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“The Six Triple Eight” recently debuted on Netflix and tells the story of the first predominantly Black and female army battalion that served overseas during World War II. The film stars Kerry Washington and was written and directed by Tyler Perry.
“You’ve got to watch this, because this story is not really told in America, and we need to tell the story,” “The Six Triple Eight” Producer Nicole Avant said.
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The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion consisted mostly of Black American women. They were assigned to locations in England and France during World War II. Their mission was to clear several years of backlogged mail.
“When there is no mail, there is low morale,” Washington, who stars as U.S. Army Maj. Charity Adams, says during the film. The phrase was the battalion’s motto.
Adams commanded around 850 women. She finished the war as a lieutenant colonel, becoming the highest-ranking Black woman during the war.
According to U.S. Army records, more than 3.3 billion pieces of mail went through the military postal services to reach the frontlines in 1945 alone. The war department began receiving complaints that soldier morale was low due to a backlog of mail. A massive amount of letters and packages, along with a shortage in qualified postal workers, prompted the Army to deploy the 6888th.
“They were determined, and they were committed, and they were focused. And they weren’t going to let anything stand in between themselves and their goal and their mission,” Avant said. “The only form of communication at this time was the U.S. Postal Service.”
Historians estimate the women processed 65,000 pieces of mail per eight-hour shift. They cleared a backlog of around 17 million pieces of mail.
“Their secret was they were not waiting for things to be fair or right or just, even to be excellent. They were excellent and they were patriots. They wanted to serve the service members. They wanted to serve people on the front lines,” Avant said. “They weren’t really celebrated, which is why we wanted to do this movie.”
Avant produced the film using her background in politics and show business. She worked on former President Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign. She also served as U.S. Ambassador to the Bahamas during Obama’s first term. She is the author of the bestselling novel, “Think You’ll Be Happy,” which honors her mother in the aftermath of her tragic death. Her father, Clarence Avant, known as “The Black Godfather,” was the chairman of Motown Records.
“My father saw it right before he crossed over and he passed away,” Avant said. “So, this film means even more to me. Extra special for that.”
A member of the 6888th also viewed the film shortly before passing away. Retired CPL Lena Derriecott Bell King sat down with Perry and the cast of “The Six Triple Eight” before she died in January.
“It meant everything, especially to Tyler Perry,” Avant said. “He made sure this story was accurate and to make sure she saw the film before she passed away.”
Ebony Obsidian plays King in the film. Oprah Winfrey also appears in the movie as civil rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune. Susan Sarandon plays first lady Eleanor Roosevelt.
“Everyone wanted to tell this story, about these unsung American heroes that really changed the game and the trajectory of World War II,” Avant said. “Everyone was committed and focused and wanted to share this story of these great patriots.”