This commemorative month is a reflection of the current political climate, so in what ways can we modernize it?
We are in Black History Month in the UK, and it seems it’s time for a rethink. As time has passed, an event that was initiated as a celebration and reminder of the past, cultural identity and bonds between international African diaspora communities, has adopted a commercial tone, broadening to incorporate events where African descendants are remunerated to speak with white audiences about hidden biases and supportive partnership. The demonstrations for racial justice in the 2020s sparked an increase in the business of displaying cultural sensitivity. But even that moment has passed. The tide has peaked, resulting in a somewhat empty inheritance of what increasing understanding is for.
The History of Black History Celebration
Initially celebrated in the US and Canada, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history by historian of African descent Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of commemoration and observance in the second week of February. Black History Month evolved from this campaign and was officially launched in 1970. Currently it is marked not only in the US and Canada in the second month, but also in the tenth month in the Britain, Germany, Éire and the Netherlands.
The month has developed since that time, giving reduced attention to the accounts of the slave trade across the Atlantic and fights for racial justice, and greater focus on influential individuals of color in government, the arts, and social movements, and extensively acknowledging the input Black people have made to mold society. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with discussions and heritage festivities. But the method the month is celebrated is a manifestation of the contemporary political context. How it evolves is a instructive case in how co-option leads to weakening: the reshaping of Black History Month has hindered the purpose of it, which is to confront structural and organizational discrimination.
A Disconcerting Period
Few things illustrate how crucial it is to rethink Black History Month more than the current time in which it occurs this year. In the United Kingdom, a revitalized conservative movement in the form of the Reform political group is ahead in surveys. In the warmer months we witnessed the most significant ultra-conservative gathering in the UK's past. the Conservative leader, the Black leader of the Conservative party, is a strong critic of anti-racism activism, and we are in a place where a legislator feels empowered to state that “not seeing any white faces” in specific city neighborhoods is a reason for concern. Meanwhile, ultra-nationalist movements are surging in Europe as a whole.
In the US, a significant offensive against inclusion programs and preferential policies has been brought, often successfully, to the top legal institutions of the nation. A effort to scrub the history of people of color and legacy from the historical documents is ongoing. One of the former president's initial presidential directives aimed at the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the prestigious establishment, accusing them of a organized and extensive campaign to change the national past” by depicting the United States “as naturally discriminatory”.
Given these circumstances, the observance represents how minimally it can be impactful if it is limited to either routine organizational acknowledgments, or politically neutered celebrations of former accomplishments, rather than addressing the realities of the contemporary world. It also reveals how its restricted time span means that it is disconnected from the broader ongoing work that is required. An academic expert, a professor at an educational institution, articulated it most accurately when she voiced worries about the short-term symbolic gestures of the month. “The issue with embracing a superficial method”, she wrote, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month turns into a brief show rather than a catalyst for change.”
Reevaluating, Not Abandoning
Determining how to adjust, modify and expand initiatives for racial equality and recognition in such moments of dejection and worry is a difficult task. There is a urge to just discontinue things like Black History Month altogether, assuming they are simply not fit for purpose, or are relics of an era that has been ineffective.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the complete comprehensive structure and tradition of activism for racial justice – local anti-racism groups, DEI programs, and indeed, including corporate presentations – constitute an infrastructure that a lot of work has gone into. It is there not merely to decline as the political landscape shifts (and in fact, declines), but to be a living breathing thing.
So what would a contemporary active Black History Month appear as? Firstly, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is spread out across all seasons (as various establishments are already starting to implement), elements of its material (particularly around historic Black characters) incorporated into educational programs. It would also be a era that does not avoid governmental matters, and allows opportunity for people, particularly the younger generation, to air their fears and experiences. What use is basic knowledge of the bygone era when it fails to address the current situation of extreme conservative demonstrations in the public spaces? Establishments who observe it should not be pacified with the passive language of “unconscious bias” and alertness to “microaggressions”, but faced with the threats that affect everyone if anti-racism is not taken seriously. In short, Black History Month should be made up-to-date, critical, and responsive. Maybe an total re-identification is necessary – Black History is Now Month.
