Netflix has unveiled a powerful drama that shines a light on the significant contributions of African-American women during World War Two.
The Six Triple Eight, starring Kerry Washington, tells the story of the USA’s first and only Women’s Army Corps unit of colour, which was stationed in Europe during the war.
The 6888th, as it was known, was made up of 855 predominantly Black women who were given the monumental task of sorting through a three-year backlog of mail. It was believed that morale among US servicemen on the front lines was waning due to a lack of news from home.
Kerry Washington plays the history-making Major Charity Adams in The Six Triple Eight (Image: Netflix)
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The formation of this unit came after civil rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune, portrayed by Oprah Winfrey, voiced concerns to the White House about the need for Black women to be appointed to meaningful democratic roles. Her organisation, the National Council for Negro Women, played a pivotal role in ensuring women of colour were given key roles in the Women’s Army Corps.
Washington takes on the role of Major Charity Adams, who made history as the first Black woman to command an overseas battalion for the US army, reports the Mirror.
Adams’ leadership skills truly shone when the unit travelled to the UK in February 1945 and were stationed at King Edward’s School, in Birmingham. They were tasked with sorting through 17 million letters within six months, many of which were addressed to nicknames or had been damaged by rats after being left in warehouses for years.
Adams and her team operated in three eight-hour shifts with an airtight filing system, remarkably beating their deadline by half, finishing the job in just 90 days. Major Adams ensured the well-being of her troopers throughout this time, providing a comfortable work environment complete with a refreshment bar and hair salon.
The battalion adopted the motto “No mail, low morale” to keep spirits high and underscore the importance of their mission.
The diligent efforts of the Six Triple Eight were quickly acknowledged, leading them on to further assignments sorting mail in France, starting from Rouen and later moving to Paris.
The battalion’s efforts have been commemorated in a monument (Image: Perry Well Films 2 / Courtesy of Netflix)
Reflecting on her service at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum in 1996, Major Adams mused: “When I talk to students they say, ‘How did it feel to know you were making history?’ But you don’t know you’re making history when it’s happening.”
She humbly added: “I just wanted to do my job.”
Passing away in 2002 at the age of 83, the officer was commemorated in 2018 with a monument for the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion at Buffalo Soldier Military Park in Kansas.
Continuing to set records posthumously, Adams had the honour of being the first Black woman in American history to have an army fort named after her: Fort Gregg-Adams in Virginia.
The Six Triple Eight is now on Netflix
