Black History Month is a reflection of the prevailing political atmosphere, so in what ways can we modernize it?
We are in Black History Month in the United Kingdom, and it seems it’s time for a reassessment. Over the years, an event that began as a commemorative event of history, culture and the connections between international African diaspora communities, has taken on a business-like atmosphere, growing to encompass functions where Black people are compensated to speak with white audiences about hidden biases and active solidarity. The demonstrations for racial justice in the 2020s generated a rise in the industry of displaying cultural sensitivity. But even that moment has passed. The tide has reached its height, producing a diluted aftermath of what promoting consciousness is for.
The History of Black History Month
First commemorated in the US and Canada, Black History Month was created in 1962 as an observance of African American heritage by historian of African descent Carter G. Woodson with seven days of remembrance and recognition in the February's second week. Black History Month evolved from this initiative and was publicly established in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the United States and Canada in the second month, but also in the tenth month in the Britain, Germany, the Republic of Ireland and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The period has developed since its inception, giving reduced attention to the narratives of the slave trade across the Atlantic and struggles for equality, and more on notable African descendants in politics, culture, and activism, and broadly celebrating the impact Black people have made to shape the country. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most frequently marked, with discussions and heritage festivities. But the method the celebration is commemorated is a reflection of the contemporary political context. How it progresses is a instructive case in how co-option leads to erosion: the transformation of Black History Month has stymied the objective of it, which is to address structural and organizational discrimination.
A Jarring Moment
Few things illustrate how critical it is to reevaluate Black History Month as much as the particular moment in which it occurs this year. In the United Kingdom, a resurgent right in the guise of the Reform political group is top in opinion ratings. In the warmer months we saw the most significant ultra-conservative gathering in the history of Britain. a prominent political figure, the African descendant in charge of the Tory party, is a firm opponent of anti-racism activism, and we are in a place where a legislator feels empowered to state that “not seeing any white faces” in certain urban areas is a cause for alarm. Meanwhile, extreme conservative groups are growing in the EU as a entirety.
In the US, a massive attack against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been carried, often successfully, to the supreme judicial bodies of the nation. A effort to erase the history of people of color and legacy from the archives is in progress. One of the political figure's first executive orders aimed at 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 representing the nation “as fundamentally prejudiced”.
Given these circumstances, the celebration symbolises how insufficiently it can be effective if it is limited to either routine organizational acknowledgments, or politically neutered celebrations of former accomplishments, rather than addressing the situation of the current era. It also demonstrates how its limited duration means that it is separated from the more extensive continuous action that is necessary. A university professor, a prof at an educational institution, expressed it perfectly when she voiced worries about the temporary “tokenism” of the month. “The difficulty with embracing a superficial method”, she commented, “is that it often means that Black History Month becomes a fleeting performance rather than a catalyst for change.”
Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning
Determining how to adapt, revise and extend efforts for equal rights and acknowledgment in such moments of dejection and worry is a treacherous thing. There is a temptation to just eliminate events including Black History Month entirely, thinking they are no longer suitable, or are vestiges of an period that has been ineffective.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and tradition of activism for racial justice – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, DEI programs, and yes, even those talks to businesses – represent an foundation that a considerable labor has gone into. It is there not only to deteriorate as the political landscape shifts (and in fact, deteriorates), but to be a dynamic entity.
So what would a contemporary active Black History Month look like? Firstly, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is dispersed through the year (as certain organizations are already beginning to do), elements of its material (particularly around prominent figures of color) integrated into educational programs. It would also be a period that does not avoid governmental matters, and allows opportunity for individuals, particularly the younger generation, to air their fears and experiences. What use is simple recognition of the bygone era when it ignores the contemporary truth of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the public spaces? Establishments who observe it should not be comforted with the passive language of implicit prejudice and sensitivity to minor insults, but confronted with the dangers that face all if anti-racism is not treated with importance. To summarize, Black History Month should be made up-to-date, urgent, and reactive. Maybe an total re-identification is in order – Contemporary Black History Month.
