BATTLE CREEK, Mich. - A judge, an inventor and a cheerleader strolled into Christina Smith’s photography studio in downtown Battle Creek recently.

The costumed trio was in fact 9-year-old Ayden Smith as Thurgood Marshall, 8-year-old Sha-Ron Hawkins as Lewis Latimer and 4-year-old Cailee Bess as Mary Smith. They were participating in a photoshoot for Christina Smith’s “Who Am I?” project for Black History Month.

Ms. Smith, owner of Memories by Christina Ne’Cole, said she started the project as a tangible way “to teach young kids history about our Black inventors and leaders.”

The Battle Creek Enquirer reports that 15 children have participated in the project to date, portraying a wide range of history-making African-Americans, from widely celebrated icons such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth, to lesser-known fig- ures such as Mary Smith, the first Black cheerleader for the Dallas Cowboys, or Garrett Morgan, inventor of the gas mask and traffic light.

For the “Who Am I?” project, Ms. Smith posts one photo of a costumed child each afternoon on her social media channels, soliciting people to guess which figure is being portrayed, later revealing the identity in the evening. She said she is still accepting additional subjects to be costumed and photographed as other Black historic figures, with intentions of publishing the collection in a book.

Shaquilla Brinkley, formerly of Battle Creek, traveled from her home in Portage, Mich., with her son, Sha-Ron, to participate in the project. He posed as Mr. Latimer,

the inventor of a longer lasting filament for light bulbs and author of the first book on electric lighting.

“It’s important for my son,” Ms. Brinkley said. “He’s in a school that’s not very diverse. He’s one of two Black boys in his classroom. So he doesn’t really know a lot about Black history. I usually try to instill that in him throughout the year, but it’s really important this month.

“I appreciate the experience for my son and for the community. I’m happy she’s doing this because she’s good at what she does.”

Battle Creek City Commissioner Jenasia Morris, Ward 2, visited the studio to watch her sister, Cailee, participate in the photoshoot as Mary Smith.

“It’s important for us to educate our youth about Black history and opportunities for people of color,” Ms. Morris said. “Once they see that, they know they can pursue that and know they can do anything.”