Examples Of Courage In Port Chicago 50

Imagine you had the opportunity to push civil rights forward. You could really stand up for the authority figures in command over you. It is easy to say that one would grab that opportunity the first chance they got. However, when a person is in that situation and really thinking about whether or not they should risk everything for that cause, it's far more difficult to commit to that action. Courage is the ability to persist and defend what you believe in, no matter how others may react. The Port Chicago 50 by Steve Sheinkin revolves around a group of African American sailors, who assert that their rights matter by protesting their leaders’ orders. This group was led by the protagonist, Joe Small. He inspires his peers to defend their rights.

Despite her dyslexia and her family not believing in her, she grew up to become a writer. Ultimately, the protagonist of both novels exemplify the characteristics of courage under fire by standing up for their beliefs no matter what and they care enough about others to put those people before themselves. In addition, Jacqueline and Joe Small both have to deal with terrible tragedies, but they still continue going on about their lives.
Undoubtedly, Joe Small was an incredibly valiant character for a plethora of reasons. No matter what the risk, he was perfectly willing to preserve the safety of his and his fellow sailors’ rights. When asked to risk their lives and move highly lethal explosives, Joe Small protected his and his shipmates’ safety by rebuffing to move the explosives, even if it meant being incarcerated. His actions are demonstrated in “The Fifty,”

Joe Small risked life and limb to help injured sailors. His bravery is shown in “The Explosion,” “Joe Small recalled. ‘One fellow’s feet were bleeding and I gave him my shoes. Another fellow had a cut all the way down his arm, and I put a tourniquet on it to try to stop the bleeding.’” (Sheinkin). Small’s courage allowed him to come out of safety, enter the area where the life-threatening explosion was taking place, and help the injured sailors. Joe Small, heroically, gave away his shoes, which caused him to undergo the risk of stepping on sharp glass or shrapnel. Again, Jacqueline’s actions aren’t as potentially life-ending as Joe Small’s, but there are highly courageous, nonetheless. While Jacqueline’s siblings are all playing outside, she chose to stay inside to take care of her sick grandfather, “when I tiptoe in with chicken soup, sit on the edge of the bed and try to get him to take small sips. He struggles into sitting, lets me feed him small mouthfuls but only a few are enough. Too tired to eat anymore. Then he closes his eyes. Outside, Roman laughs again and the swing set whines with the weight of him.” (Woodson 234). Jacqueline was still a little girl, but she still had the maturity to sacrifice her needs as a child, to play outside and get some fresh air with all of her siblings, so that she could help her ill grandpa. Her ability to listen as her family