Hope in an Envelope: The Journey of the Texas 6888th Project from 2022 to present.
“You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone.” — 2 Corinthians 3:2
FORT WORTH, TEXAS — The Texas 6888th Project began as a spark of remembrance — a calling to lift out of the shadows the untold story of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the only all-Black, all-female battalion deployed overseas during World War II.
These courageous women were not armed with rifles or tanks; they fought a different but no less critical battle — against delay, disconnection, and despair. Sifting through mountains of backlogged mail — millions of letters and packages — they brought hope, love, and news from home to soldiers fighting in Europe and to anxious families back in the U.S.
Their motto, “No mail, low morale,” became more than just words — it was a rallying cry, a reminder that victory was shaped not only on the battlefield but also by the unseen, tireless work behind the scenes.
In 2022, the Texas 6888th Project proudly joined a national movement to give these heroes the honor they had been denied for far too long. By March 2025, the project launched its Little Miss Six Triple Eight program, preparing young girls to carry the torch of this living legacy as the nation prepared to honor the battalion in Washington, D.C.
On April 29, 2025, history was made. The United States House of Representatives awarded the 6888th the Congressional Gold Medal — one of the nation’s highest civilian honors. Descendants, advocates, military leaders, and servicewomen gathered in Washington, D.C., to witness a long-overdue moment of recognition, heavy with the weight of decades of silence finally broken.
But the journey didn’t stop there.
On May 22, 2025, the Texas House of Representatives commemorated the 6888th under the grand dome of the Capitol in Austin, ensuring their story is forever woven into the fabric of Texas history. Their names, sacrifices, and contributions — once missing from the textbooks — were spoken aloud for the record, for all Texans to remember.
On May 24, 2025, during Memorial Day Weekend, the Texas 6888th Project joined the historic community of Pelham, Texas, alongside the Buffalo Soldiers and Tuskegee Airmen, celebrating a powerful gathering of Texas’s Black military excellence and shared heritage.
Looking ahead, on June 10, 2025, the City of Fort Worth will honor the 6888th with a formal proclamation at the Fort Worth City Council — a proud local tribute in the heart of the state where 44 of the battalion’s women once called home.
In July 2025, every Sunday, New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church in Fort Worth will honor the Buffalo Soldiers during worship services, rallying the faith community to support a Congressional Gold Medal for the Buffalo Soldiers. At the same time, the church will launch a summer youth program in the Morningside community, weaving Black military heritage into the lives of local youth and inspiring the next generation to carry these legacies forward.
Finally, on November 8, 2025, Texas will pause once more at Evergreen Cemetery in Tyler, where the state will honor the 1,100 Black men and 4 Black women from Smith County who served their country in World War II. There, at the resting places of heroes, we will stand not in silence but in gratitude — remembering, honoring, and giving thanks.
The Texas 6888th Project is eternally grateful for the sacrifices, resilience, and unwavering service of the 6888th. What began as a mission to remember has blossomed into a living movement — one that restores dignity, rewrites history, and reminds future generations that sometimes hope, tucked inside an envelope, can carry the weight of a nation.
About the Founding Director
Pastor Kyev P. Tatum, Sr. is the visionary behind the Texas 6888th Project. A civil rights leader, historian, and pastor of New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Pastor Tatum has spent decades amplifying underrepresented Black stories across Texas.
With a deep commitment to historical justice, Pastor Tatum envisioned the Texas 6888th Project as a way to uplift the legacy of the 44 Texans who served in the 6888th Battalion and to honor the extraordinary contributions of Black women who broke barriers in service to their country.
Under his leadership, the Texas 6888th Project has blossomed into a remarkable journey — connecting communities, lawmakers, descendants, and military advocates nationwide. Pastor Tatum’s lifelong dedication to honoring the least, the last, and the left out has transformed this initiative into more than just remembrance; it has become a movement shaping a more inclusive, just, and inspired future.
For more information, contact Pastor Kyev P. Tatum at 817-966-7625 or kptatum1@gmail.com.
Comments
Post a Comment