Empowering: This Mom Dressed Up Her Little Girl As African American Icons

By
Amanda C
-

The month of February is Black History Month, and one mother and daughter came up with a beautiful way to honor it.

Two years ago, in February 2017 Cristi Jones decided to dress up her then 5-year-old girl as one of the biggest icons in history. Although there were so many women worth mentioning, Cristi narrowed her list down to 29 memorable African-American figures.

Every day, through the month of February, she shared one photo on her Instagram account called mskittifatale, and received huge support from her followers.

Scroll down and check out the photographs below. Do you have a favorite?

View this post on Instagram

This month, in honor of Black History Month, I have a photo project I'm working on. My goal is to post a photo of Miss Lola every day, inspired by a photo of a notable black woman, whose contributions helped pave the way and open doors for today's youth. Today, we are sharing Ms. Nina Simone. Ms. Simone was an accomplished pianist, with dreams of being a concert pianist, and attended Juilliard. With her distinct voice, and although she considered herself a pianist and not a singer, she made a name for herself in the jazz scene, and later used her talent and fame in Civil Rights activism. She performed at events like the March from Selma, and penned songs about the times, such as Mississippi Goddam, Old Jim Crow, and one of my favorites, Four Women. Despite mental illness and decline in later years, Ms. Simone's legacy lives on, and most are familiar with her version of Feeling Good, I Put a Spell on You, and Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood. #ninasimone #blackhistorymonth #blackgirlsrock

A post shared by Cristi Jones (@mskittifatale) on

View this post on Instagram

Day 27. Coretta Scott King was not just the wife of Martin Luther King, Jr. She was also an author, activist, and Civil Rights leader herself. Born in 1927, in Alabama, Coretta was known for her singing voice, and played several instruments. After graduating high school as valedictorian, she attended Antioch College. She became more politically active, joining the Antioch chapter of the NAACP, and getting involved in the college's Race Relations and Civil Liberties Committee. She attained a B.A. in music and education. She then accepted a fellowship at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, where she would meet Martin. Coretta and Martin married in 1953, and Coretta earned another degree in music, although she realized she would be unable to pursue a career in music as Martin's wife. Together, they moved to Alabama, where Martin became the pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. Coretta joined the choir and taught Sunday School. Their first daughter was born in 1955. In 1956, the Kings got involved with the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Coretta became an advocate for civil rights legislation. As their roles as leaders of the Civil Rights movement increased, so did the danger, with Martin being stabbed, and bullets and a bomb targeting their home. They continued to preach nonviolence for social change, despite this. Over the next several years, Martin became one of the faces of the cause. They had 3 more children, traveled to Ghana to celebrate its independence and to India on a pilgrimage. They worked to get the Civil Rights Act passed, participated in the March from Selma to Montgomery, and the March on Washington. Coretta acted as a public mediator and liason to peace and justice organizations. In 1968, Martin was assassinated. Coretta fearlessly continued her husband's work after his death, and founded the MLK, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, acting as President and CEO. Throughout the rest of her life, Coretta spoke out against apartheid, fought for LGBT rights, and women's rights. She passed away in 2006, of ovarian cancer. Coretta holds awards and accolades, including the Ghandi Peace Prize; honorary doctorates; is in [cont…]

A post shared by Cristi Jones (@mskittifatale) on

View this post on Instagram

Day 26. Gwendolyn Brooks was an acclaimed poet, author and teacher, known for her observational poetry about the inner city. Gwendolyn was born in 1917, in Topeka, Kansas, but grew up in Chicago. Being shy, and often feeling outcast as a child, Gwendolyn spent much of her childhood writing. She attended readings by such poets as Langston Hughes, and corresponded with them, receiving encouragement for her poetry. By age 16, she had written over 75 poems. While in high school, Gwendolyn attended 3 different schools, which gave her a perspective of racial relations and bias, which would influence her work. After high school, she graduated from Wilson Junior College, choosing to forego any higher education, knowing she wanted to be a writer. After college, Gwendolyn began working as a director of publicity for a youth organization of the NAACP. She would continue to write and began to have books of poetry published. She married her husband, also a writer, in 1939, and raised 2 children. She would write while her children were in school or asleep. In 1950, Gwendolyn received the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, becoming the first black person to do so. In 1968, she was named Poet Laureate of Illinois, which she remained until her death. She would go on to teach poetry at numerous colleges and Universities in the 1970's. She would hold workshops and poetry contests in prisons to encourage others to write. In 1985, Gwendolyn was named poetry consultant for the Library of Congress. In 1990, The Gwendolyn Brooks Center at Chicago State University became the permanent home for her works. Ms. Brooks died of cancer in 2000, at the age of 83. In addition to being a Poet Laureate, and her Pulitzer, Gwendolyn holds over 75 honorary degrees; has numerous institutions named in her honor; is in the National Women's Hall of Fame; is on a postage stamp, and has many awards and medals to her name. #Gwendolynbrooks #blackhistorymonth #womeninpoetry #womenofthehall

