Black History Month acts as a gauge of the political moment, so how do we revamp it?
We are in Black History Month in the UK, and it seems it’s time for a re-evaluation. As time has passed, an event that started out as a festivity and recollection of the past, cultural identity and bonds between global Black communities, has taken on a business-like atmosphere, expanding to include functions where Black people are compensated to talk to predominantly white listeners about hidden biases and supportive partnership. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests generated a rise in the industry of showcasing anti-racist commitment. Yet, that phase is now over. The wave has peaked, producing a diluted aftermath of what increasing understanding is for.
The Background of Black History Month
Initially celebrated in the US and Canada, Black History Month was created in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by historian of African descent Carter G. Woodson with seven days of commemoration and observance in the middle of February. Black History Month developed from this campaign and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the North America 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 transformed since its inception, giving reduced attention to the histories of transatlantic enslavement and civil rights battles, and greater focus on prominent Black figures in government, the arts, and social movements, and widely honoring the impact Black people have made to shape the country. It is in schools where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with lectures and artistic activities. But the way the celebration is observed is a reflection of the current political situation. How it progresses is a instructive case in how appropriation leads to erosion: the restructuring of Black History Month has hindered the objective of it, which is to tackle embedded and established prejudice.
A Jarring Moment
Few things illustrate how crucial it is to reevaluate Black History Month more than the particular moment in which it takes place this year. In the United Kingdom, a revitalized conservative movement in the shape of the Reform party is top in opinion ratings. In the warmer months we witnessed the most significant ultra-conservative gathering in the UK's past. the Conservative leader, the Black leader of the right-wing political group, is a strong critic of anti-racism activism, and we are in a place where a elected representative gains confidence to say that the absence of Caucasian individuals in certain urban areas is a reason for concern. Meanwhile, extreme conservative groups are expanding in the European continent as a whole.
In the United States, a significant offensive against inclusion programs and preferential policies has been brought, repeatedly with positive outcomes, to the top legal institutions of the country. A drive to remove African American heritage and narrative from the archives is ongoing. One of the political figure's early administrative commands focused on the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the prestigious establishment, claiming they of a coordinated and broad attempt to change the national past” by depicting the United States “as fundamentally prejudiced”.
In this context, the celebration illustrates how little it can be effective if it is restricted to either obligatory business commemorations, or politically neutered celebrations of historical achievements, rather than confronting the conditions of the contemporary world. It also demonstrates how its short period means that it is separated from the broader ongoing work that is necessary. A university professor, a prof at an educational institution, put it best when she raised concerns about the temporary “tokenism” of the observance. “The difficulty with taking a tokenistic approach”, she wrote, “is that it often means that Black History Month becomes a fleeting performance rather than a driver of transformation.”
Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning
Establishing how to adapt, revise and extend actions for fair treatment and appreciation in such moments of dejection and worry is a treacherous thing. There is a urge to just eliminate things like Black History Month altogether, assuming they are inadequate for current needs, or are remnants of an era that has failed to deliver.
Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and heritage of campaigns for equality – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, DEI programs, and yes, even those talks to businesses – form an foundation that a lot of work has been invested in. It is there not merely to decline as the politics moves on (and in fact, regresses), but to be a living breathing thing.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month look like? To begin with, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is dispersed through the year (as some institutions are already beginning to do), sections of its curriculum (particularly around historic Black characters) integrated into educational programs. It would also be a era that does not avoid governmental matters, and leaves space for people, particularly young people, to express their concerns and stories. What use is basic knowledge of the history when it doesn’t reckon with the current situation of far-right rallies in the street? Establishments who celebrate it should not be reassured with the non-confrontational words of hidden discrimination and alertness to minor insults, but challenged by the threats that affect everyone if opposition to discrimination is not approached earnestly. In short, Black History Month should be made up-to-date, critical, and responsive. Maybe an entire name rebrand is necessary – Contemporary Black History Month.
