Black History Month acts as a gauge 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 re-evaluation. As time has passed, an event that started out as a commemorative event of the past, cultural identity and bonds between Black populations worldwide, has developed a business-like atmosphere, growing to encompass gatherings where individuals of African heritage are compensated to address Caucasian groups about implicit prejudice and active solidarity. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests generated a rise in the business of showcasing anti-racist commitment. But even that moment has passed. The tide has crested, producing a diluted aftermath of what raising awareness is for.
The History of Black History Month
Initially celebrated in the US and Canada, Black History Month was created in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by Black scholar Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of remembrance and recognition in the second week of February. Black History Month evolved from this movement and was officially launched in 1970. Currently it is marked not only in the North America in February, but also in the tenth month in the UK, Germany, Éire and the Netherlands.
The observance has transformed since those days, giving reduced attention to the narratives of colonial slavery and fights for racial justice, and greater focus on prominent Black figures in government, the arts, and social movements, and widely honoring the contribution Black people have made to shape the country. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most commonly celebrated, with lectures and artistic activities. But the manner the celebration is observed is a reflection of the political moment. How it progresses is a valuable example in how co-option leads to weakening: the reshaping of Black History Month has stymied the purpose of it, which is to tackle systemic and institutional racism.
A Jarring Moment
Hardly anything shows how important it is to rethink Black History Month as much as the specific period in which it occurs this year. In the UK, a revitalized conservative movement in the form of the Reform organization is leading the polls. In the recent season we observed the biggest extreme right demonstration in British history. the Conservative leader, the African descendant in charge of the right-wing political group, is a strong critic of anti-racism activism, and we are in a place where a elected representative feels empowered to state that a lack of white people in parts of a city is a reason for concern. At the same time, far-right parties are expanding in Europe as a complete entity.
In the America, a significant offensive against inclusion programs and preferential policies has been carried, frequently with success, to the supreme judicial bodies of the country. A drive to scrub Black history and legacy from the historical documents is ongoing. One of the former president's early administrative commands focused on the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the renowned cultural organization, accusing them of a “concerted and widespread effort to change the national past” by portraying America “as naturally discriminatory”.
Against this backdrop, the observance illustrates how insufficiently it can be influential if it is limited to either routine organizational acknowledgments, or stripped of political content commemorations of former accomplishments, rather than addressing the situation of the contemporary world. It also shows how its restricted time span means that it is disconnected from the wider consistent effort that is necessary. An academic expert, a educator at an educational institution, articulated it most accurately when she expressed apprehension about the temporary “tokenism” of the celebration. “The difficulty with embracing a superficial method”, she stated, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month evolves into a brief show rather than a agent of progress.”
Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning
Determining how to adapt, revise and extend initiatives for racial equality and recognition in such moments of dejection and worry is a challenging endeavor. There is a temptation to just do away with events including Black History Month entirely, thinking they are inadequate for current needs, or are relics of an time that has failed to deliver.
But despite everything, Black History Month, and in fact the whole broad system and tradition of racial movements – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, DEI programs, and yes, even those talks to businesses – represent an foundation that a significant effort has been dedicated to. It is there not merely to decline as the political landscape shifts (and in fact, regresses), but to be a dynamic entity.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month seem? Firstly, it would be extended beyond a brief observance: something that is distributed through the year (as some institutions are already commencing), sections of its curriculum (particularly around notable African descendants) incorporated into educational programs. It would also be a period that does not avoid politics, and allows opportunity for individuals, particularly youth, to air their fears and experiences. What purpose serves mere awareness of the bygone era when it fails to address the present reality of extreme conservative demonstrations in the urban areas? Institutions who mark it should not be reassured with the neutral terminology of “unconscious bias” and alertness to “microaggressions”, but faced with the risks that affect everyone if anti-racism is not approached earnestly. To summarize, Black History Month should be made up-to-date, pressing, and reactive. It could be that an total re-identification is necessary – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.
