HOPE IN AN ENVELOPE 2 Corinthians 3:2: Honoring Debra Christian, Zorah Irene Christian, the 6888th, and the Godly Generosity of the Christian Family.

 

HOPE IN AN ENVELOPE 2 Corinthians 3:2: Honoring Debra Christian, Zorah Irene Christian, the 6888th, and the Godly Generosity of the Christian Family. Link: https://www.texasescapes.com/EastTexasTowns/Shiloh-Texas.htm

By Pastor Kyev P. Tatum, Sr., Publisher, Black Texans, Inc.

TYLER, TEXAS - The story of the Christian family of East Texas is a story of faith, sacrifice, and generational service to the United States. From Zorah Christian’s trailblazing World War II service with the legendary Six Triple Eight Battalion, to Commander Debra D. Christian’s modern-day advocacy for veterans, their legacy is one of honor written into both history and the future.

This legacy will take center stage on November 8, 2025, when Commander Debra Christian and her ancestor, 6888th member Zorah Christian, will be honored with the Congressional Gold Medal during the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army at the Texas Buffalo Soldiers Day and Frontier Women Showcase at the Texas African American Museum in Tyler, Texas. The event, sponsored by the Texas Buffalo Soldiers Association and New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church of Fort Worth, will celebrate not only their service but also the enduring impact of the Christian

A Soldier’s Legacy in War and Beyond.

During World War II, Zorah Christian became part of the only all-Black, all-female battalion of the Women’s Army Corps ever deployed overseas—the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, famously known as the Six Triple Eight.

Their mission was as monumental as it was critical: to clear 17 millions of pieces of undelivered mail stacked to the ceilings of warehouses in Europe. In Birmingham, England, the task was expected to take six months. The Six Triple Eight finished it in just three months. They repeated the feat in Rouen, France, finishing in half the time allotted.

With the motto “No Mail, Low Morale,” these 855 women, including 44 Black Lady Texans, restored hope to American soldiers desperate for letters from home. They also broke barriers, serving with discipline and excellence in the face of racism and sexism.

In 2022, their long-overlooked contributions were finally recognized when Congress awarded the 6888th the Congressional Gold Medal, the nation’s highest civilian honor. Today, Zorah Christian’s name stands proudly among those who helped change history.

Carrying the Torch: Commander Debra Christian, Tyler, Texas

That same spirit of service runs deep through the Christian family. Commander Debra Christian, a direct descendant of Zorah, has become a modern champion for veterans. In 2025, she donated 67 acres in Longview, Texas, to establish the first Texas State Veterans Cemetery in East Texas.

This historic gift will provide a dignified final resting place for veterans of every race and background—Red, Yellow, Black, Brown, and White. Beyond its sacred purpose, the project will create more than 100 jobs in East Texas, transforming it into a hub of remembrance, employment, and community growth.

Debra’s inspiration comes from her own family’s story. Her father, a young combat soldier in Korea at just 18 years old, carried the American flag during the historic moment when President Harry S. Truman integrated the U.S. Army. Though he would later suffer from exposure to Agent Orange, his courage and service shaped Debra’s life’s work.

After earning a business degree from Texas College and serving 34 years at Goodyear, Debra founded the Christian Restoration Community (CRC) Residential Care Program. Her CRC provides housing, education, and career training for veterans. It has become a beacon of hope in Tyler, Texas for those who gave so much to their country.

Her donation of 67 acres to establish a Texas State Veterans Cemetery is the latest chapter in her family’s ongoing mission: to ensure that veterans are cared for not only in life, but also in death—with dignity, respect, and permanence.

The Texas State Veterans Cemetery Mission

The Texas State Veterans Cemeteries exist to provide high-quality, dignified burial services for veterans and their families. Built through partnerships between the State of Texas and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, these four cemeteries state veterans cemeteries.

The new cemetery in Longview will be the first of its kind in East Texas—a milestone made possible only through the Godly generosity of the Christian family.

Honoring the Christian Legacy

From Zorah Christian’s wartime heroism, to her descendant Commander Debra Christian’s transformational gift, to her father’s symbolic role in the Army’s integration, the Christian family has tied its name forever to America’s and Texas’ story of freedom, sacrifice, and equality.

It is a legacy that links past, present, and future:

• From the mailrooms of Europe to the battlefields of Korea,

• From the segregation of yesterday to the integration of tomorrow,

• From “No Mail, Low Morale” to “No Veteran Left Behind.”

On November 8, 2025, East Texas and the nation will stand together to honor Zorah Christian and Debra Christian—not just for what they have done, but for the enduring example they set.

The Christian family’s story is a reminder that sacrifice is generational, service is eternal, and legacy is a gift we pass forward.

About the Publisher

Pastor Kyev P. Tatum, Sr., has deep East Texas roots in the region. A graduate of the University of North Texas School of Community Service, Pastor Tatum, who was born and reared in Fort Worth, Texas, is the founder of Black Texans, Inc., a publisher dedicated to preserving, protecting, and promoting the untold stories of Black Texans in American history. Through his ministry at New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church in Fort Worth, his leadership of community initiatives, and his advocacy for veterans and education, Pastor Tatum continues to carry forward the East Texas tradition of faith, service, and sacrifice.