Anna Mae Robertson, 101, was one of the last surviving members of the “Six Triple Eight,” an all Black, all-female WWII battalion.

Anna Mae Robertson, a trailblazing World War II veteran and one of the last surviving members of the historic Six Triple Eight battalion, has died at 101 years old. Her family confirmed her passing over the weekend.

At just 19, Robertson stepped up to serve her country, joining the barrier-breaking, all-Black women’s battalion during World War II. In the face of both racial and gender discrimination, the Six Triple Eight took on a mission others deemed impossible: sorting through 17 million pieces of mail to reconnect U.S. troops with their loved ones during wartime. They did it in just three months.

“I thought I was doing a good job,” Robertson told WISN in 2019. “I thought I was helping someone. They could go to the front line and do something that I couldn’t do.”

Robertson’s legacy is deeply tied to the resilience, sisterhood, and unshakable pride that defines the story of Black women in America.

“Anna Mae Robertson, this day will be forever cherished deeply in my heart. Your legacy will live on through the strength of your beautiful family and in the hearts of Black people everywhere,” actor and producer Kerry Washington wrote in a tribute on Facebook. “You, and the extraordinary women of #TheSixTripleEight [that] you’re meeting up in Heaven, paved the way with grace, grit, and bravery.”

Washington recently portrayed a commanding officer in “The Six Triple Eight,” Tyler Perry’s 2024 Netflix film honoring the battalion. She had visited Robertson in Milwaukee ahead of the film’s release.

In April, Robertson lived to see her unit finally recognized with one of the country’s highest honors: the Congressional Gold Medal. 

“I am thankful that my constituent, Ms. Robertson, was able to receive her flowers while she could still smell them,” said Congresswoman Gwen Moore, who helped champion the legislation, per WISN. “I join our community in mourning her loss and remembering her trailblazing legacy.”

Milwaukee leaders, like Mayor Cavalier Johnson, also reflected on her impact. 

“You need people who are going to work through those challenges and move our city forward, and that is exactly what Anna Mae Robertson did,” he said. 

Before her passing, Robertson was named the grand marshal of Milwaukee’s Juneteenth parade, set for June 19. While it’s unclear who will fill her spot, her presence will no doubt be felt.

Her life was a reminder that Black women’s contributions to this country cannot, and will not, be erased. As Washington said, “May she rest in peace and power.”