OHIO — Local lawmakers introduced a bipartisan resolution to honor the life and legacy of Lt. Col. Charity Adams-Earley.
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The resolution, introduced by Rep. Joyce Beatty and Rep. Mike Turner, encourages the U.S. Postal Service to issue a commemorative stamp for Adams-Earley.
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Adams-Earley was the first Black officer in the Women’s Army Corps and led the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion during World War II.
The unit was the only all-Black Women’s Army Corps battalion deployed overseas during the war.
“Lieutenant Colonel Adams-Earley helped lay the foundation for a more integrated U.S. military, opening doors for generations of Black women to serve,” Beatty said. “Her unwavering patriotism and dedication to our nation and to young Ohioans, make her profoundly worthy of this recognition.”
The resolution marks a continued effort to recognize her pioneering military service and her later work as a community leader in Ohio, according to the representative’s offices.
The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion was responsible for processing and delivering mail to millions of American soldiers in Europe during the war.
During the 117th Congress, members of the “Six Triple Eight” were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.
Adams-Earley received the honor posthumously as the commander of the battalion.
Rep. Beatty, of Ohio’s 3rd District, described Adams-Earley as a personal mentor.
“It is a privilege to present this resolution honoring my lifelong friend and mentor, Lieutenant Colonel 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),” Beatty said.
Rep. Turner of Ohio’s 10th District highlighted her leadership during the war and her later impact on the Miami Valley region.
“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,” Turner said.
Following her retirement from the military, Adams-Earley moved to Dayton and focused her work on education and youth mentoring, according to the offices.
In 1982, she created the Black Leadership Development Program to train African Americans for community leadership roles.
“A commemorative stamp would be... a simple reminder—passed hand to hand—of what courage and competence look like in the service of our country and community,” Turner said.
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