Black History Month serves as a mirror of the prevailing political atmosphere, so in what ways can we modernize it?
It's Black History Month in the United Kingdom, and it feels like it’s time for a reassessment. Over the years, an celebration that started out as a festivity and recollection of the past, cultural identity and bonds between international African diaspora communities, has developed a business-like atmosphere, broadening to incorporate functions where individuals of African heritage are remunerated to address predominantly white listeners about implicit prejudice and supportive partnership. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade sparked an increase in the enterprise of showcasing anti-racist commitment. However, that period has concluded. The surge has crested, producing a diluted aftermath of what raising awareness is for.
The Background of Black History Month
Originally observed in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was established in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by Black scholar Carter G. Woodson with seven days of commemoration and observance in the middle of February. Black History Month developed from this initiative and was officially launched in 1970. Currently it is marked not only in the United States and Canada in winter, but also in the tenth month in the Britain, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Republic of Ireland and the Holland.
The month has evolved since its inception, giving reduced attention to the narratives of colonial slavery and struggles for equality, and greater focus on prominent Black figures in government, the arts, and social movements, and extensively acknowledging the contribution Black people have made to shape the country. It is in schools where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with discussions and heritage festivities. But the method the celebration is commemorated is a reflection of the contemporary political context. How it progresses is a instructive case in how appropriation leads to dismantling: the reshaping of Black History Month has hindered the purpose of it, which is to tackle structural and organizational discrimination.
A Disconcerting Period
Few things illustrate how critical it is to reconsider Black History Month better than the specific period in which it occurs this year. In the Britain, a resurgent right in the guise of the Reform party is ahead in surveys. In the warmer months we observed the biggest extreme right demonstration in British history. a prominent political figure, the African descendant in charge of the right-wing political group, is a strong critic of the racial justice movement, and we are in a position where a elected representative feels empowered to declare that a lack of white people in specific city neighborhoods is a source of worry. At the same time, extreme conservative groups are growing in the European continent as a complete entity.
In the America, a colossal assault against inclusion programs and preferential policies has been carried, often successfully, to the highest courts of the country. A campaign to remove Black history and legacy from the archives is under way. One of Donald Trump's first executive orders aimed at the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the renowned cultural organization, alleging that they of a “concerted and widespread effort to alter the country's historical narrative” by portraying America “as inherently racist”.
Given these circumstances, the observance illustrates how insufficiently it can be effective if it is restricted to either routine organizational acknowledgments, or depoliticized celebrations of historical achievements, rather than challenging the conditions of the contemporary world. It also reveals how its restricted time span means that it is disconnected from the more extensive continuous action that is necessary. Denise Miller, a prof at a learning establishment, articulated it most accurately when she raised concerns about the temporary “tokenism” of the month. “The issue with taking a tokenistic approach”, she commented, “is that it often means that Black History Month turns into a fleeting performance rather than a agent of progress.”
Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning
Establishing how to alter, change and broaden actions for equal rights and acknowledgment in such moments of dejection and worry is a challenging endeavor. There is a inclination to just discontinue observances such as Black History Month altogether, believing they are simply not fit for purpose, or are vestiges of an era that has failed to deliver.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and tradition of activism for racial justice – community-based BLM initiatives, inclusion and equity efforts, and certainly, even commercial engagements – form an infrastructure that a significant effort has gone into. 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 appear as? Well, first, it would be extended beyond a brief observance: something that is dispersed through the year (as some institutions are already starting to implement), elements of its material (particularly around notable African descendants) incorporated into school curriculums. It would also be a time that does not shy away from political issues, and allows opportunity for people, particularly youth, to express their concerns and stories. What value has simple recognition of the past when it doesn’t reckon with the present reality of far-right rallies in the public spaces? Establishments who observe it should not be reassured with the passive language of implicit prejudice and awareness of minor insults, but confronted with the dangers that impact society if anti-racism is not taken seriously. In short, Black History Month should be made up-to-date, critical, and adaptive. It could be that an complete renaming is required – Black History is Now Month.
