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The SixTripleEight: “No Mail, Low Morale”

Women were recruited and trained until May 1942. The Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps was formed, and women of all races were officially allowed to serve. In July of that same year, women were given full benefits in the military, and the word “auxiliary” was removed from their name. The Corps then became known as the Women’s Army Corps (WACs).

Published

2 years ago

January 30, 2025

Oakland Post

Public Domain.

By Tamara Shiloh

Many historical accounts of wars do not include women. The word “soldier” often brings to mind a man in uniform. Yet by definition it refers to anyone, including women, serving in the military.

American women were allowed to serve in the army during World War I (1914–1918). Many were nurses and staff who cooked for, and catered to, injured soldiers. Because slavery and racism prevented Black women from giving their services to America, many of these women were White.

Although the military trained women of all races in all divisions and sections of the army in preparation for war, division among the races remained. Black women were encouraged to become WACs. In other divisions, such as the Navy, Black women were excluded almost entirely. The Army Nurse Corps only allowed 500 Black nurses to serve despite thousands who applied.

But the tables were turned in 1945 when the world’s first all-Black female battalion was sent from the United States to serve in parts of Europe during World War II (1939–1945).

Known as the 6888 Central Postal Directory Battalion, or “the SixTripleEight,” the battalion served in parts of France and England to clear the backlog of mail in the European Theater of Operations. The battalion boasted 855 Black women, both enlisted and officers, and was led by Major Charity Adams Earley. It was the only all-Black, all-female battalion overseas throughout the war.

Many of the women serving were handpicked by civil rights activist and educator Mary McLeod Bethune.

Confronted with racism and sexism from their own leadership and troops, the battalion served with honor and distinction completing their mission in six months. By war’s end, the SixTripleEight had cleared over 17 million pieces of backlogged mail ensuring the troops stayed in touch with their loved ones back home.

Although the SixTripleEight had a motto, “No mail, low morale,” they accomplished more than distributing letters and packages. As the largest contingent of Black women to ever serve overseas, they dispelled stereotypes and represented a change in racial and gender roles in the military.

Between 1945 and 1946, the majority of the women worked under the mail service. Others served as cooks, mechanics, nurse assistants and in other roles when necessary. Working conditions were dangerous and risky, as the women were placed in abandoned and infested aircraft and offices throughout the war.

Women of the SixTripleEight were later honored with the European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal while they were still in service.

The last of the battalion returned home in March 1946.

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Oakland Post: Week of September 2 – 8, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of September 2 – 8, 2026

Published

2 days ago

September 7, 2026

Oakland Post

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Youth-Led Black August Event Brings Past to Present at East Oakland Boxing Association

The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.”

Published

2 weeks ago

August 29, 2026

Post News Group

Dawna Williams, EOBA executive director speaks to attendees at the Black August Eperience on Aug. 21. Photo courtesy of Carolyn Flynn of EOBA.

By Jana Lang Propel Youth Reporter

Youth-Led Black August Event Brings Past to Present at East Oakland Boxing Association

The East Oakland Boxing Association (EOBA) and Youth Alive! came together on Aug. 21 to share with their community all that Black August means to them.

Held on EOBA’s patio at 816 98th Ave. in Deep East Oakland, the two organizations hosted their second annual Black August Experience, featuring a food tasting, financial literacy and mindfulness workshops, and voter registration with the League of Women Voters Oakland (LWV).

Black August is known as a time to uphold the legacy of prisoners who protested their conditions by fasting, fighting, and educating themselves on the economic and political circumstances that contributed to their incarceration.

According to its website, “EOBA is a multi-service youth and community development hub that goes far beyond the ring. While rooted in the discipline of boxing, for nearly 40 years EOBA has also integrated robust programs in workforce development, food justice, afterschool enrichment, financial literacy, mentorship, and wellness.”.

The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.”

Through Coro California, another leadership organization serving young people across the state for 80 years, they gained a broader understanding of Black August.

EOBA Executive Director Dawna Williams spoke about how much she learned about Black August from the youth who created it. “I let them educate me,” she said. Instead of talking about prison reform and mass incarceration, Williams and youth interns found that Black August meant so much more. “We would have done a disservice if we had just focused on who the people were and what their situation was…We tried to take their message from back in the day and make it relevant to the young people today. What do they need to know?”

Youth interns created and placed posters around the patio to help participants understand how traditional Black foodways, civic engagement, financial literacy, and the power of education are relevant to Black resistance today.

An EOBA member described Black August with Youth ALIVE! as “a whole vibe. “This year we added the Fun Zone for the kids, because you really cannot go wrong with a Fun Zone. I also loved seeing everyone chillin’ in the outdoor lounge, catching some Vitamin D and just enjoying a Friday evening together.”

The food tasting, a popular event from last year, featured traditional Black foods such as black-eyed peas, johnny cakes, and fried chicken. Led by Williams, the tasting included a talk about how these traditional foods were made and why they are forms of Black resilience.

The “‘Plate of History’ was a favorite of the online writers. “Fun, educational, and did I mention delicious? Our Taste of History cook, Angela Southall, served up some good eats while connecting food to history and culture.”

The writer also commended the “League of Women Voters Oakland for their civic leadership and for getting our young people informed, ready, and registered to vote.”

Overall, it was a “good Friday event in East Oakland,” the writer said.

Upcoming Black August events: Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS), will host “Black August: The Arc of Liberation” at Oakland City Hall on Sat. Aug. 29, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The websites for East Oakland Boxing Association, Youth Alive! and CORO are sources for this report.

Jana Lang is an Oakland resident, teacher, gardener and poet participating in the Propel News Initiative.