DETROIT – Juneteenth is once again upon us.
The federal holiday signifies the emancipation of African Americans who were enslaved in the country at one point.
One Detroit 6-year-old is trying to teach others about the holiday on a much grander scale.
This little girl has actually been declared Ms. Juneteenth of Michigan and there’s a clear reason why she’s been given that name.
Robin McKee, also known as Rosie, is normal kid with a big heart for the history she learned from her mom and grandma. She’s able to channel the likes of her ancestors to honor them in a very special way.
She’s known for dressing up as historical figures in the African American community. This month however, the UPREP Art and Design first grader is using her platform on Instagram to educate those unaware about Juneteenth.
For the first 19 days of June, Rosie is releasing little-known facts about the holiday with 30-45 second videos.
“Even though I’m 6 years old, I can still be like a teacher even though I don’t have a classroom. I’m gonna still teach people about Juneteenth,” Rosie said.
Her mother, Kenya obviously had some type of influence on Rosie’s Direction. She said the kid has taken it and rolled with it.
“Rosie has taken this all in. She’s learning about her history. She’s learning about Black women that she can do whatever she wants. When she puts on a wig and becomes Viola Davis, you can be an actress like her. When you put on fake locks like Whoopi, you can be like Whoopi Goldberg. You can be like all these women she’s portraying. You can be her,” Kenya said.
It’s clear that little Rosie understands the assignment of playing legends anywhere from Laila Ali to Erykah Badu. It’s something about Juneteenth that sets up the foundation for those names to succeed.
“Juneteenth means a lot to me. It makes me special. It makes other people special. It means a lot of me,” Rosie said.
Rosie says she plans to be an actress when she grows up. It’s easy to see that shouldn’t be a problem.
You can watch Rosie’s work here.