Rosie White is Detroit's young rising star. The first-grader is role-playing as famous Black women and inventors in a series of homemade history lesson videos in honor of Black History Month.
Rosie's mother, Kenya White, created the video series three years ago after teaching Rosie a lesson on Rosa Parks and noticed she remembered the entire story.
"I didn't want to teach her the trauma of black history that I was taught as a kid her age," White said. "I want her to learn about women and inventors. Something that she can reflect on and say 'hey, I can do that. I can be just like her'."
Kenya has served as the series director, costume designer, glam team, and cinematographer over the last three years.
"I said, 'Hold on, Rosie. Hold that thought.' So I dressed her up as Rosa Parks with things we had around the house, and I said, 'Now, tell me what you learned,'" White recalled. "And she said it, and I recorded it, and I posted it, and that's how it all started. Like, wow, that's amazing."
Rosie shares historical facts with her viewers about each person she portrays based solely on her memory.
"She's a natural talent, wants to be in front of a camera or maybe a dance contest or anything that she can express herself," Kenya White said.
Rosie has acted as potato chip inventor, George Crum, Tina Turner, Stacey Abrams, Vice President, Kamala Harris, and many others with whom the internet has fallen in love. Kenya shares that the reaction to the innovative videos has been incredible.
"This is something we do in the house just to pass time, so for it to get this response — it's overwhelming, it's shocking," she said. "We went into the gas station yesterday, and someone was like, 'Hey, you're that girl Rosie!' I'm like, 'Wow.' Like, it's crazy. … And educators saying, 'Hey, that's a brilliant way you're teaching your daughter. I'm going to do that.'"
White has inspired many young Black girls to create content themselves, and Kenya's advice to young Black creatives is that you can be anyone you want to be.
"My response to any young girl out there, specifically Black girls, but all girls, in particular, you can do anything you want. You can be Kamala Harris; you can be Michelle Obama; you can be beyond those ladies. Whatever your heart desires, whatever you want to do, whether you're an artist or dancer, into politics, just be the best you-you can be."
Her latest act as Diana Ross gained viral recognition."
"Hello Motown!!!!, she starts her dialogue. "I was in a group called The Primettes later changed to The Supremes. I left The Supremes for a solo career, and I was outstanding. By 1980 I had sold over 100 million records. I am one of the most successful female artists in history; look it up in the Guinness Book. I am the first black woman to co-host the Oscars.
Rosie loved playing Laila Ali White shared.
"I am Laila Ali," she begins. "An ex-professional boxer. I competed from 1999-2007. I'm sure you heard of my dad Mohamed Ali. He was a boxer too. I am one of the greatest female boxers of all time. Me and this other female boxer became the the first women to headline a boxing pay-per-view event. I retired with 24 wins, no losses, and 21 knockouts!! I can cook, do nails, and a TV personality…..Laila Ali!"
Her energy radiates through the screen as she gives her audience different history lessons on Stacey Abrams, Tina Turner, Whoopi Goldberg, Angela Davis, and other remarkable Black women in history.
Rosie's videos are released on Mondays and Thursdays throughout Black History Month. Mondays are dedicated to Black women, and Thursdays honor Black inventors.
