Over the last few months of 2024, various of our American creative geniuses have produced a number of fine works of, by, and for African American women’s contributions to American military history. As a group these works provide both education and entertainment for anyone interested in 20th century American history.
SIX-TRIPLE-8 is the battalion number of a hastily-assembled group of women organized at the behest of Eleanor Roosevelt to somehow distribute tens of thousands of letters and packages which had lain idle in airline hangars because no one in the military command considered it important to make sure that the friends and families of the troops could communicate with their loved ones. The whole enterprise was handed over to this WAC (Women’s Army Corp) unit largely because the project was considered unimportant and to show the world that women couldn’t possibly accomplish the task. In other words, unlike the oft-quoted line in the moon landing movie “Failure is not an option,” In this case, “Success was not an option. Failure was the goal. But no one was prepared for what actually happened except for the troops themselves. It’s a feel good story and a fine film.
HIDDEN FIGURES gets my vote for the cleverest title of any artistic work of the year. This film tells the story of a group of African-American female math whizzes who contributed abundantly and, of course, without credit to America’s effort to put its mark on the space race. As with the 6-triple-8 women, no one thought they could do it, and no one gave them much credit and no one gave them much recognition once they’d done it. But it’s all right there in equations most of us would find completely baffling even though they had a lot to do with making made John Glenn and all the other space jockeys heroes
Same old story. But it’s all right there on the big screen. Netflix will tell you all about it.
Moving over to the literary side of this, check out Luis Urrea’s GOOD NIGHT IRENE, a captivating look at a mobile unit of what came to be called “Donut Dollies”. They traveled through the front lines delivering beverages and nourishment to troops anxious not only for refreshment but for the sight and sound of a female amid the all-male environment that was so full of men and bloodshed. They were not officially in combat, but they came under fire time after time, and their contributions to troop morale were solid and remarkable. Like the other female groups described here, of course, not an historical word will you find in any text in any classroom. SOS, as they say. And that doesn’t stand for “SAME OLD STORY.”
Which Brings us to THE WOMEN , Kristin Hannah’s captivating novel of our latest military misadventure– Vietnam. I can phrase a description of its impact no better than Amazon’s descrlption. The Women is the story of one woman gone to war, but it shines a light on all women who put themselves in harm’s way and whose sacrifice and commitment to their country has too often been forgotten. A novel about deep friendships and bold patriotism, The Women is a richly drawn story with a memorable heroine whose idealism and courage under fire will come to define an era.
These words apply to the women in all of these dilemmas, and to many more besides. Grouped together, they would be worthy of a semester’s study focusing 20th century American history. But you don’t need to take a class, just find your way to a bookstore, a library, a streaming service, and educate yourself. It’s waiting for you
