This commemorative month serves as a mirror of the political moment, 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 re-evaluation. As time has passed, an celebration that began as a commemorative event of the past, cultural identity and bonds between Black populations worldwide, has adopted a commercial tone, broadening to incorporate functions where African descendants are remunerated to speak with white audiences about hidden biases and “allyship”. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade sparked an increase in the enterprise of demonstrating racial awareness. But even that moment has passed. The wave has crested, producing a diluted aftermath of what promoting consciousness is for.
The Background of Black History Observance
Originally observed in the America and its northern neighbor, Black History Month was created 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 February's second week. Black History Month developed from this campaign and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Currently it is marked not only in the US and Canada in February, but also in autumn in the United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland and the Holland.
The period has evolved since that time, giving reduced attention to the narratives of transatlantic enslavement and fights for racial justice, and increasingly on influential individuals of color in government, the arts, and social movements, and broadly celebrating the impact Black people have made to influence the nation. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with lectures and artistic activities. But the manner the month is celebrated is a reflection of the current political situation. How it progresses is a good lesson in how assimilation leads to erosion: the restructuring of Black History Month has hindered the objective of it, which is to address embedded and established prejudice.
A Disconcerting Period
Hardly anything shows how crucial it is to reconsider Black History Month as much as the specific period in which it falls this year. In the UK, a revitalized conservative movement in the guise of the Reform party is ahead in surveys. In the summer we observed the biggest extreme right demonstration in the UK's past. the Conservative leader, the person of color at the helm of the Conservative party, is a strong critic of anti-racism activism, and we are in a situation where a elected representative feels empowered to say that “not seeing any white faces” in parts of a city is a cause for alarm. At the same time, far-right parties are growing in the EU as a complete entity.
In the United States, a significant offensive against DEI and affirmative action has been taken, often successfully, to the highest courts of the country. A effort to remove Black history and experience from the historical documents is in progress. One of Donald Trump's early administrative commands focused on the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the renowned cultural organization, claiming they of a coordinated and broad attempt to rewrite our Nation’s history” by representing the nation “as naturally discriminatory”.
Against this backdrop, the celebration symbolises how little it can be influential if it is limited to either routine organizational acknowledgments, or depoliticized commemorations of former accomplishments, rather than addressing the realities of the present. It also reveals how its restricted time span means that it is separated from the more extensive continuous action that is required. An academic expert, a prof at an educational institution, articulated it most accurately when she raised concerns about the temporary “tokenism” of the celebration. “The difficulty with embracing a superficial method”, she stated, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month evolves into a brief show rather than a agent of progress.”
Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning
Establishing how to adapt, revise and extend actions for fair treatment and appreciation in such times of discouragement and concern is a treacherous thing. There is a inclination to just discontinue observances such as Black History Month entirely, thinking they are no longer suitable, or are vestiges of an time that has been ineffective.
Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and legacy of racial movements – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and indeed, including corporate presentations – constitute an infrastructure that a significant effort has been invested in. It is there not merely to decline as the situation evolves (and in fact, declines), but to be a dynamic entity.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month appear as? To begin with, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is dispersed throughout the annual calendar (as some institutions are already starting to implement), elements of its material (particularly around prominent figures of color) integrated into educational programs. It would also be a period that does not avoid political issues, and leaves space for individuals, particularly the younger generation, to air their fears and experiences. What use is simple recognition of the past when it doesn’t reckon with the current situation of far-right rallies in the public spaces? Establishments who observe it should not be pacified with the neutral terminology of hidden discrimination and sensitivity to subtle slights, but faced with the dangers that impact society if fight against prejudice is not approached earnestly. To summarize, Black History Month should be made current, critical, and adaptive. Perhaps an entire name rebrand is in order – Contemporary Black History Month.
