Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (3rd District of Ohio)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (D-OH-03) and Congressman Mike Turner (R-OH-10), introduced a bipartisan resolution to honor the life and legacy of Lieutenant Colonel Charity Adams-Earley, an Ohioan who became the first Black officer in the U.S. Army’s Women’s Army Corps (WAC). The resolution encourages the U.S. Postal Service to issue a commemorative stamp in honor of Adams-Earley, who led the “Six Triple Eight,” also known as the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion — the only all-Black WAC battalion deployed overseas during the Second World War.
“It is a privilege to present this resolution honoring my lifelong friend and mentor, Lieutenant Colonel Charity Adams-Earley, a trailblazer who became the first Black woman officer in the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC), later known as the Women’s Army Corps (WAC),” said Congresswoman Beatty. “As the highest-ranking Black woman officer at the time, Lieutenant Colonel Adams-Earley helped lay the foundation for a more integrated U.S. military, opening doors for generations of Black women to serve. Her unwavering patriotism and dedication to our nation, and to young Ohioans, make her profoundly worthy of this recognition.”
“Lieutenant Colonel Charity Adams Earley broke barriers with quiet strength and unmistakable excellence—becoming the first Black officer in the Women’s Army Corps and leading the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion overseas to deliver results under extraordinary pressure,” said Congressman Mike Turner. “Upon retiring from the military, Lieutenant Charity Adams-Earley moved to Dayton and became an important voice in the Miami Valley, creating the Black Leadership Development Program in 1982, which seeks to educate and train African Americans to be community leaders. A commemorative stamp would be a fitting, lasting tribute to her service and leadership, and a simple reminder—passed hand to hand—of what courage and competence look like in the service of our country and community.”
Lieutenant Colonel Adams-Earley is also remembered for her activism throughout Ohio, devoting her life to education and youth mentoring after being discharged from the Army. She has been recognized by the National Postal Museum, National Women’s History Museum, Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame, the Smithsonian Institution, the South Carolina Black Hall of Fame, and many others, for her pioneering military service and work expanding opportunities for Black Americans. In the 117th Congress, the Congressional Gold Medal was awarded to members of the ‘Six Triple Eight’ – the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion – including, posthumously, their commander, Adams-Earley. In 2024, the Dayton VA Medical Center renamed its women’s clinic the “Lieutenant Colonel Charity Adams-Earley Women’s Clinic.”
The resolution text is available here.
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