The Six Triple Eight, which is now streaming on Netflix, offers a long-overdue tribute to the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the only all-Black, all-female battalion to serve overseas during World War II. Directed by Tyler Perry, the film tells the story, inspired by true events, of the women who were tasked with sorting millions of backlogged mail for U.S. soldiers in Europe. While vital to the war effort, their service has largely been overlooked until recently.
Under the leadership of Major Charity Adams (played by Kerry Washington in the film), the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion overcame challenges on multiple fronts. Not only did they endure discrimination from their fellow Americans, but once deployed overseas, they also faced the constant threat of German attacks. As veteran Anna Tarryk put it, “First we had to fight segregation, second was the war, and third were the men.”
In Tyler Perry’s most ambitious and possibly his most accomplished film to date, the story unfortunately falls short of capturing the full context of the pioneering women at its core. We’re left knowing little about Maj. Charity Adams or the women who stood with her, as well as their motivations, sacrifices, and internal conflicts. Here’s what you need to know about the real women behind the Six Triple Eight and the legacy they left behind.
The Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps was established in 1942.
Women had long served the army as nurses or cooks, but when the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 pushed the U.S. into World War II, everything changed. On May 14, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a bill creating the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC), which allowed women to serve in noncombat roles, such as “messengers, military postal employees, chauffeurs and telephone and telegraph operators,” according to Politico. Eventually, the corps was renamed the Women’s Army Corps, solidifying their place in history. A few years later in 1948, Congress passed the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act, which allowed women the right to serve as regular members of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force, like their male counterparts.
At 23, Charity Adams, a junior high teacher from Columbia, South Carolina, answered the call to serve, drawn by the promise of career and leadership opportunities, according to Biography. She became the first Black woman to serve as an officer for the WAC and lead the legendary 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion—the Six Triple Eight—forever changing military history.
Netflix
Kerry Washington (center) as Maj. Charity Adams.
In the film, we don’t see Adams’s journey to her position or truly understand how she rose to that leadership role. Instead, we only meet her through the lens of a fierce leader, preparing a group of hopeful women for what lies ahead.
The 6888th Battalion broke barriers in the military.
As depicted in the Netflix film, the 6888th is the largest group of Black women to serve overseas during World War II. According to the Library of Congress, the unit was primarily composed of African American women, with some members of Hispanic and Caribbean descent, aged 17 to 52, who came together to prove their worth in a male-dominated military environment.
The battalion was formed in December 1944 with a singular mission: to clear a massive backlog of undelivered mail for U.S. soldiers stationed in Europe. It was believed that the mail, filled with letters, photographs, and gifts from loved ones, would provide a vital morale boost to troops fighting on the frontlines.
Military personnel of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion take part in a parade in Rouen, France, 1945.
The creation of the 6888th Battalion was a direct response to the Army’s refusal to send Black women overseas even though their white counterparts had been deployed. Although the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) opened doors for women to serve in the military, Black women were initially left out. It wasn’t until civil rights leaders like Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt pushed for change that Black women were finally allowed to serve in Europe.
The Six Triple Eight, composed of 31 officers and 824 enlisted women, faced discrimination from the very system they were meant to serve. Yet, their skill, dedication, and resilience proved impossible to ignore. One of the most significant moments in their history came when Maj. Charity Adams stood up to a white general who tried to inspect the quarters of her soldiers while they were on shift. With a fierce determination, Adams famously responded, “Over my dead body, sir,” a line that is thankfully included in the film as one of its most powerful scenes. This moment of defiance was a powerful testament to the leadership and courage that defined the women of the 6888th.
They worked quickly, even under awful circumstances.
While the film doesn’t fully capture the harsh conditions the women faced, the reality was brutal. Once in Birmingham, England, the 6888th Battalion worked in freezing warehouses with no heating, rats chewing through letters, and sorting undelivered mail under blackout conditions. With no windows for natural light, many suffered from eye strain as they worked long, exhausting shifts.
Despite these conditions, the 6888th worked tirelessly in eight-hour shifts, processing an average of 65,000 pieces of mail per shift and clearing the backlog in just three months, according to The New York Times—half the time allotted to them. Their efficiency was so remarkable that they were later called to Rouen, France, where they cleared an even larger three-year backlog that only took them five months. The film, however, misses the chance to fully highlight the systems and strategies they put in place to handle such a monumental task.
American Women’s Army Corps (WAC) Captain Mary Kearney and American WAC Commanding Officer Major Charity Adams inspect the first arrivals to the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion at a temporary post in Birmingham, West Midlands, England, February 1945.
It took 70 years for official recognition.
In the film, when the soldiers finally start receiving their mail, a group of them salute and applaud the Black female battalion, and it feels like the women are finally getting the recognition they deserve. But in reality, it would take over 70 years for the 6888th to receive the acknowledgment they earned. Despite their critical role in maintaining morale by ensuring soldiers stayed connected to their families, it wasn’t until 2022 that they were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.
“The lack of recognition experienced by these Black women upon their return typified the general indifference, and even hostility, that Black veterans generally received from the broader American public after the second World War,” archivist Damani Davis told the National Archives.
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Sarah Jeffrey as Dolores Washington, Pepi Sonuga as Elaine White, Milauna Jackson as Captain Campbell, Moriah Brown as Inez, Shanice Shantay as Johnnie Mae, and Ebony Obsidian as Lena Derriecott King in The Six Triple Eight.
Major Charity Adams died at age 83.
After the war, Adams earned a Master of Arts degree from Ohio State University and worked in various academic administration roles. She continued to serve her community by founding the Black Leadership Development Program and working with organizations like the American Red Cross.
In 1996, the Smithsonian National Postal Museum honored Adams for her contributions to the war effort. She passed away on January 13, 2002, at the age of 83.
According to Netflix’s Tudum, only two veterans of the 6888th Battalion are still alive: Fannie McClendon and Anna Mae Robertson.
