The upcoming Netflix film chronicles the only all-Black, all-female World War II battalion.
Coming to Netflix is a new film, Six Triple Eight, written and directed by Tyler Perry and starring Kerry Washington. With the World War II biopic now in production, Perry shared a behind-the-scenes look at the actress and her co-stars in full period costume on set in the United Kingdom as they go back in time to chronicle the story of the only all-Black, all-female battalion.
According to the streaming platform, Six Triple Eight tells the true story of the 855 women who "joined the war effort with little knowledge of what exactly they would be doing, but were quickly given the mission of a lifetime: sort through and fix the three-year backlog of undelivered mail."
Tasked with this herculean mission, which was believed to be impossible at the time, the unit overcame discrimination, foreign land and a war-torn country to sort over 17 million pieces of mail and reconnect American soldiers with people back home. By sticking to the motto that they created for themselves -- "no mail, low morale" -- the women not only delivered the mail, they also delivered hope.
"To honor the long ignored worth of the 6888 has been the greatest privilege of my career thus far," Perry captioned the image on Instagram, referring to the fact that the unit's story has not been captured in history books. However, on March 14, 2022, President Joe Biden signed a bill for the women to receive the Congressional Gold Medal.
Washington is set to play one of the women in the unit, and is seen in the group photo filming with Ebony Obsidian, Milauna Jackson, Kylie Jefferson, Shanice Shantay, Sarah Jeffery, Pepi Sonuga, Jeanté Godlock, Moriah Brown, Dean Norris and Scott Daniel Johnson.
Additionally, Jay Reeves, Baadja-Lyne Odums, Gregg Sulkin, Sam Waterston, Susan Sarandon and Oprah Winfrey have also been cast in the film that is based on an article by Kevin M. Hymel published in WWII History Magazine by Sovereign Media.
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