The annual Black History observance 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 seems it’s time for a reassessment. Over the years, an event that started out as a commemorative event of the past, cultural identity and bonds between international African diaspora communities, has adopted a corporate feel, expanding to include functions where individuals of African heritage are compensated to speak with predominantly white listeners about hidden biases and active solidarity. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade generated a rise in the business of displaying cultural sensitivity. Yet, that phase is now over. The tide has peaked, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what raising awareness is for.
The Background of Black History Month
First commemorated in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with a week of remembrance and recognition in the February's second week. Black History Month developed from this initiative and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Currently it is marked not only in the US and Canada in February, but also in October in the United Kingdom, Deutschland, Ireland and the Holland.
The observance has evolved since those days, placing less emphasis on the accounts of colonial slavery and fights for racial justice, and increasingly on prominent Black figures in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, and widely honoring the impact 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 commemorated is a reflection of the contemporary political context. How it progresses is a valuable example in how co-option leads to weakening: the transformation of Black History Month has impeded the objective of it, which is to tackle embedded and established prejudice.
A Disconcerting Period
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 Britain, a revitalized conservative movement in the shape of the Reform party is leading the polls. In the warmer months we observed the largest far-right rally in British history. a prominent political figure, the person of color at the helm of the right-wing political group, is a strong critic of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a position where a elected representative gains confidence to declare that “not seeing any white faces” in specific city neighborhoods is a cause for alarm. At the same time, far-right parties are growing in Europe as a whole.
In the America, a significant offensive against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been brought, often successfully, to the supreme judicial bodies of the country. A drive to remove African American heritage and experience from the records is in progress. One of the former president's early administrative commands aimed at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the prestigious establishment, alleging that they of a coordinated and broad attempt to rewrite our Nation’s history” by representing the nation “as inherently racist”.
In this context, the month symbolises how minimally it can be effective if it is limited to either dutiful corporate observances, or stripped of political content celebrations of historical achievements, rather than challenging the realities of the contemporary world. It also reveals how its short period means that it is disconnected from the wider consistent effort that is necessary. A university professor, a prof at an educational institution, expressed it perfectly when she raised concerns about the short-term symbolic gestures of the observance. “The difficulty with taking a tokenistic approach”, she commented, “is that it often means that Black History Month evolves into a transient display rather than a catalyst for change.”
Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning
Determining how to adapt, revise and extend initiatives for racial equality and recognition in such times of discouragement and concern is a treacherous thing. There is a urge to just do away with events including Black History Month entirely, thinking they are inadequate for current needs, or are remnants of an time that has failed to deliver.
Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and legacy of campaigns for equality – local anti-racism groups, inclusion and equity efforts, and yes, even those talks to businesses – constitute an foundation that a significant effort has been invested in. It is there not only to deteriorate as the political landscape shifts (and in fact, regresses), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a contemporary active Black History Month seem? To begin with, it would be extended beyond a brief observance: something that is dispersed through the year (as certain organizations are already starting to implement), parts of its content (particularly around notable African descendants) incorporated into educational programs. It would also be a era that does not shy away from governmental matters, and allows opportunity for individuals, particularly the younger generation, to share their anxieties and narratives. What purpose serves basic knowledge of the past when it fails to address the present reality of far-right rallies in the urban areas? Organizations who mark it should not be comforted with the neutral terminology of “unconscious bias” and alertness to minor insults, but faced with the threats that face all if opposition to discrimination is not treated with importance. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made contemporary, critical, and reactive. Perhaps an entire name rebrand is in order – Black History is Now Month.