Over the past month, King Edward VI Northfield School for Girls have been holding auditions for a very special project. Inspired by the Tyler Perry film, 'The Six Triple Eight', dance teacher Ms Adey, set out to create a performance piece to honour the legacy of the incredible women of the 6888th Battalion - the only all-Black, all-female U.S. Army unit deployed overseas during WWII. In 1945, they were stationed at King Edward’s School, working tirelessly to clear a backlog of mail for U.S. troops in Europe.
Ms Adey said, "Given my passion for dance, I felt that the creative arts offered a meaningful way to celebrate their achievements. I also believed it was important for this to be a Trust-wide project, enabling us to share the story of the 6888th more broadly so that both pupils and staff can learn about this significant part of the Trust’s history. The story of the 6888th is both remarkable and deeply inspiring, and I felt compelled to create something that would honour their legacy."
Through a combination of powerful dance performances and spoken word, this Trust-wide production will share the story of the 6888th more broadly so that both pupils, staff and the King Edward VI community can learn about this significant part of our history.
With a very talented creative team on board, including creative director Clare Palethorpe, dance artists Jade Barnes, Tori Drew and Marcia Edwards, and Clare Palethorpe and spoken word artist Kurly, we are very excited to see how this project comes to life.
In addition to the performance, there will be an art exhibition, and a dedicated PSHE lesson has been developed for use across the Trust to ensure that every pupil has the opportunity to learn about the 6888th Battalion.
We are also extremely proud to share the following schools that will be taking part in the production:
King Edward VI Northfield School for Girls
King Edward VI Handsworth School for Girls
King Edward VI Sheldon Heath Academy
King Edward VI Handsworth Wood Girls Academy
King Edward VI Kings Norton School for Boys
King Edward VI Lordswood School for Girls
