Brentwood Post Office Renamed in Honor of Millie Dunn Veasey, a Southeast Raleigh Resident

The Brentwood Post Office is now officially named in honor of Southeast Raleigh native and trailblazer Millie Dunn Veasey.

A standing-room-only crowd gathered for the dedication ceremony May 9 at St. Ambrose Episcopal Church, where Veasey worshiped. A plaque will be permanently displayed, designating the post office at 2777 Brentwood Rd. in her name.

“This designation stands as a testament to her contributions, ensuring her impact is remembered for generations,” said event emcee Devoyne Green, the US Postal Service Customer Relations Manager.

Veasey, a long-time resident of Rock Quarry Road, died in March 2018. She was 100. The renaming was led by Congresswoman Deborah Ross. Legislation passed on January 4.

“This is the first time we’re honoring someone who actually touched and moved the mail,” said Postmaster Michael Amory, noting it was the largest crowd he’s seen at a renaming ceremony. “That tells you how many lives Millie Dunn Veasey touched.”

A Raleigh native raised on Davie Street, Veasey graduated from Washington High School and enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1943. She served in the 6888th Postal Battalion, which was the only predominantly Black, multi-ethnic Women’s Army Corps unit deployed overseas during WWII, thanks to the advocacy of Mary McLeod Bethune and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.

Nicknamed the “Six Triple Eight,” the battalion cleared in just three months a backlog of 17 million mail items for over four million personnel in the UK and France. Their motto: “No mail, low morale.” The unit has since inspired several films and stage projects, including Tyler Perry’s Netflix film The Six Triple Eight, starring Kerry Washington. Earlier this month, the group was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for their groundbreaking work during WWII.

After returning home, Veasey attended St. Augustine’s College on the GI Bill, and later earned a master’s degree in business education from N.C. Central University. She retired in 1988 as Director of Career Planning and Placement at St. Augustine’s.

A civil rights pioneer, Veasey became the first female president of the Raleigh NAACP, hosted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in her home, and was active in the National Federation of Democratic Women, the American Legion, and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority.