Black History Month is a reflection of the prevailing political atmosphere, so in what ways can we modernize it?
This is Black History Month in the UK, and it seems it’s time for a re-evaluation. Throughout its history, an observance that began as a celebration and reminder of history, culture and the connections between Black populations worldwide, has adopted a commercial tone, broadening to incorporate functions where African descendants are remunerated to talk to white audiences about “unconscious bias” and active solidarity. The demonstrations for racial justice in the 2020s created a surge in the business of displaying cultural sensitivity. Yet, that phase is now over. The wave has peaked, producing a diluted aftermath of what increasing understanding is for.
The History of Black History Month
First commemorated in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was established in 1962 as an observance of African American heritage by Black scholar Carter G. Woodson with seven days of celebration and reflection in the February's second week. Black History Month evolved from this movement and was officially launched in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the US and Canada in the second month, but also in the tenth month in the Britain, the Federal Republic of Germany, Éire and the Holland.
The observance has transformed since that time, focusing less on the histories of the slave trade across the Atlantic and fights for racial justice, and more on notable African descendants in government, the arts, and social movements, and widely honoring the impact Black people have made to influence the nation. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most commonly celebrated, with talks and cultural events. But the way the month is celebrated is a indication of the political moment. How it progresses is a valuable example in how assimilation leads to dismantling: the restructuring of Black History Month has impeded the objective of it, which is to tackle structural and organizational discrimination.
A Disconcerting Period
Little demonstrates how crucial it is to reevaluate Black History Month more than the specific period in which it falls this year. In the United Kingdom, a revitalized conservative movement in the shape of the Reform party is top in opinion ratings. In the recent season we observed the biggest extreme right demonstration in the history of Britain. the Conservative leader, the Black leader of the Conservative party, is a strong critic of the racial justice movement, and we are in a situation where a legislator gains confidence to say that “not seeing any white faces” in specific city neighborhoods is a cause for alarm. At the same time, ultra-nationalist movements are growing in Europe as a entirety.
In the United States, a massive attack against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been carried, often successfully, to the top legal institutions of the country. A campaign to erase African American heritage and narrative from the records is in progress. One of the former president's early administrative commands targeted the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the prestigious establishment, claiming they of a “concerted and widespread effort to change the national past” by representing the nation “as inherently racist”.
Against this backdrop, the celebration represents how minimally it can be influential if it is confined to either obligatory business commemorations, or politically neutered celebrations of former accomplishments, rather than addressing the conditions of the present. It also demonstrates how its restricted time span means that it is detached from the more extensive continuous action that is needed. A university professor, a professor at a learning establishment, articulated it most accurately when she raised concerns about the fleeting superficial actions of the celebration. “The problem with adopting a symbolic stance”, she wrote, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month evolves into a fleeting performance rather than a catalyst for change.”
Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning
Establishing how to alter, change and broaden initiatives for fair treatment and appreciation in such moments of dejection and worry is a difficult task. There is a inclination to just eliminate things like Black History Month completely, believing they are simply not fit for purpose, or are remnants of an period that has not worked.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and legacy of campaigns for equality – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, DEI programs, and certainly, even commercial engagements – form an infrastructure that a significant effort has been invested in. It is there not merely to decline as the politics moves on (and in fact, declines), but to be a living breathing thing.
So what would a contemporary active Black History Month seem? To begin with, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is spread out throughout the annual calendar (as certain organizations are already beginning to do), sections of its curriculum (particularly around historic Black characters) integrated into educational programs. It would also be a time that does not shy away from governmental matters, and allows opportunity for citizens, particularly young people, to share their anxieties and narratives. What value has basic knowledge of the bygone era when it doesn’t reckon with the present reality of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the street? Organizations who celebrate it should not be pacified with the non-confrontational words of hidden discrimination and alertness to minor insults, but faced with the risks that affect everyone if opposition to discrimination is not treated with importance. In short, Black History Month should be made up-to-date, pressing, and responsive. It could be that an total re-identification is in order – Contemporary Black History Month.
