The Courageous Six Triple Eight: The All-Black Female Battalion of World War II

Women Warriors of World War II

by Artika R. Tyner, Cynthia Paul (Illustrations)

When the United States entered World War II, it had to face its own contradictions at home. Opportunities opened up for Black people and women in support of the war effort. But ideas about race and gender didn't change as swiftly. Read the story of the first all-Black battalion in the Women's Army Corps--the Six Triple Eight--and its leader, Major Charity Adams. These women bravely confronted the racism and sexism they experienced. And they did it while creating a system to make sure millions of letters and packages got to soldiers fighting in Europe. From the Women Warriors of World War II graphic novel series, this inspiring story will introduce readers to heroes who were victorious in more ways than one.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Nonfiction, Military Fiction, World War II, History, Historical, Middle Grade

32 pages, Hardcover

First published July 31, 2022

About the author

Dr. Artika R. Tyner is a passionate educator, author, sought after speaker, and advocate for justice. At the University of St. Thomas School of Law, Dr. Tyner serves as the founding director of the Center on Race, Leadership and Social Justice. She is committed to training students to serve as social engineers who create new inroads to justice and freedom.

Reviews

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

A brief look at the history of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, a rear echelon U.S. Army unit composed of Black American women that -- despite constant racism and sexism -- served with distinction overseas during World War II under the leadership of Major Charity Adams.

It's always good to come across a piece of necessary history of which I was previously, woefully ignorant.


FOR REFERENCE:

Table of Contents: The Hope of the American Dream -- Black Women Join the Army -- "No Mail, Low Morale" -- Fighting Other Wars -- Some Wars Continue -- Hope for the Future -- Glossary -- Read More -- Internet Sites -- About the Author -- About the Illustrator

[Bree Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I have opened a few doors, broken a few barriers, and, I hope, smoothed the way to some degree for the next generation.” -Charity Adams Earley

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series of graphic novels is super interesting & I love that it's a great introduction to history & women's history for middle grade readers. This volume introduced me to a group I'd never heard of before: the 6888th. They were WAC's & an all-black battalion that was sent to Europe as a postal unit to work through piles of servicemen's mail that had been stacked up. Their hard work helped soldier morale by getting them news from home & led to their commander being promoted to Lt. Col., the highest rank allowed in the WAC's. (Which I also found interesting.) The unit was finally honored & recognized during the Obama administration.

[Ben Ricketts · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great little read for students (or anyone wanting a brief history lesson).

I was fortunate to receive this is a gift while attending an educator workshop at the National WWII Museum in New Orleans.

[Patricia Tsune · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew nothing about the women of 6888 so this was a nice introduction. It's a very general overview but if your child is interested in learning about them, it's a good place to start!

[Anna]

I’ve been watching The Six Triple Eight movie at the gym, and this child-level graphic non-fiction follows the same story. Enjoyable!

[Deke Moulton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a full on crying book.

A short historical graphic novel that tells the story of Charity Adams and the formation of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion-- a segregated not only by gender (female) but also by race (Black) army Battalion activated for service in WWII.

The graphic novel starts off with events of Adams' youth -- how despite starting school in the second grade she graduated high school as valedictorian and went to college and eventually became a teacher. At the start of the United States' entry into WWII, the military at first remained closed to females and then allowed women to enlist... but kept the racist segregation of units.

Even though Adams went through Officer training with white female candidates, she still had to sleep in segregated barracks. The creation of the 6888th was due in part to an attempt to maintain segregated units, and so many Black women were enlisting (a Battalion had more than 850 members).

Being told to sort 17 million individual pieces of mail in 6 months, the graphic novel shows how Adams ingenuity developed a system of sorting, how she created shifts and protected her Soldiers, but also talks about how important the mail is.

"No mail, low morale" is something I've seen first hand as a Drill Sergeant. Mail call is a daily activity that Trainees look forward to all day, and getting a word from home is powerful. This graphic novel shows this as well, at how painful it can be to lose touch with those you hope you are fighting for. All the more important when you are overseas or deployed. And if this is true for me, as a person living in the age of the internet, imagine 80 years ago.

All of this is so important to take time to address in this graphic novel because to the average civilian, the mail may seem unimportant. It may seem trivial to the 'big war effort' that others may have been tasked to do. I wouldn't doubt it if the Black women of the 5888th were given such an impossible assignment with the hopes of failure, but the author does such a great job of showing how vital this task was to accomplishing. Certainly the women of the unit understood how important the mail was and they developed numerous systems to ensure the mail would move to the right Soldier.

The graphic novel also explains how important to the Civil Rights Movement these women's experiences in England were. Here there was no Jim Crow. White English ladies invited their American guests over for tea. The women of the 5888th were shocked to the exposure of a possible life free from segregation. (although the graphic novel doesn't touch much on British colonization or individual racism)

All in all, a great graphic novel!

[K.L. Bernard · Rating 5 out of 5]

When considering World War II, the vital contributions of women are often overlooked. Women played a significant role in the war effort, including a dedicated group of African American women who established an innovative postal system aimed at boosting the morale of soldiers.

