Is The Six Triple Eight based on a true story? Explained

Following a theatrical release on December 6, 2024, the war drama film, The Six Triple Eight was made available for streaming, on Netflix, on December 20, 2024. The film stars Kerry Washington in the lead role of Major Charity Adams and also features Ebony Obsidian, Dean Norris, and Sam Waterston, in the roles of Lena Derriecott King, General Halt, and Franklin Roosevelt, respectively.

The plot of The Six Triple Eight focused on the true story of the 6888th Central Postal Directory, which was the first and only Women’s Army Corps unit of color to serve in Europe during World War II.

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The real-life story behind Netflix's The Six Triple Eight

The story of Netflix's The Six Triple Eight is based on the true events of an all-women of color battalion that existed during World War II, known as the 6888th Central Postal Directory.

During the pivotal battle that would change the course of history, it was essential for the soldiers to maintain their spirits. However, this became increasingly challenging due to a significant backlog of letters from soldiers and their families that had not reached their intended recipients, leading to long periods of silence between them.

This situation caused a dip in morale among the troops, and when the army recognized how important these letters were, they assigned the 6888th Battalion the task of sorting through three years' worth of mail backlog, which amounted to approximately 17 million letters.

Despite being given such an important responsibility, members of the battalion faced ongoing discrimination solely owing to their race. They were housed separately from the other workers (white) and were only moved to poorly lit and poorly maintained accommodations when necessary.

However, irrespective of that, the women of the 6888th Battalion managed to create a community of their own, which also facilitated their work. The Battalion was asked to sort out the letter consignment in six months, but they completed the task in 90 days.

But, even after achieving such a feat, they did not receive the recognition they should have for their efforts. It was only recently that larger populations of people were made aware of the 6888th Central Postal Directory and the important part they played during the Second World War.

In 2018, a monument honoring the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion was unveiled at the Buffalo Soldier Monument Park located in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. The following year, the U.S. Army awarded the 6888th a Meritorious Unit Commendation.

In recent years, the battalion has received widespread recognitions that have put them in the limelight including from Tyler Perry's movie, The Six Triple Eight.

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Why did Tyler Perry want to tell the story of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion?

Tudum (Netflix) mentioned how Tyler Perry (writer and director of the film) revealed that his willingness to make The Six Triple Eight emerged from the close bond he had formed with Lena Derriecott King who was previously a part of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion.

Then in a tribute video, he uploaded on his Instagram, following King's passing, he revealed how he had almost immediately come up with ideas following King's narration of the events chronicling the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. He said:

“We sat in her house for a couple of hours just talking, having a great conversation. And when I left there, I had a whole movie in my mind that I wanted to write for her.”

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The Six Triple Eight is currently streaming on Netflix.