This commemorative month serves as a mirror of the prevailing political atmosphere, so in what ways can we modernize it?
This is Black History Month in the UK, and it feels like it’s time for a re-evaluation. As time has passed, an observance that was initiated as a commemorative event of the past, cultural identity and bonds between global Black communities, has developed a business-like atmosphere, broadening to incorporate gatherings where individuals of African heritage are paid to speak with white audiences about hidden biases and “allyship”. The demonstrations for racial justice in the 2020s generated a rise in the enterprise of displaying cultural sensitivity. However, that period has concluded. The surge has reached its height, resulting in a somewhat empty inheritance of what raising awareness is for.
The Background of Black History Celebration
Initially celebrated in the US and Canada, Black History Month was established in 1962 as an observance of African American heritage by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of remembrance and recognition in the middle of February. Black History Month evolved from this movement and was publicly established in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the US and Canada in the second month, but also in October in the United Kingdom, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Republic of Ireland and the Holland.
The period has evolved since its inception, focusing less on the histories of transatlantic enslavement and civil rights battles, and increasingly on prominent Black figures in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, and widely honoring the contribution Black people have made to mold society. It is in schools where Black History Month is most frequently marked, with talks and cultural events. But the way the celebration is observed is a indication of the political moment. How it progresses is a valuable example in how co-option leads to erosion: the restructuring of Black History Month has impeded the objective of it, which is to confront systemic and institutional racism.
A Jarring Moment
Hardly anything shows how crucial it is to reevaluate Black History Month as much as the current time in which it takes place this year. In the United Kingdom, a reemerging right-wing in the shape of the Reform political group is top in opinion ratings. In the recent season we observed the biggest extreme right demonstration in the history of Britain. a prominent political figure, the African descendant in charge of the Tory party, is a staunch adversary of anti-racism activism, and we are in a situation where a legislator gains confidence to declare that the absence of Caucasian individuals in certain urban areas is a reason for concern. Simultaneously, ultra-nationalist movements are expanding in the EU as a whole.
In the United States, a massive attack against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been carried, often successfully, to the highest courts of the nation. A effort to remove African American heritage and narrative from the historical documents is ongoing. One of the former president's initial presidential directives focused on the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the renowned cultural organization, claiming they of a “concerted and widespread effort to change the national past” by representing the nation “as fundamentally prejudiced”.
Against this backdrop, the celebration represents how little it can be impactful if it is confined to either routine organizational acknowledgments, or depoliticized commemorations of former accomplishments, rather than challenging the situation of the current era. It also shows how its limited duration means that it is detached from the more extensive continuous action that is necessary. Denise Miller, a prof at an educational institution, expressed it perfectly when she raised concerns about the temporary “tokenism” of the observance. “The difficulty with embracing a superficial method”, she commented, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month turns into a transient display rather than a driver of transformation.”
Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning
Determining how to adjust, modify and expand initiatives for equal rights and acknowledgment in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a difficult task. There is a urge to just eliminate observances such as Black History Month altogether, believing they are inadequate for current needs, or are remnants of an time that has not worked.
But despite everything, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and tradition of campaigns for equality – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, DEI programs, and yes, even those talks to businesses – constitute an foundation that a lot of work has been invested in. It is there not only to deteriorate as the political landscape shifts (and in fact, deteriorates), but to be a living breathing thing.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month look like? Firstly, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is distributed through the year (as some institutions are already starting to implement), elements of its material (particularly around notable African descendants) included in school curriculums. It would also be a period that does not shy away from governmental matters, and leaves space for individuals, particularly youth, to air their fears and experiences. What value has basic knowledge of the history when it doesn’t reckon with the current situation of far-right rallies in the street? Institutions who mark it should not be comforted with the non-confrontational words of hidden discrimination and awareness of subtle slights, but confronted with the dangers that impact society if fight against prejudice is not treated with importance. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made contemporary, urgent, and reactive. Maybe an complete renaming is necessary – Black History is Now Month.
