Romay Johnson Davis was a World War II veteran and a member of the first all-female, all-Black Army Corps unit deployed overseas during the conflict.
- Died: June 21, 2024 (Who else died on June 21?)
- Details of death: Died in Montgomery, Alabama at the age of 104.
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Romay Johnson Davis’ legacy
More than 800 women made up the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. Formed in 1944 as part of the Women’s Army Corps, the “Six Triple Eight” provided an essential support role during World War II. Segregated by both race and gender, its members helped U.S. forces maintain smooth operations during the height of the war despite little recognition or acknowledgement for their work.
Romay Johnson Davis was among them. One of the unit’s last survivors and the oldest, she joined the service in 1943 after spending some time working for the United States Mint. She was deployed to England and France, ensuring that communications and packages made their way back and forth between the U.S. and Europe. It was a bigger task than it at first seemed, with warehouses full of parcels that had sat for up to two years, poor labeling, and other issues preventing successful delivery. Yet all of this mail was vital. Davis and her sisters in the Six Triple Eight processed close to 200,000 mail pieces daily, completing their mission in half the expected six-month time.
It took until 2022 for the unit to receive widespread recognition. By that time, most of them had already passed away. Davis was among those honored, receiving the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor bestowed by Congress.
Davis grew up in a fully segregated South, unable to attend high school in her hometown because there were no Black high schools there. Not allowed to attend public school with other kids, she had to move in with family in Washington to finish her education. Davis wanted to be a doctor, but more racial roadblocks stood in her way. She eventually volunteered with the Women’s Army Corps, determined to do her part to serve her country.
After the war, Davis moved to New York and earned a degree from Traphagen School of Fashion. At age 61, she returned to school once again, this time earning her master’s in technology and industrial education from New York University. In 2020, the Winn-Dixie grocery store chain, for whom she worked later in life, created the Romay Davis Belonging, Inclusion and Diversity Grant Program prize in her honor.
On the welcome she received in Europe when compared to back home:
“I didn’t find any Europeans against us. They were glad to have us.” — Interview with the Montgomery Advertiser, 2022
Tributes to Romay Johnson Davis
Full obituary: The Washington Post
