Black History Month is a reflection of the political moment, so how do we revamp it?
This is Black History Month in the UK, and it feels like it’s time for a re-evaluation. Throughout its history, an celebration that started out as a celebration and reminder of history, culture and the connections between global Black communities, has taken on a corporate feel, growing to encompass gatherings where African descendants are remunerated to talk to predominantly white listeners about hidden biases and “allyship”. The demonstrations for racial justice in the 2020s sparked an increase in the enterprise of displaying cultural sensitivity. However, that period has concluded. The wave has crested, resulting in a somewhat empty inheritance of what increasing understanding is for.
The Origins of Black History Month
First commemorated in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was established 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 February's second week. Black History Month grew out of this initiative and was officially launched in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the North America in February, but also in October in the UK, Deutschland, Éire and the Netherlands.
The month has evolved since its inception, placing less emphasis on the histories of colonial slavery and struggles for equality, and increasingly on notable African descendants in government, the arts, and social movements, and extensively acknowledging the contribution Black people have made to influence the nation. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most frequently marked, with lectures and artistic activities. But the way the celebration is celebrated is a indication of the current political situation. How it progresses is a instructive case in how assimilation leads to dismantling: the restructuring of Black History Month has impeded the objective of it, which is to tackle embedded and established prejudice.
A Disconcerting Period
Little demonstrates how important it is to reevaluate Black History Month as much as the particular moment in which it falls this year. In the United Kingdom, a reemerging right-wing in the guise of the Reform party is top in opinion ratings. In the recent season we observed the biggest extreme right demonstration in the UK's past. the Conservative leader, the African descendant in charge of the Tory party, is a strong critic of the racial justice movement, and we are in a situation where a legislator feels emboldened to state that the absence of Caucasian individuals in parts of a city is a reason for concern. Meanwhile, extreme conservative groups are growing in the European continent as a entirety.
In the America, a massive attack against inclusion programs and preferential policies has been taken, frequently with success, to the supreme judicial bodies of the state. A campaign to remove African American heritage and legacy from the historical documents is ongoing. One of Donald Trump's early administrative commands targeted the museum of African American legacy, and the renowned cultural organization, accusing them of a coordinated and broad attempt to change the national past” by portraying America “as inherently racist”.
In this context, the celebration symbolises how minimally it can be effective if it is restricted to either dutiful corporate observances, or stripped of political content celebrations of contributions in the past, rather than addressing the realities of the contemporary world. It also demonstrates how its short period means that it is disconnected from the broader ongoing work that is needed. An academic expert, a prof at a learning establishment, articulated it most accurately when she voiced worries about the fleeting superficial actions of the celebration. “The issue with embracing a superficial method”, she wrote, “is that it often means that Black History Month turns into a transient display rather than a agent of progress.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Figuring out how to adapt, revise and extend efforts for racial equality and recognition in such times of discouragement and concern is a challenging endeavor. There is a inclination to just do away with observances such as Black History Month altogether, thinking they are simply not fit for purpose, or are vestiges of an time that has been ineffective.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and legacy of racial movements – community-based BLM initiatives, DEI programs, and yes, even those talks to businesses – constitute an infrastructure that a lot of work has gone into. It is there not merely to decline as the politics moves on (and in fact, declines), but to be a living breathing thing.
So what would a contemporary active Black History Month look like? To begin with, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is distributed through the year (as certain organizations are already starting to implement), elements of its material (particularly around prominent figures of color) integrated into school curriculums. It would also be a era that does not evade political issues, and allows opportunity for individuals, particularly the younger generation, to air their fears and experiences. What use is mere awareness of the past when it ignores the contemporary truth of extreme conservative demonstrations in the public spaces? Organizations who observe it should not be comforted with the neutral terminology of “unconscious bias” and sensitivity to “microaggressions”, but challenged by the dangers that affect everyone if fight against prejudice is not taken seriously. In short, Black History Month should be made current, urgent, and reactive. It could be that an entire name rebrand is required – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.
