Black History Month is a reflection of the political moment, so what steps can we take to refresh it?
This is Black History Month in the United Kingdom, and it seems it’s time for a reassessment. Over the years, an observance that was initiated as a celebration and reminder of heritage, traditions and links between global Black communities, has taken on a commercial tone, broadening to incorporate functions where Black people are compensated to address white audiences about hidden biases and “allyship”. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade sparked an increase in the industry of showcasing anti-racist commitment. But even that moment has passed. The wave has peaked, producing a diluted aftermath of what increasing understanding is for.
The History of Black History Month
Initially celebrated in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was created in 1962 as an observance of African American heritage by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of commemoration and observance in the second week of February. Black History Month grew out of this movement 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, Deutschland, Ireland and the Holland.
The month has developed since that time, focusing less on the narratives of transatlantic enslavement and fights for racial justice, and increasingly on notable African descendants in government, the arts, and social movements, and broadly celebrating the impact Black people have made to mold society. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with talks and cultural events. But the method the celebration is celebrated is a manifestation of the current political situation. How it progresses is a good lesson in how assimilation leads to erosion: the reshaping of Black History Month has stymied the point of it, which is to tackle embedded and established prejudice.
A Jarring Moment
Little demonstrates how important it is to reevaluate Black History Month as much as the current time in which it falls this year. In the United Kingdom, a resurgent right in the form of the Reform organization is leading the polls. In the recent season we witnessed the biggest extreme right demonstration in British history. Kemi Badenoch, the African descendant in charge of the Conservative party, is a strong critic of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a place where a member of parliament gains confidence to say that a lack of white people in specific city neighborhoods is a reason for concern. Simultaneously, ultra-nationalist movements are expanding in the EU as a whole.
In the America, a colossal assault against DEI and affirmative action has been taken, often successfully, to the highest courts of the nation. A drive to remove African American heritage and legacy from the archives is ongoing. One of the former president's early administrative commands targeted the museum of African American legacy, and the prestigious establishment, claiming they of a organized and extensive campaign to change the national past” by depicting the United States “as inherently racist”.
Given these circumstances, the month symbolises how little it can be effective if it is limited to either obligatory business commemorations, or stripped of political content festivities of contributions in the past, rather than addressing the realities of the present. It also shows how its restricted time span means that it is detached from the broader ongoing work that is required. An academic expert, a educator at an educational institution, articulated it most accurately when she voiced worries about the temporary “tokenism” of the month. “The problem with embracing a superficial method”, she stated, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month evolves into a brief show rather than a driver of transformation.”
Reevaluating, Not Abandoning
Determining how to adjust, modify and expand actions for equal rights and acknowledgment in such times of discouragement and concern is a challenging endeavor. There is a temptation to just discontinue observances such as Black History Month altogether, assuming they are inadequate for current needs, or are vestiges of an period that has not worked.
But despite everything, Black History Month, and in fact the whole broad system and legacy of racial movements – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and indeed, including corporate presentations – represent an framework that a significant effort has been dedicated to. It is there not merely to decline as the political landscape shifts (and in fact, declines), but to be a living breathing thing.
So what would a fresh vibrant Black History Month appear as? Well, first, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is distributed across all seasons (as some institutions are already beginning to do), sections of its curriculum (particularly around notable African descendants) integrated into academic syllabi. It would also be a period that does not avoid political issues, and allows opportunity for people, particularly young people, to air their fears and experiences. What purpose serves basic knowledge of the history when it ignores the contemporary truth of far-right rallies in the urban areas? Organizations who observe it should not be reassured with the passive language of “unconscious bias” and alertness to minor insults, but faced with the threats that affect everyone if fight against prejudice is not treated with importance. To summarize, Black History Month should be made up-to-date, urgent, and responsive. It could be that an total re-identification is necessary – Black History is Now Month.
