoy!
Best regards,
SancO ui
P.S. Hi, Robert, Just wanted to thank you fo autographing my girlfriend's daughter's book. Her mother thanks you, also.
T a k e c a r e . Ne w s Re l e a s e July 6,1994 CONTACT: Jodie Chase 94-7-43 (415) 561-8658
!!£QRT CHICAGO MUTINY: A NATIONAL TRAGEDY” ~ KRON-TV TO REBROADCAST DOCUMENTARY IN COMMEMORATION OF 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF FATAL WEAPONS BASE EXPLOSION IN CONCORD. CALIFORNIA SATURDAY. JULY 16. AT 6:00 P.M. ON KRON-TV. CHANNEL 4
"I told my officer Several times that one day this stuff is going to explode, and his answer was, If it does, you and I won't know anything about it.' So we just continued to work...” — Joe Small, a seaman who was later charged with mutiny in the Port Chicago Trial
(San Francisco) — In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the fatal explosion at Port Chicago, which led to the largest mass mutiny trial in U.S. naval history, KRON-TV will rebroadcast "Port Chicago Mutiny: A National Tragedy” on Saturday, July 16 at 6:00 p.m. on Channel 4.
Hosted by actor Danny Glover, the one-hour documentary originally aired on KRON February 17,1990. At that time, "Port Chicago Mutiny: A National Tragedy" revealed controversial evidence that suggested the mutiny trial of 50 black seamen was prejudicial and compelled Bay Area congressmen George Miller, Ron Dellums and Pete Stark to ask the Department of the Navy to overturn the convictions.
THE STORY
On July 17,1944, an explosion with a force rivaling the Hiroshima Bomb destroyed two military cargo ships loaded with ammunition at the Port Chicago Naval Depot. Three hundred and twenty men were killed. Two hundred and two of them were black. The blast damaged every structure in the nearby town of Port Chicago, 35 miles northeast of San Francisco.
It was the worst home-front disaster of World War II, but another tragedy followed. When ammunition loading resumed two weeks later, 258 black seamen refused to return
KRON-TV 1001 Van Ness Avenue San Francisco, California 94109 Chronicle Broadcasting of San Francisco, Inc. (415) 441-4444 • FAX (415) 561-8069 Port Chicago/KRON/Page 2 to work under the same unsafe conditions that had sparked the explosion. Eventually under orders, 208 seamen did return to work, but 50 still refused and were charged with mutiny, punishable by death. What followed was the largest mass mutiny trial in U.S. naval history and a story of racial injustice and national disgrace.
While researching the documentary, producers Ken Swartz and Will Robinson and researcher Mary Borrelli discovered a potential conflict of interest in the case against the black sailors. In the trial, the sailors were convicted largely due to the testimony of their commanding officer, Lt. Ernest Delucci. Swartz, Robinson and Borrelli learned that Delucci, the chief witness for Prosecutor Lt. Cmdr. Frank Coakley, was married to Coakley’s sister, Alice. No one knew at the time of this brother-in-law relationship except a reporter from a small left-wing newspaper. Had the facts been known, the defense attorney, Lt. Gerald Veltmann, could have asked for a mistrial, or at least, argued that Coakley should be removed as prosecutor.
The documentary tells the story from firsthand accounts of three black survivors and the white defense attorney who represented the men during the trial; Four actors read actual testimonies of the mutiny trial. The documentary also includes interviews and video shot in New Jersey, Los Angeles, and Treasure Island.
THE UPDATE
On July 17,1994, the National Park Service will dedicate the Port Chicago Naval Magazine Memorial in Concord, Calif., commemorating the deadliest single war-related disaster in the continental United States during World War H. The Memorial is on the grounds of the Concord Naval Weapons Station, which now occupies the former Port Chicago site along the Sacramento River.
Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., was chief sponsor of the Memorial, which was authorized by the Port Memorial Act of 1992. Together with Reps. Ron Dellums, D-Calif., and Pete Stark, D-Calif., the three congressmen initiated efforts to secure a review of the cases based on new evidence that demonstrated significant prejudice in the trial proceedings. On January 7,1994, the Navy refused to overturn the convictions. Although the Navy found that racial discrimination had existed, it decided there was no basis for overturning the convictions.
more... Port Chicago/KRON/Page 3
The Memorial itself commemorates the casualties of the explosion, but a broader view of the Port Chicago story generally includes the court martial prodeedings. Many accounts, including the National Park Service, acknowledge the role this incident played in the eventual desegregation of the military by President Truman.
"Port Chicago Mutiny: A National Tragedy," was narrated by actor Danny Glover. Will Robinson and Ken Swartz co-produced the documentary. Karyne Holmes was the editor. Robert Allen, author of the book, Port Chicago Mutiny, was program consultant. Mary Borrelli was researcher.
