Joe Gatlin was interviewed for the Port of Los Angeles Centennial Oral History Project. Gatlin was born in 1945 in San Pedro, California, to parents who migrated to the area in 1941 during World War II for job opportunities in the local shipyards. Both of his parents worked as riveters at Todd Shipyard and the naval shipyard in San Pedro. The interview covers Joe Gatlin’s early memories of growing up in San Pedro, including living in the Banning Homes project and experiencing a refinery explosion nearby. He describes the close-knit community of San Pedro, particularly within the Black community, which made up about 3% of the population and had strong ties through extended family and local schools. Gatlin talks about the various neighborhoods where he lived, including Black Hill, a predominantly Black community that was significantly impacted by the construction of a freeway. Gatlin reflects on the diversity of San Pedro, highlighting the various ethnic neighborhoods, including Mexican Hollywood and communities of Croatians, Slavs, Japanese, Spanish, and Italians. He discusses the changes in the town's demographic and economic landscape, particularly the decline of the fishing industry and shipyards and the rise of containerization that transformed the port and provided new job opportunities. A significant portion of the interview focuses on the labor movement and racial dynamics in San Pedro. Gatlin recounts his father's involvement in a long, nearly 19-year lawsuit against the longshoremen's union to end the discriminatory sponsorship system, which previously limited job opportunities for Blacks on the docks. The lawsuit's victory in the mid-1970s opened up the casual hall system, allowing more equitable access to longshoreman jobs. Gatlin himself became a casual longshoreman in the 1980s, a position he still holds, emphasizing the flexibility and opportunities the job provided. Joe Gatlin also shares his experiences with the Fishermen's Fiesta, a major local event celebrating the fishing community, and his involvement with Toberman Settlement House, a Methodist organization providing various community services. He reflects on the community’s response to the Watts Riots and his own experiences with racism, which he first encountered during his military service and travels.