Film Celebrates World War Two’s Black Women’s Postal Battalion

A new film recounts the compelling history of 855 black women who journeyed from America to Birmingham during World War Two. They were assigned a task that others had failed—a mission they undertook despite low expectations for their success—to resolve a two-year postal backlog, ultimately handling 17 million letters that would otherwise have remained undelivered. In the movie “The Six Triple Eight,” Major Charity Adams is portrayed addressing her female soldiers, stating: “Ladies, we have been ordered to provide hope and communication and care packages to our exhausted soldiers on the front line, and to let their families back home know if they are safe.” She continues, “Or … or if they have died in battle.” Actress Kerry Washington plays Major Adams, who commanded the 6888th Central Postal Directory Batallion. Washington informed the BBC that “Everybody thought it was impossible, what they were up against.” She added, “And I think that’s why the film resonates with people. Not just, you know, these particular black women and this time and place, but anybody who’d ever felt under estimated, or doubted, or pushed aside or marginalised.” Critically-acclaimed director and writer Tyler Perry created the film for Netflix, aiming to bring the women’s achievements to a global audience. Perry explained, “They were tasked with delivering 17 million pieces of mail that had been just thrown into hangers, that had been mouldy and a lot of the names on the letters were illegible.” Viewers are left with a clear understanding of the immense challenge the women faced and the fact that others had previously failed the same mission. Major Adams declares in the film: “They have only given us a six-month ticking clock and I thought that was a long time until I realised the magnitude of this situation. When there is no mail there is low morale.” This unit was the first and only Women’s Army Corps unit of colour to be stationed in Europe during World War Two. The battalion was primarily composed of black women, but also included women of Caribbean and Mexican descent. Washington remarked, “There’s that great line that Tyler has written for Charity Adams in the film where she says, ‘we are fighting a war on every front.'” She elaborated, “Because it just felt like, yes they were dealing with World War Two but they were also dealing with racism and misogyny.” Washington further noted that upon their return home, “And even when they came back home they were dealing with people being prejudiced against them because they went into the army and people couldn’t believe that they had accomplished this incredible goal, so there were rumours that they had only been sent there to be concubines for the black male soldiers.” She concluded, “So that’s why a lot of the women never talked about their legacy, didn’t share this heroic moment in history with anybody.” In 1945, the late Elizabeth Barker Johnson was 25 when she was based in the 6888th’s temporary barracks at King Edwards School in Edgbaston. She provided an interview to the BBC in 2018, at the age of 98. Johnson recounted, “Separating the mail I picked up a package. Everything fell out on the floor and I picked up that watch, I looked at the back of it, it had a man’s name, his number and everything on it and it just made me feel so good because I could forward it to him.” Last year, families of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion visited King Edwards School, retracing their steps. Janice Martin, a descendant, stated at the time: “All I knew is she was in the military. She served, she said we had a job to do and we came home and nobody ever said anything more after that until these last few years.” The women successfully cleared the backlog in three months—half the time they had been allotted. Charity Adams holds the distinction of being the first black woman to command an overseas battalion in the US Army. Washington expressed profound admiration for the character she portrays. She elaborated, “People talk about loving her, respecting her because even though she was strict and stern and tough they knew that she wanted the best for them and that she loved them.” Washington concluded, “And I think that’s such a unique leadership quality, the kind of leader who brings out the best in you because they believe in the best in you.” The film, titled “The 6888,” is scheduled for release on Netflix on Friday, December 20. For updates, follow BBC Birmingham on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding its external linking policy is available.