Black female WWII unit recognized with congressional honor

I just watched the video yesterday on Jessie Owens when he won his medals at the 1936 Olympics in Nazi Berlin. Because President Roosevelt didn't want to lose the racist Southern Democratic vote, he didn't invite Jesse Owens to the White House but he invited ALL the white players. Jesse Owens did get appointed by the Eisenhower Administration to various positions and did receive honors under the Ford and Carter Administrations. He was a smoker and died of lung cancer at age 66. RIP

http://jesseowensmemorialpark.com/wordpress1/life-after-berlin

PO1 Tony Holland

"BOSTON (AP) — The House voted Monday to award the only all-female, Black unit to serve in Europe during World War II with the Congressional Gold Medal.

The 422-0 vote follows a long-running campaign to recognize the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. The Senate passed the legislation last year. The unit, known in short as the Six Triple Eight, was tasked with sorting and routing mail for millions of American service members and civilians. Only a half-dozen of the more than 850 members are still alive.

“It’s overwhelming,” Maj. Fannie Griffin McClendon, who is 101 and lives in Arizona, said when told of the vote. “It’s something I never even thought about it. I don’t know if I can stand this.”

The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion was credited with solving a growing mail crisis during its stint in England and, upon their return, serving as a role model to generations of Black women who joined the military.

But for decades, the exploits of the 855 members never got wider recognition. But that has changed, starting several years ago."...