This commemorative month is a reflection of the prevailing political atmosphere, so in what ways can we modernize it?
It's Black History Month in the United Kingdom, and it seems it’s time for a re-evaluation. As time has passed, an celebration that began as a festivity and recollection of heritage, traditions and links between Black populations worldwide, has developed a commercial tone, growing to encompass functions where African descendants are paid 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 displaying cultural sensitivity. Yet, that phase is now over. The surge has peaked, resulting in a somewhat empty inheritance of what promoting consciousness is for.
The Origins of Black History Month
First commemorated in the US and Canada, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as an observance of African American heritage by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of remembrance and recognition in the February's second week. Black History Month evolved from this movement and was officially launched in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the North America in winter, but also in the tenth month in the United Kingdom, Germany, the Republic of Ireland and the Netherlands.
The month has transformed since that time, placing less emphasis on the accounts of transatlantic enslavement and struggles for equality, and increasingly on prominent Black figures in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, and widely honoring the impact Black people have made to shape the country. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most frequently marked, with lectures and artistic activities. But the way the month is observed is a manifestation of the current political situation. How it progresses is a good lesson in how co-option leads to dismantling: the transformation of Black History Month has hindered the objective of it, which is to tackle systemic and institutional racism.
A Troubling Time
Few things illustrate how critical it is to rethink Black History Month more than the specific period in which it occurs this year. In the UK, a resurgent right in the form of the Reform organization is leading the polls. In the warmer months we saw the most significant ultra-conservative gathering in British history. a prominent political figure, the African descendant in charge of the right-wing political group, is a staunch adversary of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a situation where a legislator feels emboldened to declare that “not seeing any white faces” in certain urban areas is a cause for alarm. At the same time, ultra-nationalist movements are growing in Europe as a whole.
In the United States, a significant offensive against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been brought, repeatedly with positive outcomes, to the supreme judicial bodies of the nation. A campaign to remove Black history and experience from the records is under way. One of the former president's early administrative commands focused on the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the Smithsonian Institution, claiming they of a coordinated and broad attempt to change the national past” by representing the nation “as inherently racist”.
Given these circumstances, the celebration represents how little it can be effective if it is restricted to either routine organizational acknowledgments, or depoliticized celebrations of historical achievements, rather than challenging the realities of the current era. It also reveals how its limited duration means that it is detached from the more extensive continuous action that is required. A university professor, a educator at a learning establishment, put it best when she expressed apprehension about the temporary “tokenism” of the month. “The difficulty with embracing a superficial method”, she commented, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month turns into a brief show rather than a catalyst for change.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Determining how to alter, change and broaden actions for equal rights and acknowledgment in such moments of dejection and worry is a treacherous thing. There is a temptation to just eliminate things like Black History Month entirely, thinking they are inadequate for current needs, or are relics of an period that has not worked.
Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the complete comprehensive structure and heritage of racial movements – community-based BLM initiatives, inclusion and equity efforts, and yes, even those talks to businesses – represent an infrastructure that a considerable labor has been dedicated to. It is there not merely to decline as the politics moves on (and in fact, declines), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a fresh vibrant Black History Month seem? Firstly, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is dispersed across all seasons (as some institutions are already starting to implement), sections of its curriculum (particularly around notable African descendants) included in school curriculums. It would also be a period that does not shy away from governmental matters, and allows opportunity for citizens, particularly the younger generation, to express their concerns and stories. What purpose serves simple recognition of the past when it fails to address the present reality of far-right rallies in the public spaces? Establishments who mark it should not be comforted with the non-confrontational words of implicit prejudice and alertness to “microaggressions”, but faced with the risks that impact society if opposition to discrimination is not taken seriously. In short, Black History Month should be made current, critical, and responsive. Maybe an entire name rebrand is required – Contemporary Black History Month.
