Black History Month is a reflection of the prevailing political atmosphere, so what steps can we take to refresh it?
We are in Black History Month in the Britain, and it appears it’s time for a reassessment. Over the years, an observance that was initiated as a commemorative event of the past, cultural identity and bonds between international African diaspora communities, has developed a business-like atmosphere, expanding to include events where individuals of African heritage are compensated to speak with white audiences about implicit prejudice and supportive partnership. The demonstrations for racial justice in the 2020s created a surge in the industry of showcasing anti-racist commitment. But even that moment has passed. The wave has reached its height, resulting in a somewhat empty inheritance of what promoting consciousness is for.
The Background of Black History Celebration
First commemorated in the US and Canada, Black History Month was established in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history by historian of African descent Carter G. Woodson with a week of commemoration and observance in the February's second week. Black History Month grew out of this movement and was officially launched in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the US and Canada in February, but also in the tenth month in the United Kingdom, the Federal Republic of Germany, Ireland and the Holland.
The month has evolved since that time, focusing less on the histories of colonial slavery and fights for racial justice, and more on notable African descendants in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, and widely honoring the contribution Black people have made to mold society. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most frequently marked, with lectures and artistic activities. But the way the observance is observed is a manifestation of the current political situation. How it progresses is a good lesson in how appropriation leads to weakening: the restructuring of Black History Month has hindered the purpose of it, which is to tackle systemic and institutional racism.
A Troubling Time
Few things illustrate how crucial it is to rethink Black History Month more than the particular moment in which it takes place this year. In the United Kingdom, a resurgent right in the guise of the Reform political group is ahead in surveys. In the recent season we observed the most significant ultra-conservative gathering in British history. a prominent political figure, the African descendant in charge of the Tory party, is a strong critic of anti-racism activism, and we are in a place where a elected representative gains confidence to state that “not seeing any white faces” in parts of a city is a reason for concern. Meanwhile, extreme conservative groups are growing in Europe as a whole.
In the America, a colossal assault against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been brought, frequently with success, to the highest courts of the country. A campaign to scrub the history of people of color and narrative from the records is under way. One of the former president's first executive orders targeted the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the prestigious establishment, claiming they of a coordinated and broad attempt to alter the country's historical narrative” by representing the nation “as inherently racist”.
In this context, the observance symbolises how minimally it can be effective if it is limited to either dutiful corporate observances, or politically neutered commemorations of contributions in the past, rather than confronting the realities of the present. It also reveals how its short period means that it is disconnected from the broader ongoing work that is needed. A university professor, a educator at an educational institution, articulated it most accurately when she voiced worries about the short-term symbolic gestures of the celebration. “The issue with taking a tokenistic approach”, she wrote, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month evolves into a fleeting performance rather than a driver of transformation.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Determining how to adapt, revise and extend actions for equal rights and acknowledgment in such moments of dejection and worry is a difficult task. There is a temptation to just eliminate events including Black History Month entirely, thinking they are no longer suitable, 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 tradition of campaigns for equality – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, DEI programs, and certainly, even commercial engagements – form an infrastructure that a lot of work has been dedicated to. It is there not merely to decline as the situation evolves (and in fact, deteriorates), but to be a dynamic entity.
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 throughout the annual calendar (as various establishments are already beginning to do), sections of its curriculum (particularly around notable African descendants) integrated into school curriculums. It would also be a time that does not avoid political issues, and leaves space for citizens, particularly youth, to air their fears and experiences. What value has mere awareness of the history when it fails to address the contemporary truth of far-right rallies in the public spaces? Establishments who celebrate it should not be pacified with the non-confrontational words of implicit prejudice and awareness of subtle slights, but confronted with the threats that impact society if fight against prejudice is not approached earnestly. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made current, critical, and reactive. Maybe an entire name rebrand is required – Black History is Now Month.