KRON is an NBC affiliate, owned by Chronicle Broadcasting of San Francisco. A1 Holzer is vice president of news and programming. Amy McCombs is president and general manager.
KRON December 9, 1991 Jodie Chase
DATE: 91-12-99 (415) 561-8718
KRON-TV DOCUMENTARY LEADS TO CONGRESSIONAL BILL. RE-OPENING THE CONTROVERSIAL PORT CHICAGO MUTINY CASE
(San Francisco) -- "Based on the work that Channel 4 did, Ken Swartz the producer that started all this along with Robert Allen, we’re probably going to get a detailed, documented paper trail of exactly what happened."
-- Congressman Fortney "Pete" Stark
President Bush signed a defense authorization bill last week, including a resolution to reopen the controversial Port Chicago Mutiny case, and supporters credit a KRON-TV documentary with helping to win justice for black sailors after 47 years.
As depicted in KRON’s 1990 documentary "The Port Chicago Mutiny: A National Tragedy," on July 17, 1944, an explosion with force rivaling the Hiroshima bomb destroyed two ammunition ships at the Port Chicago Naval Depot, where the Concord Naval Weapons Station now stands. The blast killed 320 men, 202 of them black, and brought to light long-simmering complaints about unsafe loading conditions. When black seamen refused to return to ammuniton loading under the same unsafe conditions, they were court martialed, dishonorably discharged, and denied benefits.
The KRON documentary pointed out that the verdict caused national outrage, even from Eleanor Roosevelt. With the help of program consultant Robert Allen, author of the book "The Port Chicago Mutiny," Channel 4 producers Ken Swartz, Will Robinson and researcher Mary Borrelli revealed a shocking conflict of interest on the prosecution team: a key prosecution witness and the prosecutor were brothers-in-1 aw. The documentary also described the climate of racial discrimination prevalent in the Navy at the time of the trial.
KRON-TV 1001 Van Ness Avenue San Francisco, California 94109 Chronicle Broadcasting of San Francisco, Inc. (415) 441-4444. FAX (415) 561-8069 Port Chicago Mutiny/KRON-TV/Page 2
Armed with this information, a congressional delegation led by Bay Area Representatives Pete Stark and George Miller asked Navy Secretary Lawrence Garrett to reopen the case, but Garrett refused. The Congressional delegation then drafted a resolution that became part of the 1992 Defense Authorization Bill.
KRON is an NBC affiliate, owned by Chronicle Broadcasting of San Francisco. A1 Goldstein is news director. Amy McCombs is president and general manager.
KRON March 5, 1991 Jodie Chase DATE: CONTACT:(415) 561-8658 91-3-12 Kelly Lasser NUMBER: (415) 561-8718
KRON DOCUMENTARY "PORT CHICAGO MUTINY; A NATIONAL TRAGEDY" PROMPTS CONGRESSIONAL RESOLUTION AND POSSIBLE REPARATIONS FOR BLACK VETERANS
(San Francisco) -- "At a time when black Americans are again, in disproportionate numbers, facing combat and death to defend our nation, we owe the veterans of the last World War assurances of justice from their own government."
Congressman George Miller (D-Calif.)
The KRON documentary "Port Chicago Mutiny: A National Tragedy" uncovered evidence which has prompted a new congressional resolution concerning the convictions of 50 black sailors, following an unexplained explosion at Port Chicago during World War II. If legislation introduced by George Miller (D- Calif.) passes, the Department of Defense will review the case.
The explosion at a naval weapons loading facility northeast of San Francisco on June 17, 1944 killed 320 men, over 200 of them blacks who loaded ammunition onto transport ships during WW II. When the ship’s black seamen refused to return to work under the same unsafe working conditions that had sparked the explosion, fifty of them were charged with mutiny, punishable by death. What followed was the largest mass mutiny trial in naval history and a stunning story of racial injustice and national disgrace. Hosted by Danny Glover, "Port Chicago Mutiny: A National Tragedy" aired last February, and was co produced by Ken Swartz and Will Robinson.
The documentary notes the pervasive racial prejudice that surrounded the trials and the Navy itself in 1944. Little attention was given to the exclusive reliance on black sailors (under supervision of white officers) to load ammunition, or to their inadequate training and the alleged "speed up"
more...
KRON-TV 1001 Van Ness Avenue San Francisco, California 94109 Chronicle Broadcasting of San Francisco, Inc. (415) 441-4444 • FAX (415) 561-8069 Port Chicago/KRON-TV/Page 2 y
system that minimized safety. Following the explosion, the black sailors were denied the kind of recuperative rest ordinarily given to survivors of major trauma and instead were ordered back to loading ships under the same unsafe conditions.