This remarkable group, known as the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion and led by Charity Adams, was responsible for sorting mail sent to soldiers. Faced with substantial piles of mail and limited identifying information for many recipients, these women devised an effective system to categorize and deliver the mail, ultimately uplifting the spirits of numerous soldiers.

Although recognition for the contributions of the 6888th did not occur until long after the war, their legacy is commemorated through statues at Arlington National Cemetery and the Buffalo Soldier Monument Park. These monuments celebrate the courage and resilience these women demonstrated in overcoming racism and sexism.

Educators and parents can utilize this compelling historical narrative to instill lessons on motivation, innovation, and self-identity, emphasizing the importance of hard work and a commitment to doing what is right. The story is presented in a graphic novel format, offering an engaging and accessible read, with additional resources available in the back.

[Alex at lost Haven Homestead · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Stars (Really Liked)
🧸🧸🧸 3 Comforting with some stress
🪖🪖🪖🪖🪖 5 Masterful and unforgettable
Mild+
Children's Non-Fiction, Graphic Novel, Military History
🎧 17 mins
When the United States entered World War II, it had to face its own contradictions at home. Opportunities opened up for Black people and women in support of the war effort. But ideas about race and gender didn't change as swiftly. Read the story of the first all-Black battalion in the Women's Army Corps--the Six Triple Eight--and its leader, Major Charity Adams. These women bravely confronted the racism and sexism they experienced. And they did it while creating a system to make sure millions of letters and packages got to soldiers fighting in Europe.

💭:
This non-fiction book addresses significant historical topics in a manner suitable for children. Aimed at a general audience, it targets readers aged 8 to 11 and focuses on military themes. While not a "cozy" read, the book's educational and optimistic tone provides comfort to many. It sensitively discusses the trauma of war, as well as issues of racism and sexism, without graphic details. The narrative immerses readers in the historical context of World War II, showcasing the courageous experiences of real women who played vital roles during this time.

[Sasa · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

as someone who comes from a family of immigrants, i have my own reservations about US military imperialism. i am understanding of their system of propaganda, taking advantage of, and exploiting their working class to enlist and kind of wish that and the struggles black women faced at home were highlighted more than just focus on their accomplishments as soldiers. i really loved learning about the 6888th battalion and how incredible they were, especially in the mail room as a lover of the US postal service myself. it's a great conversation-starter for children to start learning about jim crow and antiblack racism.

[Stacey Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good information about the all black female battalion of WWII. Black women were fighting for equality everywhere and the service was no exception. They wanted to serve their country the same as others. At first no women were allowed to join, then only white women. Black woman fought to get in then did an amazing job with no recognition of a job well done. Even after they came home there wasn't any recognition that they had served at all. Not until may years later were they congratulated. These woman deserve to have their story told and this was a great way to do it.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This middle grade GN introduces readers to a female Black battalion who served admirably during WWII.
Despite this, they faced racism and sexism.
The book is not the typical GN written for entertainment. The font is small and somewhat dense. Illustrations are mostly in dark colors appropriate to the subject matter. It will require adult promotion with the intended audience.
Tie-in:
Social studies--WWII
Black history month

[Cami Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Courageous Six Triple Eight” gives a fantastic overview of the all Black Women’s Army Corps (WAC) battalion that served overseas and processed over 17 million pieces of mail by the end of World War II.

Their work was absolutely critical for increasing service members’ morale during the war and is a story that should be more widely known.

[Talisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was informative and inspiring! I had never heard of this unit and I hope that a good movie will be made about them that tells their story with honor and dignity and doesn't worry about ruffling the feelings of a certain group of people.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is part of a series of graphic stories about women who served in the military during World War II. This is the second I've read - they are quick reads and really interesting. I think they get kind of buried in the non-fiction section of the library, unfortunately.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this historical text about female WWII-era Black soldiers. The graphic format makes the story so accessible. I imagine history-lovers and students will be enjoying this for years to come.

[Anne - ReadingfortheWeekend · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy learning new topics of US history that I had not heard of before. What a great graphic novel/middle grade novel to bring awareness to a group of trail blazing Black women.

[D · Rating 3 out of 5]

3+

[Joleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very glad I read this book. I had never heard of this battalion. Unfortunately, many of the same concerns still exist. Brave women.

[Tori · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lot of info in this graphic book for kids. Nicely done.

[Carl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learnt something new today. Worked in the USPS for 26 years, very proud of these women.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing. Cathy R

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book to introduce readers to the all Black Women military unit during WWII. it’s a graphic novel so good for any age group.

[Bobbi Dalton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it and couldn’t put it down!!!

[Margie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent children’s book

[Tawanza Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

[Carlie Richardson · Rating 3 out of 5]

only 17 minutes on audio. super informative 💌❤️

[Autumn Kearney · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was okay. I checked it out of the library because I loved the movie with Kerry Washington. I think that watching the movie first kinda ruined this book for me. Oops!

[Tollula · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a quick interesting read. The drawings were a bit crude. Would have liked to see more action in the panels.

[Rebekah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great intro to learning about the 6888.