Fort Worth girls to honor Six Triple Eight WWII veterans at congressional ceremony
A group of young girls from Fort Worth will play a key role in a national ceremony honoring women whose contributions during World War II have long gone unrecognized.
The Texas 6888 Project, a youth-led initiative based in Fort Worth, is set to take part in the Congressional Gold Medal ceremony on April 29 in Washington, D.C.
The event will pay tribute to the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion — a predominantly Black, all-female unit credited with solving a vast two-year backlog of undelivered mail, keeping troops on the front lines linked with their loved ones.
“There were 43 women from Texas who were a part of the Six Triple Eight, and three of them are from Fort Worth,” project founder Kyev Tatum said. “But very little is known about these women, so the Texas 6888 Project discovers their stories and shares them to preserve their memory and educate future generations.”
The group is made up of 25 girls, ages 5 to 15, from various schools across Fort Worth. Over the past several months, the students conducted in-depth research on the 43 Texas women who served in the unit. Their findings will be presented during the medal ceremony and permanently archived at the Library of Congress.
The presentations will be housed within the Veterans History Project—one of the nation’s most prestigious archival programs—which collects and preserves the personal accounts of American war veterans.
“This is a major honor not just for our girls, but for the community of Fort Worth,” Tatum said. “It’s a chance to make sure these women’s stories are no longer forgotten.”
‘The Six Triple Eight’ film on Netflix
The Oscar-nominated Netflix film ”The Six Triple Eight,” directed by Tyler Perry and starring Kerry Washington,offers a fresh and humanized look at the experiences of the 6888th Battalion.
Blending dramatic reenactments with archival material, the movie captures the spirit and resilience of these trailblazing women, highlighting both their personal challenges and significant contributions during World War II.
The film has resonated with viewers nationwide, sparking a renewed conversation about racial and gender equality in military history, and inspiring projects like the Texas 6888 Project.
This year’s ceremony not only marks the battalion’s official recognition with the Congressional Gold Medal — one of the highest civilian honors in the United States — but also underscores a broader effort to educate the public and inspire future generations through these powerful narratives.
This story was originally published April 23, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
