February isn't just any other month for the Trotter family of Grand Rapids, Michigan. For years, Taylor Trotter and her daughter, Paisley, have turned it into something special to celebrate Black History Month. But they don't just read books about influential Black figures from the past (though there's plenty of that going on).
Instead, the mother-daughter duo work together on costumes for Paisley so she can channel a different influential Black figure for each day of Black History Month.
The idea was first sparked a few years ago.
According to Taylor, she'd been teaching her daughter about Black history through the books they'd read, and one October, when Paisley was just a toddler, she had a request: Could she dress up as Ruby Bridges for Halloween?
Bridges captivated Americans during the civil rights era as one of the first Black students to go to an all-white school. At just 6 years old, she became a symbol of the desegregation movement and would grow up to become a powerful civil rights activist in her own right.
Needless to say, the costume seemed perfect — and ever since, the pair have turned their passion for channeling historical figures into a month-long project.
So far, Paisley has channeled some pretty unforgettable people.
Last year, she became the incomparable Shirley Chisholm, a congresswoman from New York who became the first Black woman to ever seek a major party's nomination for president of the United States.
Paisley even pirouetted across the living room while pretending to be Misty Copeland, the first Black woman to be named a principal dancer for the American Ballet Theatre.
Throughout the years, Paisley has continued to learn about a whole slew of important historical figures — some male and some female.
In 2022, she transformed into James Armistead Lafayette, a former slave who asked his master to join the army and serve in the Revolutionary War. Remarkably, he eventually became a spy.
She also dressed up as Mary Fields (aka "Stagecoach Mary"), who became the first African American female mail carrier in the United States during the late 1800s.
She's even channeled some modern Black heroes of recent history — such as George Floyd, whose death last year in police custody reignited the Black Lives Matter movement and launched new efforts in police reform.
Last week, she powerfully depicted the heroic acts of Officer Eugene Goodman, whose actions on January 6, 2021, helped save countless lives during the insurrection at the Capitol.
She also dressed up as Amanda Gorman, America's youngest inaugural poet, who delivered a powerful recitation during President Joe Biden's swearing-in ceremony last month.
According to Taylor, this yearly project has become even more special than she could have expected.
"I'm white and she's biracial and I need to make a conscious effort for her to love all of who she is," the Michigan mom told Good Morning America. "I need her to love how God created her and for her to love all of herself and not just what came from me."
Clearly, the mother's lesson has already planted some seeds.
Each time Trotter and her daughter channel a new Black hero, it's only after the pair have done extensive research through reading, educating themselves on the person's life, work, and lasting impact.
The result has been a memorable learning experience for both of them.
"[In] the first part of the caption I write the history and what this person has done," Trotter told Good Morning America. "The second part is to Paisley and what characteristics I hope she takes from these leaders."
Not all of the stories are easy to talk about.
For instance, when discussing the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, Trotter was sure to tread lightly. In an age-appropriate way, she said she does her best to convey the impacts each of these figures have had on the US, no matter when they occurred.
These lessons have proved invaluable to them both.
"Being white, I started to see the world in a different way," Trotter shared. "I'm sending her out in the world where [people] are not going to see her as a half-white woman or a half-Black woman. I need to do what I can to protect her and give her the tools and resources and confidence to prepare her for the world and how people may perceive her and be able to navigate that so we can say, 'This is what we can do about it and how we can handle it.'"
Of course, some of the greatest re-creations so far are the ones that have inspired Paisley to reach for the stars.
And perhaps no one has done that more than Kamala Harris — aka "madam vice president."
"Fierce. Powerful. Resilient … History making," Trotter wrote in her Instagram caption. "From the time she was born until the time of her mother’s death, Kamala constantly heard her mother’s words, 'Don’t just sit around and complain about things, do something. You may be the first to do many things—make sure you're not the last.'"
Now that she's inspiring a whole new generation of girls, it's safe to say that Kamala won't be the last female VP. And thanks to parents such as Trotter, who continue to elevate powerful Black stories like these, kids can continue to dream of new possibilities they may have never otherwise known existed.
