‘The Six Triple Eight’: Kerry Washington Stars In Story Of Only Women’s Army Corps Unit Of Color
Almost a full century after the end of World War II, new stories about the quiet heroism of everyday individuals continue to come to light. Now Tyler Perry is tackling the war with his new film The Six Triple Eight, which he wrote and produced. The movie, starring Kerry Washington, tells the inspiring true story of the incredible and brave women of color stationed overseas during World War II.
What The Six Triple Eight Is About
The 6888th Central Postal Directory was the first and only Women’s Army Corps unit of color to be stationed in Europe during World War II. When they were deployed to Europe in February 1945, the 855 women in the 6888th were handed a backlog of 17 million pieces of mail, some labeled with incorrect or incomplete addresses, and asked to ship it out in six months. Their motto? “No mail, low morale.” The task bore high emotional stakes; the families of servicemen at home had not received word from their loved ones in months. Working in three eight-hour shifts, the women of the 6888th set out to work.
Still, they faced nearly impossible odds. Despite the importance of their responsibilities, the battalion was put in segregated housing and relegated to poorly maintained buildings, often lacking light and heat. Through sheer will and ingenuity, they remained undeterred, creating a community of their own, complete with a mess hall, hair salon, and refreshment bar. Given six months to complete the task, the 6888th accomplished their mission in less than 90 days, providing morale when the United States needed it most.
“A lot of people do not want us to succeed,” Washington says as Captain Charity Adams in the film’s new trailer. “We have the most to prove.”
Watch The Six Triple Eight Trailer
The Six Triple Eight Is Based On A True Story
Perry was inspired to make The Six Triple Eight by a connection he made with Lena Derriecott King, a former member of the group who died at the age of 100 in January 2024. “We sat in her house for a couple of hours just talking, having a great conversation,” Perry said in a tribute video to King. “And when I left there I had a whole movie in my mind that I wanted to write for her.” Before she passed, Perry sat at her bedside and showed King an incomplete version of the film.
As of King’s passing, there are only two members of the 6888th Battalion remaining: Fannie McClendon and Anna Mae Robertson. In recent years, their story has finally been told. Perry’s script for The Six Triple Eight is based on a 2019 article by Kevin M. Hymel published in WWII History Magazine.
The cast of The Six Triple Eight
Joining the cast is a star-studded ensemble worthy of the film’s real-life inspirations:
- Kerry Washington (Scandal, the upcoming Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery)
- Ebony Obsidian (Sistas, Master of None)
- Milauna Jackson (A Jazzman’s Blues, How to Get Away with Murder)
- Kylie Jefferson (Tiny Pretty Things)
- Shanice Shantay (The Wiz Live!, Perfect Harmony)
- Sarah Jeffery (Across the Line, Charmed)
- Pepi Sonuga (Queens, Famous in Love)
- Moriah Brown (Power Book II: Ghost, Raising Dion)
- Jeanté Godlock (The Simone Biles Story: Courage to Soar, Daybreak)
- Jay Reeves (Safety, All American)
- Jeffery Johnson (Bird of Paradise, Elkhorn)
- Baadja-Lyne Odums (Eddie’s, This Is Us)
- Donna Biscoe (Hidden Figures, The Fundamentals of Caring)
- Gregg Sulkin (Runaways, Faking It)
- Scott Daniel Johnson (The Banker, A Man in Full)
- Susan Sarandon (Thelma & Louise, Dead Man Walking)
- Dean Norris (Breaking Bad, Unfrosted)
- Sam Waterston (Law & Order, Grace and Frankie)
- Oprah Winfrey (The Color Purple)
The film also features “The Journey,” an original song written by Diane Warren and performed by H.E.R., with choreography by Debbie Allen.
The Six Triple Eight Release Date
The Six Triple Eight will be in select theaters on Dec. 6 and stream on Netflix on Dec. 20.
6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion Finally Honored
Decades later, the 6888th Battalion’s efforts have finally received the praise they deserve. In 2018, a monument to the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion was dedicated at the Buffalo Soldier Monument Park at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. In 2023, Adams became the first Black woman in US history to have an Army fort named after her: Fort Gregg-Adams in Prince George County, Virginia. President Joe Biden presented the 6888th with the Congressional Gold Medal in 2022.
Conclusion
During the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival, star and executive producer Kerry Washington sat down with The Six Triple Eight producer Nicole Avant for a talk about legacy and impact in storytelling. “Every single person, Black, white, anywhere in between, male, female, anybody can see themselves in those characters,” Avant said. “Because all stories, to me, are human stories. Everything to me is about humanity.”
That humanity continued to shine through in unpredictable ways during the production of The Six Triple Eight. “I felt like these women were with us in this process,” Washington said. “You felt their spirit all the time.”
Photos: Bob Mahoney/Courtesy of Netflix