Black History Month acts as a gauge of the political moment, so in what ways can we modernize it?
It's Black History Month in the UK, and it appears it’s time for a re-evaluation. Over the years, an observance that began as a celebration and reminder of heritage, traditions and links between international African diaspora communities, has developed a business-like atmosphere, expanding to include functions where individuals of African heritage are remunerated to speak with Caucasian groups about “unconscious bias” and supportive partnership. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests generated a rise in the industry of showcasing anti-racist commitment. But even that moment has passed. The tide has peaked, resulting in a somewhat empty inheritance of what raising awareness is for.
The Background of Black History Month
Originally observed in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as an observance of African American heritage by Black scholar Carter G. Woodson with seven days of remembrance and recognition in the February's second week. Black History Month grew out of this campaign and was officially launched in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the North America in winter, but also in autumn in the United Kingdom, Deutschland, the Republic of Ireland and the Netherlands.
The period has developed since that time, giving reduced attention to the narratives of transatlantic enslavement and fights for racial justice, and increasingly on influential individuals of color in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, and broadly celebrating the input Black people have made to mold society. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most frequently marked, with lectures and artistic activities. But the method the observance is observed is a manifestation of the political moment. How it develops is a instructive case in how appropriation leads to dismantling: the reshaping of Black History Month has stymied the objective of it, which is to tackle structural and organizational discrimination.
A Jarring Moment
Few things illustrate how crucial it is to reconsider Black History Month more than the current time in which it takes place this year. In the United Kingdom, a resurgent right in the form of the Reform party is leading the polls. In the recent season we witnessed the most significant ultra-conservative gathering in British history. a prominent political figure, the person of color at the helm of the Conservative party, is a firm opponent of the racial justice movement, and we are in a place where a elected representative feels empowered to declare that the absence of Caucasian individuals in specific city neighborhoods is a source of worry. Simultaneously, ultra-nationalist movements are growing in the European continent as a complete entity.
In the US, a significant offensive against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been brought, repeatedly with positive outcomes, to the top legal institutions of the nation. A campaign to remove African American heritage and legacy from the records is ongoing. One of Donald Trump's early administrative commands targeted the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the prestigious establishment, accusing them of a organized and extensive campaign to rewrite our Nation’s history” by portraying America “as naturally discriminatory”.
In this context, the celebration represents how little it can be effective if it is restricted to either obligatory business commemorations, or politically neutered commemorations of former accomplishments, rather than confronting the situation of the present. It also shows how its limited duration means that it is detached from the wider consistent effort that is required. A university professor, a educator at an educational institution, put it best when she expressed apprehension about the short-term symbolic gestures of the month. “The difficulty with adopting a symbolic stance”, she stated, “is that it often means that Black History Month evolves into a fleeting performance rather than a driver of transformation.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Figuring out how to alter, change and broaden efforts for fair treatment and appreciation in such moments of dejection and worry is a challenging endeavor. There is a temptation to just discontinue observances such as Black History Month completely, thinking they are inadequate for current needs, or are vestiges of an era that has failed to deliver.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the complete comprehensive structure and heritage of activism for racial justice – local anti-racism groups, DEI programs, and indeed, including corporate presentations – form an framework that a considerable labor has been invested in. 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 contemporary active Black History Month look like? To begin with, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is distributed throughout the annual calendar (as certain organizations are already starting to implement), parts of its content (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 people, particularly the younger generation, to share their anxieties and narratives. What use is mere awareness of the history when it ignores the present reality of extreme conservative demonstrations in the street? Institutions who celebrate it should not be comforted with the non-confrontational words of hidden discrimination and awareness of minor insults, but confronted with the risks that face all if opposition to discrimination is not treated with importance. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made up-to-date, urgent, and reactive. Perhaps an complete renaming is in order – Black History is Now Month.
