Hilton Kelley’s Mission for Gulf Justice

Activist Hilton Kelley was raised in the segregated, predominantly African-American west side of Port Arthur, Texas—often cited as the most polluted coastal town in America. He went on to join the U.S. Navy and later became a successful actor. At 39, Kelley returned home to help restore his community and confront the pollution that had long defined daily life there. He emerged as a leading environmental justice advocate, winning key battles against air pollution, PCB incineration, and the Keystone pipeline. Alongside his reflections on oil spills and industrial harm, Kelley recites the poem that helped shape his path forward, “My True History.”