Forums, debates, fliers, workshops, marches, exhibits, speakers, festivals, rallies and trips are ways people celebrate Black History Month each year. However, for Jessica Fulks, those weren’t enough.

Fulks, a sophomore in textile and apparel management, decided to bring black history to her wardrobe this year. Each school day she is wearing a shirt that celebrates something in black history. However, these aren’t average T-shirts. Each one Fulks has designed and painted herself.

She said she got the idea for this project while attending the play 1001 Black Inventions in January. Fulks said she has always wanted a shirt for every day in February. Since she has already painted shirts, Fulks said it would be easy to do one every day.

“If I can make shirts, why not do black history ones?” she said.

Fulks has been painting shirts for about nine months, and she also paints shoes and jackets. But that isn’t all; Fulks said she is working on learning how to to sew so she can design, sew and paint clothes.

Her endeavors aren’t without support. Fulks said her mom and brother are “constantly buying [her] paint.”

Her brother, Xavier Graham, said he is proud of Fulks. He said her way of celebrating black history is a good way to bring attention to little-known facts.

Fulks looks up to her brother, according to Ashley Holmes, a sophomore in political science and Fulks’ close friend. Holmes said Fulks’ mom encourages her as well.

Her brother, according to Fulks, is an inspiration to her. He is one of the reasons Fulks said she makes sure she puts lots of time and effort into her painting. He’ll give her a hard time if she rushes through her work.

“I don’t want to hear his mouth, so I’ve got to do good and take my time,” Fulks said.

Her mother and brother aren’t the only ones who are proud of Fulks’ work; Philip Dail is also impressed. She has succeeded in doing well, according to Dail, the director of advising and admissions for the College of Textiles. He said textiles has a lot of talented people, but Fulks stands out.

“She is one of the most exceptional and creative ones we have over here, easily,” Dail said.

Fulks feels she has room to grow, though. She said she wants to get to the point where she can paint a person’s face on a shirt.

Michael Jordan was the first person Fulks painted on a shirt, but the portrait did not include his face. Since Fulks has not mastered faces, she does not think she’s ready to say she can paint portraits.

This shirt of Jordan was Holmes’ favorite one. She said she likes the ones with people the most because they show Fulks’ talent.

Holmes wasn’t the only one who favored the painting of Jordan. It was also one of Graham’s favorite ones. He liked it because it wasn’t the Jordan usually depicted. The colors blended and matched well, too, he said.

Fulks’ Black History Month T-shirts cover not only significant people. She said she and some friends composed a list of all the shirts she wanted to make over the month. The ideas included inventions, sayings, movements, sports and people.

Some of her ideas were the title of Langston Hughes’ poem “The Negro Speaks of Rivers,” Madam C.J. Walker with a perm box and “Say it loud, I’m black and I’m proud” with a picture of James Brown. According to Fulks, brainstorming is the hardest and longest part.

“[Brainstorming] probably takes me all day because I want to think of something that’s not just ordinary,” Fulks said.

She said the clothes today all look the same, so she tries to make sure her stuff is original so it doesn’t look like she is copying anyone.

After figuring out original ideas, Fulks paints. Her original plan, she said, was to have a theme each week, but she got busy with school and that didn’t work. Even though she’s busy, she said she won’t let anyone help her paint.

“I do everything,” she said. “That’s my choice. I want it to look how I want it to look.”

Then, she paints a shirt the night before she wears it. After she’s painted a shirt, she takes a picture and sends it to Holmes — no matter how late it is.

It could be 2 a.m. and Fulks will send her a picture, Holmes said. She said she approves the final product of each shirt to help with the shirt-making process.

Graham also has a picture of every shirt Fulks has painted.

Constructive criticism is something Fulks said she likes to get, but hasn’t received much of it. And she hasn’t received any bad comments yet.

When Holmes looks at the pictures, she said she hasn’t seen something she doesn’t like. She said she usually tells Fulks to just “add some glitter or something.” However, Holmes said if she were to not like one of the shirts, she would let Fulks know.

Making these shirts isn’t what makes Fulks impressive to Dail, though. He said what he likes is the passion and heart she puts into her work.

“Whatever she ends up doing will have her in it,” he said.

Fulks’ current project is something “she would do,” according to Graham. He is not surprised she has taken on this task.

Fulks’ initiative is something Holmes said she admires. Most people don’t have the drive to do something like this project if it’s not for a class or a grade, Holmes said. But Fulks is doing it all on her own.

But, according to Dail, this doesn’t matter. This project is a learning experience for Fulks.

“Learning is when you experience, and Jessica is doing both,” he said.

Fulks said making the shirts for Black History Month has been fun. She encourages everyone to celebrate everyone’s history throughout the whole year.

Holmes agreed.

“I hope it inspires other people to do stuff — not just for Black History Month,” she said.