Tyler Perry’s new Netflix film, The Six Triple Eight, tells the story of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion of the US Women’s Army Corps (WACs). These women, who were mostly African American, were sent to Britain in February 1945. Their goal was to boost morale by clearing a backlog of undelivered mail for the American troops fighting in Europe.
The film powerfully brings the story of these women, and the racism they encountered, to a wider audience. But it has received criticism from some reviewers for stereotypical characterisation and histrionic acting. Although there is an emphasis on the sisterhood of the unit and occasional nods to the sexism they experienced, the film largely misses the way this intersected with racism.
