May 29, 2023
The Women Of The 6888th Battalion Get Their Own Day Ahead Of Memorial Day
On May 3, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, of, signed the 6888th Bill, HB370, which will recognize March 9 as 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion Day, Afro News reported.
The 6888th Batallion, made up of more than 800 women, was the only all-Black, all-women battalion during World War II. The courageous women sorted mail and handled secret information for the U.S. Army. However, their contributions are not well-known due to the misogynoir Black women faced and because they were not in combat.
Army Historical Foundation shares background on the all Black women’s Battalion 6888.
“The women of the 6888th were discouraged when they discovered warehouses crammed from floor to ceiling with mail and packages that had not been delivered for at least two years,” Hymel recorded. “Rats the size of cats had broken into some of the Christmas care packages for front line soldiers and eaten their contents. The women went to work, organizing a system that would break the bottleneck of undelivered mail.”
The publication included that women of the 6888th Battalion delivered sorted mail where houses did not have heat. In their efforts to keep warm, many of the women wore ski pants or field jacks.
“The job, which was supposed to take them six months, was completed in only three”
In 2022, the 6888th Battalion was recognized by Congress at the Arlington National Cemetery In Myer, Virginia. Only a few women of the 6888th battalion are still alive, so offspring of the deceased were present to celebrate the achievements of their ancestors, according to The Washington Post.
Col. Edna W. Cummings, a 6888th battalion advocate, told Afro News, March 9 will remind the United States of the hard work these phenomenal women gave to their country.
“This commemorative day provides an opportunity to learn more about the trailblazing journey of Black Maryland veterans who were at the forefront of civil rights during World War II and beyond,” Cummings added.
Filmmaker, actor and entrepreneur, Tyler Perry is currently directing Six Triple Eight, a film that tells the story of the women of the 6888th Battalion.
Six Triple Eight will star actress Kerry Washington, who also serves as executive producer, as well as Oprah Winfrey, Sam Waterston, and Susan Sarandon.
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