TEXAS 6888th DAY – JULY 8, 2025

 



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Pastor Kyev Tatum

New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church

President, Ministers Justice Coalition of Texas

Email: kptatum1@gmail.com | Phone: 817-966-7625 | Website: www.newmountrose.com


TEXAS 6888th DAY – JULY 8, 2025


BANKSTON, BARLOW, BROWN & THE YELLOW ROSES FROM TEXAS: Honoring the Fallen Heroes, Texas Trailblazers, and the Legacy of the “Six Triple Eight”


FORT WORTH, TEXAS – Pastor Kyev Tatum, civil rights leader and Pastor of New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church, in partnership with the Ministers Justice Coalition of Texas, formally proclaims Tuesday, July 8, 2025, as Texas 6888th Day—a historic and heartfelt statewide day of recognition, reflection, and reverence.


This day honors the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, famously known as the “Six Triple Eight,” the first and only all-Black, all-female battalion deployed overseas during World War II—and especially the 43 heroic members from Texas, affectionately known as The Yellow Roses from Texas.


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IN MEMORIAM: 80 YEARS LATER


On July 8, 1945, while stationed in Rouen, France, tragedy strikes the battalion as three of its members lose their lives in a vehicle accident:

• Pfc. Mary Bankston

• Pfc. Mary Barlow

• Sgt. Dolores Brown


Despite their honorable service, the U.S. military refuses to pay for their funerals. Rising to the moment, the women of the 6888th pool their own money to ensure their sisters receive dignified and respectful burials.


“Texas 6888th Day is a sacred remembrance,” says Pastor Tatum. “We not only speak their names—we carry their legacy and their stories forward. Pvt. Mary Bankston, Pvt. Mary Barlow, and Sgt. Dolores Brown sacrifice their lives in service to a country that does not always serve them in return, and we make sure their sacrifice is never forgotten.”


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TEXAS’ OWN: THE YELLOW ROSES


Among the 855 courageous women who serve in the 6888th, 43 are born and raised in Texas—an elite group of patriots known as The Yellow Roses from Texas. These women defy the dual burdens of racism and sexism, representing their home state with valor, excellence, and unbreakable resolve.


From the plains of West Texas to the piney woods of East Texas, from the prairies of North Texas to the Hill Country of South Texas, these women step into history with courage in their hearts and a mission in their hands. They do more than process mail—they preserve morale, reminding soldiers overseas and families at home that they are never forgotten.


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LED BY A TRAILBLAZING COMMANDER


The battalion is led by the indomitable Major Charity Adams, the highest-ranking Black woman in the U.S. Army during that era. With grace and grit, she and her leadership team—including Captain Abbie Campbell and Lt. Vivian Washington—guide the unit through segregated barracks, wartime dangers, and daunting logistical tasks.


The 6888th processes over 17 million pieces of mail in just half the allotted time, giving hope and connection to soldiers starved for word from home. Their motto—“No Mail, Low Morale”—captures the urgency and heart behind their mission.


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A LONG OVERDUE HONOR


In March 2022, the United States Congress passes legislation awarding the 6888th the Congressional Gold Medal—one of the nation’s highest civilian honors. The medal is set to be formally presented on April 29, 2025, during a powerful ceremony at the U.S. Capitol’s Emancipation Hall in Washington, D.C., as descendants, dignitaries, and veterans gather to finally say “thank you.”


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TEXAS 6888th DAY AIMS TO:

• Honor the lives of Bankston, Barlow, Brown, and the 43 Yellow Roses from Texas

• Celebrate the contributions of Commander Charity Adams and her officers

• Educate the public about the overlooked legacy of Black women in U.S. military history, now and then

• Inspire a new generation of leaders, especially women and girls of color

• Elevate the truth about patriotism, perseverance, and justice through the work of the Little Miss 6888th Historians


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JOIN THE STATEWIDE COMMEMORATION


The Ministers Justice Coalition of Texas urges churches, veterans’ groups, schools, libraries, museums, and civic organizations to mark Texas 6888th Day with:

• Bells rung at noon in memory of the fallen

• Memorial services and wreath-laying ceremonies

• Classroom lessons and library exhibits on the Six Triple Eight

• Recognition of living veterans and descendants of the 6888th

• Community storytelling events and documentary screenings


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“They don’t carry rifles—but they carry a nation’s hope in every letter they sort. Let Texas be one of the states to ring the bells, raise the banners, and rally the country to honor these brave, brilliant, and beautiful women.”


We remember. We rise. We reclaim.

Bankston. Barlow. Brown. The Yellow Roses. The Six Triple Eight.


Join the Movement. Share the Legacy. Say Their Names.


#Texas6888thDay

#SixTripleEight

#YellowRosesFromTexas

#SayTheirNames

#HonorBlackWomenVeterans

#CommanderCharityAdams

#CongressionalGoldMedal2025

#NoMailLowMorale


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