This commemorative month is a reflection of the prevailing political atmosphere, so in what ways can we modernize it?
It's Black History Month in the UK, and it feels like it’s time for a reassessment. Throughout its history, an celebration that began as a celebration and reminder of history, culture and the connections between Black populations worldwide, has adopted a corporate feel, growing to encompass gatherings where Black people are compensated to address Caucasian groups about implicit prejudice and active solidarity. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade sparked an increase in the industry of showcasing anti-racist commitment. However, that period has concluded. The wave has reached its height, resulting in a somewhat empty inheritance of what raising awareness is for.
The Background of Black History Month
Initially celebrated in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with a week of remembrance and recognition in the February's second week. Black History Month grew out of this initiative 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, Deutschland, the Republic of Ireland and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The period has transformed since that time, placing less emphasis on the narratives of transatlantic enslavement and fights for racial justice, and more on prominent Black figures in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, and broadly celebrating the input Black people have made to influence the nation. It is in schools where Black History Month is most commonly celebrated, with lectures and artistic activities. But the way the month is observed is a indication of the political moment. How it progresses is a valuable example in how assimilation leads to erosion: the restructuring of Black History Month has impeded the purpose of it, which is to address systemic and institutional racism.
A Troubling Time
Little demonstrates how critical it is to rethink Black History Month as much as the specific period in which it takes place this year. In the United Kingdom, a reemerging right-wing in the form of the Reform party is ahead in surveys. In the summer we saw the largest far-right rally in the history of Britain. Kemi Badenoch, the African descendant in charge of the right-wing political group, is a staunch adversary of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a situation where a elected representative feels empowered to state that “not seeing any white faces” in certain urban areas is a source of worry. At the same time, far-right parties are surging in the EU as a whole.
In the America, a colossal assault against DEI and affirmative action has been taken, often successfully, to the top legal institutions of the country. A effort to erase the history of people of color and experience from the records is under way. One of the political figure's initial presidential directives focused on the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the prestigious establishment, alleging that they of a organized and extensive campaign to rewrite our Nation’s history” by depicting the United States “as naturally discriminatory”.
Against this backdrop, the observance symbolises how little it can be impactful if it is confined to either routine organizational acknowledgments, or stripped of political content festivities of contributions in the past, rather than addressing the realities of the contemporary world. It also reveals how its short period means that it is separated from the broader ongoing work that is necessary. A university professor, a professor at a learning establishment, expressed it perfectly when she raised concerns about the temporary “tokenism” of the observance. “The difficulty with taking a tokenistic approach”, she wrote, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month evolves into a fleeting performance rather than a driver of transformation.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Establishing how to alter, change and broaden actions for fair treatment and appreciation in such times of discouragement and concern is a treacherous thing. There is a temptation to just discontinue observances such as Black History Month altogether, believing they are inadequate for current needs, or are remnants of an era that has failed to deliver.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and tradition of racial movements – local anti-racism groups, inclusion and equity efforts, and certainly, even commercial engagements – form an foundation that a significant effort has gone into. It is there not just to decay as the political landscape shifts (and in fact, declines), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month look like? To begin with, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is spread out throughout the annual calendar (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 avoid governmental matters, and provides room for citizens, particularly youth, to share their anxieties and narratives. What use is simple recognition of the bygone era when it fails to address the contemporary truth of extreme conservative demonstrations in the public spaces? Organizations who celebrate it should not be pacified with the passive language of “unconscious bias” and awareness of “microaggressions”, but faced with the threats that impact society if opposition to discrimination is not approached earnestly. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made current, pressing, and responsive. Perhaps an complete renaming is required – Black History is Now Month.
