Thanks to decades of community activism, more educators than ever before are making space for Black history in their school curriculum. This Black History Month, Khadesia Latimer, an elementary school art teacher in South Carolina, took a creative approach to celebrating Black leaders in American history. Honing her artistic talents with colored pencils and markers, Latimer created hand-drawn portraits of Black American pioneers to add to her school bulletin board. Her drawings, which she shared on TikTok earlier this month, have since gone viral, inspiring teachers nationwide to replicate her designs.
Latimer’s Black History Month bulletin boards have become a celebrated tradition at her schools, and her artwork has become a staple of her students’ educational experience. By incorporating hand-drawn portraits of major Black historical figures, Latimer aims to educate her students about the accomplishments of Black Americans and inspire them to become changemakers in their own communities.
The board, which she hangs in the hallway outside of her classroom, features hand-drawn portraits of major Black historical figures. Beside each portrait, Latimer includes the person’s name and a short blurb about their achievements. This approach not only adds a personal touch to her artwork but also provides her students with a valuable learning experience.
Latimer’s inspiration for her bulletin board designs comes from a variety of sources, including her own love of art and history. “I was originally inspired by Kaitlyn Edington many years ago when she did a bulletin board of portraits of Black artists!” Latimer, who goes by @thebusybrushes on TikTok and Instagram, tells Motherly. By drawing on her own experiences and interests, Latimer creates artwork that is both personal and meaningful to her students.
In addition to poet and activist Amanda Gorman, Latimer’s first Black History Month bulletin board featured engineer and former NASA astronaut Mae Jemison and mathematician and aerospace technologist Katherine Johnson. “I kind of wanted to keep it in the realm of education and literacy and science,” she says. This year, Latimer has also added a striking likeness of filmmaker and producer Ryan Coogler. Her latest portrait sits alongside previous drawings of notable figures like Bessie Coleman—the first African American and Native American woman to hold a pilot’s license—legendary NBA All-Star Kobe Bryant, and Arthur Ashe, the only Black tennis player to win the men’s singles title at Wimbledon to date.
Using her artwork to teach her students about the historical figures depicted on her bulletin board is a key part of Latimer’s approach to education. By providing her students with a visual representation of Black history, Latimer aims to make the subject more accessible and engaging. “I have Alma Thomas on my bulletin board right now, and we’re actually doing a lesson on Alma Thomas in my third-grade classes,” she says.
Latimer’s students are not afraid to critique her artwork, and she welcomes their feedback as an opportunity to learn and grow. “They’re also pretty critical too because [they’ll say], ‘Oh, that doesn’t look like so and so! You should have done this, or you should have done that,’ which is funny,” she says, adding that she’s redrawn a few portraits based on her students’ feedback.
The heroes on Latimer’s Black History Month bulletin board intentionally span a wide range of professions. “I just wanted to be intentional about hitting multiple realms: the arts, sports, science and STEM, poetry; things like that, so they can kind of get [an idea] of what Black History looks like and the areas that we’re hitting with these amazing pioneers,” she says. By featuring a diverse range of Black leaders, Latimer aims to provide her students with a comprehensive understanding of the contributions and achievements of Black Americans.
Latimer’s bulletin board designs have gone viral on TikTok and have inspired teachers nationwide to celebrate Black History Month. “I was so surprised by how much attention it got,” she says. However, Latimer is quick to note that her goal is not to seek attention, but to educate and inspire her students. By sharing her artwork with a wider audience, Latimer hopes to inspire educators to make Black history a priority in their own classrooms.
Bringing her artwork to life is a process that Latimer approaches with care and dedication. From selecting the historical figures to be featured on her bulletin board to drawing each portrait by hand, Latimer’s process is both creative and labor-intensive. By pouring her heart and soul into her artwork, Latimer creates pieces that are not only visually stunning but also deeply meaningful.
Latimer’s inspiration for her bulletin board designs comes from a variety of sources, including her own love of art and history. “I was originally inspired by Kaitlyn Edington many years ago when she did a bulletin board of portraits of Black artists!” Latimer, who goes by @thebusybrushes on TikTok and Instagram, tells Motherly. By drawing on her own experiences and interests, Latimer creates artwork that is both personal and meaningful to her students.
The impact of Latimer’s bulletin board designs on her students is a testament to the power of art to educate and inspire. By creating a visual representation of Black history, Latimer provides her students with a valuable learning experience that goes beyond the classroom. “I hope my bulletin boards inspire educators nationwide to celebrate the accomplishments of Black Americans well beyond February,” she says.
Latimer’s artwork has become a staple of her students’ educational experience, and her bulletin board designs have inspired teachers nationwide to celebrate Black History Month. By sharing her artwork with a wider audience, Latimer hopes to inspire educators to make Black history a priority in their own classrooms.
Conclusion
Khadesia Latimer’s hand-drawn portraits of Black historical figures have gone viral on TikTok and inspired teachers nationwide to celebrate Black History Month. By creating a visual representation of Black history, Latimer provides her students with a valuable learning experience that goes beyond the classroom. Through her artwork, Latimer aims to educate and inspire her students to become changemakers in their own communities, and to celebrate the accomplishments of Black Americans well beyond February.
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