BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — A Battle Creek photographer is hoping to educate her community about black history through a photo series this month.
Photographer Christina Ne'Cole, who owns Memories with Christina Ne'Cole, is aiming to highlight notable African Americans during Black History Month.
"It's really about these children and raising that awareness about black history," said Christina Ne'Cole.
It's an idea Christina Ne'Cole said she's had for years. This year, she finally made the jump, focusing on Black History Month and the people who have made an impact.
"I think it is very important to have that awareness. I think sometimes we hear about it in school but not really in-depth, and then we kind of heard about more of the main characters like Rosa Parks, and so I kind of wanted to do something where yes, I started with some characters that we know, but yet show awareness that there are so many different people who have been influential," said Ne'Cole.
The project is a children's series, free of charge to those getting their photos taken.
Each child is given a role from people in history, entertainment, sports and even inventors. The kids dress up as those people and re-create the photo of the person they're shown.
"I have done on May Jemison, Madam CJ Walker, Katherine Johnson, George Washington Carver, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, for there's been a very a variety of different people," said Ne'Cole.
She then posts the child's photo to Facebook with trivia questions and later reveals who it is with side-by-side photos at the end of the day.
For the month of February, she'll have posted over 25 photos. She said she isn't stopping there.
Next year, she plans to do it again.
"I want to go bigger and better and kind of highlight some of the hidden historical figures," said Ne'Cole. "I just kind of want to make a difference and just be a positive influence for my community."
To contact her for a photo session or for more information, click here.
