The annual Black History observance is a reflection of the political moment, so in what ways can we modernize it?
We are in Black History Month in the Britain, and it seems it’s time for a rethink. As time has passed, an event that began as a commemorative event of heritage, traditions and links between Black populations worldwide, has developed a commercial tone, expanding to include events where individuals of African heritage are compensated to speak with white audiences about implicit prejudice and “allyship”. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests sparked an increase in the enterprise of demonstrating racial awareness. Yet, that phase is now over. The tide has peaked, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what promoting consciousness is for.
The Origins of Black History Month
Initially celebrated in the America and its northern neighbor, Black History Month was created in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by Black scholar Carter G. Woodson with seven days of remembrance and recognition in the second week of February. Black History Month grew out of 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 autumn in the Britain, Germany, the Republic of Ireland and the Holland.
The observance has evolved since those days, focusing less on the accounts of transatlantic enslavement and fights for racial justice, and increasingly on notable African descendants in politics, culture, and activism, and broadly celebrating the input Black people have made to shape the country. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with lectures and artistic activities. But the way the observance is commemorated is a reflection of the contemporary political context. How it progresses is a good lesson in how appropriation leads to erosion: the transformation of Black History Month has stymied the purpose of it, which is to tackle embedded and established prejudice.
A Disconcerting Period
Little demonstrates how crucial it is to reevaluate Black History Month better than the current time in which it occurs this year. In the UK, a revitalized conservative movement in the form of the Reform political group is ahead in surveys. In the recent season we saw the biggest extreme right demonstration in the history of Britain. a prominent political figure, the person of color at the helm of the right-wing political group, is a firm opponent of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a situation where a elected representative gains confidence to declare that the absence of Caucasian individuals in parts of a city is a cause for alarm. Meanwhile, extreme conservative groups are expanding in the European continent as a whole.
In the United States, a significant offensive against DEI and affirmative action has been brought, often successfully, to the top legal institutions of the nation. A campaign to scrub the history of people of color and experience from the archives is ongoing. One of Donald Trump's initial presidential directives aimed at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the Smithsonian Institution, alleging that they of a coordinated and broad attempt to change the national past” by representing the nation “as inherently racist”.
Given these circumstances, the month illustrates how little it can be effective if it is limited to either routine organizational acknowledgments, or politically neutered festivities of contributions in the past, rather than challenging the conditions of the contemporary world. It also demonstrates how its limited duration means that it is disconnected from the broader ongoing work that is needed. Denise Miller, a professor at a learning establishment, articulated it most accurately when she expressed apprehension about the short-term symbolic gestures of the observance. “The difficulty with taking a tokenistic approach”, she commented, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month turns into a fleeting performance rather than a driver of transformation.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Figuring out how to alter, change and broaden initiatives for fair treatment and appreciation in such times of discouragement and concern is a treacherous thing. There is a temptation to just do away with things like Black History Month entirely, believing they are simply not fit for purpose, or are remnants of an period that has been ineffective.
Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the complete comprehensive structure and heritage of racial movements – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and indeed, including corporate presentations – constitute an framework that a lot of work has been dedicated to. It is there not merely to decline as the situation evolves (and in fact, declines), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a fresh vibrant Black History Month appear as? Well, first, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is distributed across all seasons (as various establishments are already commencing), parts of its content (particularly around historic Black characters) included in school curriculums. It would also be a period that does not evade politics, and leaves space for citizens, particularly the younger generation, to express their concerns and stories. What use is basic knowledge of the past when it ignores the contemporary truth of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the urban areas? Establishments who celebrate it should not be comforted with the passive language of hidden discrimination and alertness to minor insults, but confronted with the threats that impact society if fight against prejudice is not approached earnestly. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made up-to-date, urgent, and adaptive. It could be that an total re-identification is in order – Black History is Now Month.