While researching the documentary, Swartz, Robinson, and chief researcher Mary Borrelli discovered a serious conflict of interest in the case against the black sailors. In the trial that took place 45 years ago, the sailors were convicted largely due to the testimony of their commanding officer, Lt. Ernest Delucci. The researchers learned that Delucci, the chief witness for prosecutor Lt. Cmdr. Frank Coakley, was married to Coakley’s sister, Alice. No one knew at the time of this brother-in-law relationship, except a reporter from a small left-wing newspaper. Had the facts been known, the defense attorney, Lt. Gerald Veltmann, might have asked for a mistrial, or at least, argued that Coakley should be removed as prosecutor.
Miller wrote Navy Secretary Garrett last year asking him to re-open the case and Garrett refused. Now Miller and 42 Congresspeople are taking the case to a higher jurisdiction. His resolution credits the KRON documentary for uncovering evidence of prosecutor improprieties.
KRON consulted Robert Allen, author of the book "The Port Chicago Mutiny," while producing the documentary. "I thought it was an outstanding project that really reflected the highest standard of professionalism and public service...it made a really tremendous impact, I have no doubt that the resolution...can be largely credited to the public interest that was generated by that documentary done by KRON-TV," Allen commented after the resolution was announced.
KRON is an NBC afi11iate, owned by Chronicle Broadcasting of San Francisco. Ian Pearson is associate news director for special projects. A1 Goldstein is news director. Amy McCombs is president and general manager.
KRON March 5, 1991 Jodie Chase DATE: C O N T A C T : (415) 561-8658 91-3-12 Kelly Lasser NUMBER: (415) 561-8718
KRON DOCUMENTARY "PORT CHICAGO MUTINY: A NATIONAL TRAGEDY" PROMPTS CONGRESSIONAL RESOLUTION AND POSSIBLE REPARATIONS FOR BLACK VETERANS
(San Francisco) -- "At a time when black Americans are again, in disproportionate numbers, facing combat and death to defend our nation, we owe the veterans of the last World War assurances of justice from their own government."
Congressman George Miller (D-Calif.)
The KRON documentary "Port Chicago Mutiny: A National Tragedy" uncovered evidence which has prompted a new congressional resolution concerning the convictions of 50 black sailors, following an unexplained explosion at Port Chicago during World War II. If legislation introduced by George Miller (D- Calif.) passes, the Department of Defense will review the case.
The explosion at a naval weapons loading facility northeast of San Francisco on June 17, 1944 killed 320 men, over 200 of them blacks who loaded ammunition onto transport ships during WW II. When the ship’s black seamen refused to return to work under the same unsafe working conditions that had sparked the explosion, fifty of them were charged with mutiny, punishable by death. What followed was the largest mass mutiny trial in naval history and a stunning story of racial injustice and national disgrace. Hosted by Danny Glover, "Port Chicago Mutiny: A National Tragedy" aired last February, and was co produced by Ken Swartz and Will Robinson.
The documentary notes the pervasive racial prejudice that surrounded the trials and the Navy itself in 1944. Little attention was given to the exclusive reliance on black sailors (under supervision of white officers) to load ammunition, or to t h e m inadequate training and the alleged "speed up"
more...
KRON-TV 1001 Van Ness Avenue San Francisco, California 94109 Chronicle Broadcasting of San Francisco, Inc. (415) 441-4444 • FAX (415) 561-8069 *
Port Chicago/KRON-TV/Page 2
system that minimized safety. Following the explosion, the black sailors were denied the kind of recuperative rest ordinarily given to survivors of major trauma and instead were ordered back to loading ships under the same unsafe conditions.
While researching the documentary, Swartz, Robinson, and chief researcher Mary Borrelli discovered a serious conflict of interest in the case against the black sailors. In the trial that took place 45 years ago, the sailors were convicted largely due to the testimony of their commanding officer, Lt. Ernest Delucci. The researchers learned that Delucci, the chief witness for prosecutor Lt. Cmdr. Frank Coakley, was married to Coakley’s sister, Alice. No one knew at the time of this brother-in-law relationship, except a reporter from a small left-wing newspaper. Had the facts been known, the defense attorney, Lt. Gerald Veltmann, might have asked for a mistrial, or at least, argued that Coakley should be removed as prosecutor.
Miller wrote Navy Secretary Garrett last year asking him to re-open the case and Garrett refused. Now Miller and 42 Congresspeople are taking the case to a higher jurisdiction. His resolution credits the KRON documentary for uncovering evidence of prosecutor improprieties.
KRON consulted Robert Allen, author of the book "The Port Chicago Mutiny," while producing the documentary. "I thought it was an outstanding project that really reflected the highest standard of professionalism and public service...it made a really tremendous impact, I have no doubt that the resolution...can be largely credited to the public interest that was generated by that documentary done by KRON-TV," Allen commented after the resolution was announced.
KRON is an NBC afilliate, owned by Chronicle Broadcasting of San Francisco. Ian Pearson is associate news director for special projects. A1 Goldstein is news director. Amy McCombs is president and general manager.
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