Black History Month acts as a gauge of the current political climate, so in what ways can we modernize it?
This is Black History Month in the Britain, and it feels like it’s time for a rethink. As time has passed, an event that began as a festivity and recollection of the past, cultural identity and bonds between global Black communities, has adopted a commercial tone, broadening to incorporate gatherings where individuals of African heritage are paid to talk to predominantly white listeners about “unconscious bias” and “allyship”. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests sparked an increase in the industry of showcasing anti-racist commitment. Yet, that phase is now over. The wave has peaked, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what promoting consciousness is for.
The Origins of Black History Observance
Originally observed in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was established in 1962 as an observance of African American heritage by historian of African descent Carter G. Woodson with a week of remembrance and recognition in the February's second week. Black History Month developed from this initiative and was officially launched in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the North America in winter, but also in autumn in the Britain, Germany, Ireland and the Holland.
The observance has developed since its inception, placing less emphasis on the histories of the slave trade across the Atlantic and struggles for equality, and greater focus on influential individuals of color in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, and extensively acknowledging the contribution Black people have made to shape the country. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most frequently marked, with talks and cultural events. But the way the observance is commemorated is a reflection of the current political situation. How it progresses is a instructive case in how appropriation leads to erosion: the restructuring of Black History Month has hindered the purpose of it, which is to tackle systemic and institutional racism.
A Jarring Moment
Hardly anything shows how important it is to reconsider Black History Month better than the particular moment in which it falls this year. In the UK, a reemerging right-wing in the form of the Reform party is top in opinion ratings. In the recent season we witnessed the largest far-right rally in British history. the Conservative leader, the African descendant in charge of the right-wing political group, is a staunch adversary of anti-racism activism, and we are in a situation where a elected representative feels empowered to declare that the absence of Caucasian individuals in specific city neighborhoods is a reason for concern. Meanwhile, ultra-nationalist movements are expanding in Europe as a complete entity.
In the United States, a colossal assault against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been taken, frequently with success, to the top legal institutions of the country. A drive to erase the history of people of color and narrative from the archives is ongoing. One of the political figure's early administrative commands targeted the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the prestigious establishment, alleging that they of a “concerted and widespread effort to change the national past” by portraying America “as naturally discriminatory”.
Given these circumstances, the month illustrates how insufficiently it can be impactful if it is confined to either dutiful corporate observances, or depoliticized festivities of former accomplishments, rather than addressing the situation of the current era. It also shows how its limited duration means that it is separated from the more extensive continuous action that is required. Denise Miller, a educator at a learning establishment, articulated it most accurately when she voiced worries about the fleeting superficial actions of the observance. “The difficulty with adopting a symbolic stance”, she commented, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month turns into a brief show rather than a driver of transformation.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Figuring out how to adjust, modify and expand efforts for racial equality and recognition in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a challenging endeavor. There is a temptation to just discontinue things like Black History Month entirely, assuming they are inadequate for current needs, or are remnants of an time that has been ineffective.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the whole broad system and heritage of activism for racial justice – community-based BLM initiatives, DEI programs, and indeed, including corporate presentations – constitute an foundation that a considerable labor has been invested in. It is there not merely to decline as the political landscape shifts (and in fact, declines), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month appear as? Well, first, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is distributed through the year (as various establishments are already beginning to do), sections of its curriculum (particularly around prominent figures of color) integrated into school curriculums. It would also be a period that does not evade governmental matters, and allows opportunity for individuals, particularly the younger generation, to share their anxieties and narratives. What use is simple recognition of the past when it fails to address the current situation of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the urban areas? Organizations who celebrate it should not be pacified with the neutral terminology of hidden discrimination and alertness to subtle slights, but challenged by the threats that face all if fight against prejudice is not approached earnestly. To summarize, Black History Month should be made contemporary, critical, and adaptive. It could be that an total re-identification is in order – Black History is Now Month.
