[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 58 (Tuesday, April 4, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H2636-H2637]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING SACRIFICES OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN DURING WORLD WAR II
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Lee) for 5 minutes.
Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, each year during Women's History Month, we
pause to commemorate the contributions women have made to this country,
but we should really commemorate women every day. So I am here today in
April to amplify the contributions of women of color, particularly
African-American women. Far too often, the blood, sweat, and tears sown
by women of color goes unrecognized. So many are truly hidden figures.
Mr. Speaker, this morning, I want to honor the sacrifices African-
American women made for this country during World War II. Sadly, to
this day, their sacrifices have gone unacknowledged, and as the
daughter of a World War II veteran and a Korean veteran, I am honored
to shed light on a few of the tremendous contributions of African-
American women during World War II. I want to rise to highlight the
courageous efforts of more than 800 African-American women from the
6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, which was the first all-
women, all-Black unit deployed in World War II.
The 6888th, its nickname ``Six Triple Eight'', was an all-women, all-
Black unit that helped boost morale among Allied troops by working
through major mail backlogs in Europe during World War II.
{time} 1030
To sort through the major backlog of mail in Europe, the women were
divided into three subunits that allowed them to run the postal service
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, processing 65,000 pieces of mail per 8-
hour shift.
The battalion endured the harsh winter of Europe, dimly lit rooms,
and rat-infested headquarters to carry out their mission. Adding insult
to injury, these courageous women also faced segregation and
discrimination from the very country they were working to defend. The
women were forced to run their own mess halls, hair salon, refreshment
bar, and other facilities because of segregationist Department of
Defense policies.
Yet despite the harsh conditions of war and unequal treatment, the
women of the 6888th Battalion cleared a 6-month backlog of mail in just
3 months while posted in Britain. In France, they cleared a 3-year mail
backlog in just 6 months. Thanks to their tireless efforts, United
States soldiers were finally able to receive lost letters from loved
ones during the war.
The courage exhibited by the 6888th proved once again that senseless
acts of cruelty are no match for the will and determination of African-
American women.
But in July 1945, tragedy struck Private First Class Mary J. Barlow,
Private First Class Mary H. Bankston, and Sergeant Dolores M. Browne,
who lost their lives in a Jeep accident. Recognizing their fellow
comrades' sacrifices, the women of the 6888th pooled their personal
resources to properly bury these women. These women who tragically lost
their lives while serving in Europe are buried at the Normandy American
Cemetery, which I was privileged to visit a couple of years ago.
Their contributions and sacrifices deserve to be celebrated. These
Black women proudly sacrificed their lives for a country that did not
value them due to racial discrimination and bigotry. So it is with
great pride that I speak their names today, hoping that more people
will come to acknowledge their sacrifice and the sacrifices of their
fellow sisters during World War II.
I want to thank our Military Construction, Veteran Affairs
Appropriations Chair Congressman Charlie Dent, then-Ranking Member
Sanford Bishop, as well as our full committee Chair Rogers and Ranking
Member Lowey for their support in the Appropriations Committee to help
us uncover this great history, and also the American Battle Monuments
Commission.
These great sheroes need to be brought to the attention of the
American people so that they can properly be recognized for their
sacrifices and their legacies.
It is my hope that the United States will no longer be shy about
recognizing the value, accomplishments, and sacrifices of Black women
in history. I am hopeful that we will come to know the many nameless
sheroes of the Black community. These hidden figures have fought many
battles, have sacrificed so much, and have paved the way for Black
women to move forward in spite of the barriers which we are still
trying to break.
On today, Equal Pay Day, I am reminded that African-American women
earn 63 cents on the dollar. We are still at the bottom of the economic
ladder. I urge my colleagues to fight for pay
[[Page H2637]]
equality and gender equality as we continue to honor the lives and
legacies of so many African-American women who truly are hidden figures
but who have done so much to make this a better country.
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