Black History Month serves as a mirror of the political moment, so how do we revamp it?
It's Black History Month in the United Kingdom, and it appears 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 developed a business-like atmosphere, growing to encompass functions where individuals of African heritage are compensated to address predominantly white listeners about implicit prejudice and active solidarity. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests sparked an increase in the business of showcasing anti-racist commitment. Yet, that phase is now over. The wave has reached its height, resulting in a somewhat empty inheritance of what promoting consciousness is for.
The History of Black History Observance
First commemorated in the America and its northern neighbor, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history by Black scholar Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of commemoration and observance in the February's second week. Black History Month developed from this campaign and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the North America in winter, but also in autumn in the UK, Germany, Ireland and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The observance has transformed since that time, placing less emphasis on the narratives of transatlantic enslavement and struggles for equality, and more 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 frequently marked, with discussions and heritage festivities. But the method the celebration is observed is a reflection of the contemporary political context. How it evolves is a good lesson in how assimilation leads to dismantling: the restructuring of Black History Month has hindered the purpose of it, which is to address structural and organizational discrimination.
A Jarring Moment
Hardly anything shows how critical it is to reevaluate Black History Month as much as the specific period in which it takes place this year. In the United Kingdom, a resurgent right in the form of the Reform political group is top in opinion ratings. In the summer we saw the largest far-right rally in the UK's past. the Conservative leader, the person of color at the helm of the Tory party, is a firm opponent of anti-racism activism, and we are in a situation where a legislator feels emboldened to declare that “not seeing any white faces” in parts of a city is a source of worry. Simultaneously, far-right parties are expanding in Europe as a entirety.
In the US, a massive attack against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been brought, often successfully, to the supreme judicial bodies of the nation. A campaign to scrub Black history and legacy from the historical documents is ongoing. One of the former president's first executive orders targeted 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 celebration illustrates how insufficiently it can be impactful if it is restricted to either dutiful corporate observances, or stripped of political content festivities of former accomplishments, rather than addressing the situation of the current era. It also demonstrates how its restricted time span means that it is detached from the broader ongoing work that is needed. Denise Miller, a educator at an educational institution, put it best when she raised concerns about the short-term symbolic gestures of the celebration. “The difficulty with embracing a superficial method”, she wrote, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month evolves into a brief show rather than a agent of progress.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Figuring out how to adapt, revise and extend initiatives for racial equality and recognition in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a treacherous thing. There is a inclination to just eliminate observances such as Black History Month entirely, thinking they are inadequate for current needs, or are remnants of an era that has been ineffective.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the whole broad system and tradition of activism for racial justice – community-based BLM initiatives, inclusion and equity efforts, and indeed, including corporate presentations – represent an infrastructure that a lot of work has been invested in. It is there not only to deteriorate as the politics moves on (and in fact, declines), but to be a dynamic entity.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month seem? To begin with, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is spread out through the year (as certain organizations are already commencing), sections of its curriculum (particularly around notable African descendants) incorporated into academic syllabi. It would also be a period that does not shy away from political issues, and provides room for citizens, particularly young people, to share their anxieties and narratives. What use is simple recognition of the bygone era when it fails to address the current situation of extreme conservative demonstrations in the urban areas? Organizations who mark it should not be reassured with the neutral terminology of hidden discrimination and awareness of minor insults, but confronted with the threats that affect everyone if fight against prejudice is not approached earnestly. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made current, critical, and reactive. It could be that an complete renaming is necessary – Contemporary Black History Month.
