Presents an account of the 1944 civil rights protest involving hundreds of African-American Navy servicemen who were unjustly charged with mutiny for refusing to work in unsafe conditions after the deadly Port Chicago explosion.

First hero -- The policy -- Port Chicago -- Work and liberty -- The lawyer -- Hot cargo -- The explosion -- The inquiry -- Column left -- Prison barge -- The fifty -- Treasure Island -- Prosecution -- Joe Small -- The verdict -- Hard labor -- Small goes to sea -- Epilogue: Civil rights heroes.