Black History Month is a reflection of the political moment, so what steps can we take to refresh it?
It's Black History Month in the United Kingdom, and it appears it’s time for a re-evaluation. As time has passed, an observance that was initiated as a commemorative event of history, culture and the connections between international African diaspora communities, has adopted a business-like atmosphere, expanding to include functions where individuals of African heritage are compensated to speak with Caucasian groups about hidden biases and active solidarity. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests created a surge in the business of showcasing anti-racist commitment. But even that moment has passed. The surge has reached its height, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what raising awareness is for.
The Background of Black History Celebration
Initially celebrated in the United States 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 remembrance and recognition in the middle of February. Black History Month evolved from this initiative and was officially launched in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the North America in the second month, but also in autumn in the United Kingdom, the Federal Republic of Germany, Éire and the Holland.
The month has evolved since those days, giving reduced attention to the narratives of transatlantic enslavement and civil rights battles, and more on prominent Black figures in government, the arts, and social movements, and extensively acknowledging the impact Black people have made to influence the nation. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with talks and cultural events. But the manner the month is celebrated is a manifestation of the current political situation. How it progresses is a instructive case in how assimilation leads to erosion: the restructuring of Black History Month has stymied the point of it, which is to confront systemic and institutional racism.
A Disconcerting Period
Hardly anything shows how important it is to reconsider Black History Month more than the particular moment in which it occurs this year. In the Britain, a reemerging right-wing in the guise of the Reform party is ahead in surveys. In the recent season we saw the most significant ultra-conservative gathering in British history. the Conservative leader, the African descendant in charge of the Conservative party, is a staunch adversary of the racial justice movement, and we are in a position where a member of parliament feels empowered to state that the absence of Caucasian individuals in certain urban areas is a source of worry. Meanwhile, extreme conservative groups are growing in the EU as a entirety.
In the US, a significant offensive against inclusion programs and preferential policies has been brought, often successfully, to the top legal institutions of the country. A drive to remove the history of people of color and experience from the historical documents is in progress. One of the former president's early administrative commands focused on the museum of African American legacy, and the Smithsonian Institution, accusing them of a “concerted and widespread effort to alter the country's historical narrative” by portraying America “as inherently racist”.
Given these circumstances, the month represents how insufficiently it can be impactful if it is confined to either dutiful corporate observances, or stripped of political content festivities of historical achievements, rather than addressing the conditions of the present. It also shows how its short period means that it is disconnected from the broader ongoing work that is necessary. Denise Miller, a prof at a learning establishment, articulated it most accurately when she expressed apprehension about the fleeting superficial actions of the celebration. “The problem with taking a tokenistic approach”, she stated, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month turns into a transient display rather than a agent of progress.”
Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning
Determining how to adjust, modify and expand actions for fair treatment and appreciation in such times of discouragement and concern is a challenging endeavor. There is a temptation to just eliminate events including Black History Month entirely, believing they are inadequate for current needs, or are remnants of an era that has failed to deliver.
But despite everything, Black History Month, and in fact the complete comprehensive structure and legacy of activism for racial justice – community-based BLM initiatives, inclusion and equity efforts, and certainly, even commercial engagements – represent an framework that a considerable labor has been invested in. It is there not only to deteriorate as the situation evolves (and in fact, deteriorates), but to be a living breathing thing.
So what would a fresh vibrant Black History Month appear as? Well, first, it would be extended beyond a brief observance: something that is spread out across all seasons (as certain organizations are already commencing), sections of its curriculum (particularly around prominent figures of color) integrated into educational programs. It would also be a period that does not shy away from politics, and allows opportunity for individuals, particularly young people, to share their anxieties and narratives. What use is simple recognition of the bygone era when it fails to address the present reality of far-right rallies in the urban areas? Organizations who observe it should not be comforted with the non-confrontational words of implicit prejudice and alertness to minor insults, but confronted with the risks that face all if fight against prejudice is not taken seriously. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made up-to-date, pressing, and reactive. Maybe an total re-identification is necessary – Black History is Now Month.
