Black History Month acts as a gauge of the current political climate, so what steps can we take to refresh it?
We are in Black History Month in the Britain, and it feels like it’s time for a re-evaluation. Over the years, an event that was initiated as a celebration and reminder of the past, cultural identity and bonds between Black populations worldwide, has taken on a commercial tone, growing to encompass functions where individuals of African heritage are compensated to talk to Caucasian groups about “unconscious bias” and supportive partnership. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests created a surge in the business of displaying cultural sensitivity. However, that period has concluded. The tide has crested, producing a diluted aftermath of what raising awareness is for.
The History of Black History Month
Originally observed in the US and Canada, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by historian of African descent Carter G. Woodson with a week of celebration and reflection in the middle of February. Black History Month grew out of this initiative and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the US and Canada in winter, but also in October in the United Kingdom, the Federal Republic of Germany, Éire and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The observance has transformed since its inception, focusing less on the accounts of the slave trade across the Atlantic and struggles for equality, and increasingly on influential individuals of color in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, and broadly celebrating the input Black people have made to shape the country. It is in schools where Black History Month is most frequently marked, with discussions and heritage festivities. But the manner the month is celebrated is a reflection of the contemporary political context. How it evolves is a instructive case in how appropriation leads to erosion: the restructuring of Black History Month has hindered the objective of it, which is to tackle systemic and institutional racism.
A Jarring Moment
Little demonstrates how important it is to reevaluate Black History Month as much as the particular moment in which it occurs this year. In the UK, a reemerging right-wing in the form of the Reform political group is ahead in surveys. In the recent season we witnessed the largest far-right rally in the history of Britain. Kemi Badenoch, the African descendant in charge of the Conservative party, is a staunch adversary of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a position where a elected representative gains confidence to state that the absence of Caucasian individuals in specific city neighborhoods is a source of worry. Meanwhile, extreme conservative groups are expanding in the European continent as a entirety.
In the America, a massive attack against DEI and affirmative action has been brought, frequently with success, to the highest courts of the nation. A drive to scrub Black history and legacy from the records is in progress. One of the former president's early administrative commands focused on the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the renowned cultural organization, accusing them of a organized and extensive campaign to change the national past” by depicting the United States “as inherently racist”.
Given these circumstances, the observance illustrates how minimally it can be impactful if it is confined to either routine organizational acknowledgments, or politically neutered commemorations of former accomplishments, rather than addressing the conditions of the contemporary world. It also shows how its short period means that it is disconnected from the wider consistent effort that is necessary. Denise Miller, a educator at a learning establishment, articulated it most accurately when she raised concerns about the temporary “tokenism” of the month. “The issue with adopting a symbolic stance”, she commented, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month turns into a fleeting performance rather than a catalyst for change.”
Reevaluating, Not Abandoning
Figuring out how to adjust, modify and expand initiatives for racial equality and recognition in such times of discouragement and concern is a treacherous thing. There is a inclination to just eliminate events including Black History Month altogether, thinking they are no longer suitable, or are vestiges of an era that has not worked.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and legacy of activism for racial justice – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, inclusion and equity efforts, and indeed, including corporate presentations – form an framework that a significant effort has been dedicated to. It is there not just to decay as the politics moves on (and in fact, regresses), but to be a living breathing thing.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month seem? Well, first, it would be extended beyond a brief observance: something that is distributed throughout the annual calendar (as some institutions are already commencing), parts of its content (particularly around notable African descendants) incorporated into academic syllabi. It would also be a period that does not evade politics, and allows opportunity for citizens, particularly the younger generation, to air their fears and experiences. What use is simple recognition of the past when it fails to address the current situation of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the urban areas? Establishments who observe it should not be reassured with the passive language of implicit prejudice and sensitivity to subtle slights, but challenged by the dangers that affect everyone if opposition to discrimination is not taken seriously. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made current, urgent, and adaptive. Maybe an complete renaming is required – Black History is Now Month.
