A new special hour-long edition of Witness History from the BBC World Service will bring together some incredible stories about the Black experience. The episode honors Black History Month with several harrowing and inspiring first-hand accounts.
One of the stories featured is that of the first African-American woman to lead a battalion in World War Two - Major Charity Adams. Maj. Adams' battalion was known as the Six-Triple-Eight (6888).
The 6888 was a majority African-American women’s unit. The women sorted through mountains of post across Europe, using the motto: 'No Mail, Low Morale'.
Charity went on to become lieutenant colonel, the highest possible rank for women in her unit. She died in 2002.
Witness History takes listeners back in time to key events in history. It includes first-hand accounts, archive material, and insight from experts and historians.