Black History Month is a reflection of the current political climate, so in what ways can we modernize it?
We are in Black History Month in the United Kingdom, and it appears it’s time for a re-evaluation. Over the years, an event that was initiated as a commemorative event of the past, cultural identity and bonds between global Black communities, has taken on a commercial tone, broadening to incorporate functions where African descendants are remunerated to speak with predominantly white listeners about “unconscious bias” and active solidarity. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade sparked an increase in the industry of displaying cultural sensitivity. However, that period has concluded. The wave has peaked, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what increasing understanding is for.
The History of Black History Observance
Initially celebrated in the US and Canada, Black History Month was created in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of remembrance and recognition in the February's second week. Black History Month developed from this initiative and was publicly established in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the US and Canada in February, but also in the tenth month in the UK, Germany, Éire and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The observance has transformed since that time, giving reduced attention to the histories of transatlantic enslavement and civil rights battles, and more on influential individuals of color in politics, culture, and activism, and extensively acknowledging the contribution Black people have made to influence the nation. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most commonly celebrated, with lectures and artistic activities. But the manner the celebration is observed is a indication of the political moment. How it develops is a instructive case in how appropriation leads to weakening: the transformation of Black History Month has hindered the purpose 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 as much as the specific period in which it takes place this year. In the UK, a revitalized conservative movement in the shape of the Reform organization is ahead in surveys. In the warmer months we witnessed the largest far-right rally in British history. a prominent political figure, the African descendant in charge of the Tory party, is a staunch adversary of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a position where a elected representative feels empowered to say that the absence of Caucasian individuals in certain urban areas is a cause for alarm. Simultaneously, ultra-nationalist movements are surging in the EU as a entirety.
In the United States, a significant offensive against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been taken, repeatedly with positive outcomes, to the top legal institutions of the state. A effort to remove the history of people of color and experience from the historical documents is under way. One of the former president's first executive orders focused on the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the prestigious establishment, accusing them of a “concerted and widespread effort to rewrite our Nation’s history” by representing the nation “as inherently racist”.
In this context, the celebration symbolises how little it can be influential if it is restricted to either dutiful corporate observances, or stripped of political content celebrations of contributions in the past, rather than addressing the realities 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. An academic expert, a prof at an educational institution, articulated it most accurately when she expressed apprehension about the short-term symbolic gestures of the celebration. “The issue with embracing a superficial method”, she commented, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month turns into a fleeting performance rather than a catalyst for change.”
Reevaluating, Not Abandoning
Figuring out how to alter, change and broaden actions for equal rights and acknowledgment in such times of discouragement and concern is a difficult task. There is a temptation to just discontinue observances such as Black History Month entirely, thinking they are simply not fit for purpose, or are remnants of an period that has not worked.
But despite everything, Black History Month, and in fact the whole broad system and tradition of activism for racial justice – community-based BLM initiatives, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and certainly, even commercial engagements – form an infrastructure that a significant effort has been dedicated to. It is there not just to decay as the situation evolves (and in fact, deteriorates), but to be a dynamic entity.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month look like? To begin with, it would be extended beyond a brief observance: something that is spread out through the year (as certain organizations are already beginning to do), parts of its content (particularly around historic Black characters) incorporated into school curriculums. It would also be a time that does not evade politics, and provides room for people, particularly youth, to share their anxieties and narratives. What use is mere awareness of the past when it ignores the current situation of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the public spaces? Organizations who observe it should not be pacified with the passive language of hidden discrimination and alertness to “microaggressions”, but confronted with the risks that face all if opposition to discrimination is not taken seriously. 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.