A post shared by Cristi Jones (@mskittifatale) on

View this post on Instagram

Day 21. Toni Morrison is a highly acclaimed prize-winning author, editor, and Professor Emerita. Chloe Wofford was born in 1931, in Lorain, OH. She loved to read, and Tolstoy and Jane Austen were amongst her favorites. Becoming Catholic at age 12, she received the baptismal name "Anthony," prompting the nickname "Toni." Toni would graduate high school with honors, then enroll at Howard University, earning her B.A. in English, before earning her Master's at Cornell University. Following college, Toni taught English at Texas Southern University and Howard. She married Harold Morrison during this time, and had 2 children. After her divorce in 1964, she became an editor, ending up in New York City, working for Random House as senior trade-book editor. She edited books for such people as Angela Davis and Muhammad Ali. Toni would go on to write her first novel in 1970, titled The Bluest Eye. It would later become a bestseller. She continued writing novels, known for her exquisite words, and epic, often heavy, themes. Her book, Sula, would win the National Book Award, and Song of Solomon was chosen as Book of the Month, the first by a black author since 1940. Toni was appointed to the National Council on the Arts in 1980, and in 1987, her most well known book, Beloved, was published. It would earn her the 1988 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, amongst other awards, and later be adapted as a film, starring Oprah and Thandie Newton. Toni began her professorship at Princeton in 1989, where she would stay until retiring in 2006. In 1993, she became the first black woman to win a Nobel Prize in Literature. She would continue to author numerous books, even branching out into children's books. In 2007, an opera she wrote debuted at the New York City Opera. She also worked on a play based on Othello, which debuted in London in 2012. Her most recent book, God Help the Child, was published in 2015. Ms. Morrison has so many accolades and awards, it would be difficult to list them, but she holds numerous honorary doctorates, a Presidential Medal of Freedom, her Nobel and Pulitzer Prizes, and a Grammy for Spoken Word. #tonimorrison #blackhistorymonth #blackgirlsrock

A post shared by Cristi Jones (@mskittifatale) on

View this post on Instagram

Day 7. Dr. Mae Jemison is an engineer, medical doctor, and NASA astronaut. She was the first African American woman to go to space, when she went into orbit on the Endeavor in 1992. Born in 1956, at a very young age, Mae had an interest in all things science related. At a time where girls were not encouraged to pursue science, and around the time of the Apollo landing, Mae was frustrated at the lack of female astronauts. Mae began dancing at age 11, and considered pursuing it as a career, but decided to pursue medicine instead. She graduated high school and entered Stanford University at only 16 years old!! She served as the head of the Black Student Union, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering. She then attended Cornell Medical College, where she received her Doctor of Medicine degree. During her time in medical school, she traveled abroad to provide medical care in other countries. She also opened a dance studio in her home, never forgetting her love of dance. After graduating, Mae became a General Practitioner. She served as a Peace Corps Medical Officer from 1983-1985. During this time, inspired by the flight of Sally Ride, and seeing an opportunity for women astronauts, Mae applied for the NASA astronaut program. She was accepted in 1987. In 1992, she accomplished her dream of going to space. In 1993, Mae resigned from NASA, and founded her own company, dedicated to research, marketing, and developing science and technology for daily life, as well as a foundation in her mother's name. Mae still speaks and encourages young people to pursue science and technology, and has received numerous awards. She is in the National Women's Hall of Fame, the International Space Hall of Fame, has institutions named after her, and holds 9 honorary doctorate. She has also made TV appearances, such as her role on Star Trek: The Next Generation. #maejemison #blackhistorymonth #blackgirlsrock #blackhistoryisamericanhistory

A post shared by Cristi Jones (@mskittifatale) on