Black History Month is a reflection of the political moment, so how do we revamp it?
We are in Black History Month in the UK, and it seems it’s time for a rethink. Throughout its history, an event that was initiated as a commemorative event of history, culture and the connections between global Black communities, has adopted a commercial tone, growing to encompass gatherings where Black people are paid to speak with Caucasian groups about “unconscious bias” and supportive partnership. The demonstrations for racial justice in the 2020s sparked an increase in the industry of demonstrating racial awareness. But even that moment has passed. The surge has reached its height, producing a diluted aftermath of what promoting consciousness is for.
The History of Black History Month
First commemorated in the America and its northern neighbor, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with seven days of commemoration and observance in the February's second week. Black History Month developed from this campaign and was publicly established in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the US and Canada in February, but also in autumn in the Britain, Deutschland, Éire and the Netherlands.
The month has transformed since those days, focusing less on the histories of colonial slavery and fights for racial justice, and more on notable African descendants in politics, culture, and activism, and extensively acknowledging the contribution Black people have made to shape the country. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with talks and cultural events. But the manner the celebration is commemorated is a indication of the current political situation. How it progresses is a instructive case in how assimilation leads to erosion: the reshaping of Black History Month has impeded the point of it, which is to confront systemic and institutional racism.
A Jarring Moment
Hardly anything shows how crucial it is to reconsider Black History Month more than the particular moment in which it occurs this year. In the Britain, a reemerging right-wing in the form of the Reform political group is top in opinion ratings. In the summer we observed the largest far-right rally in British history. a prominent political figure, the Black leader of the Tory party, is a strong critic of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a position where a member of parliament feels emboldened to say that the absence of Caucasian individuals in parts of a city is a reason for concern. At the same time, ultra-nationalist movements are surging in the EU as a entirety.
In the United States, a colossal assault against inclusion programs and preferential policies has been brought, often successfully, to the highest courts of the nation. A campaign to scrub Black history and legacy from the archives is under way. One of Donald Trump's early administrative commands targeted the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the prestigious establishment, alleging that they of a organized and extensive campaign to rewrite our Nation’s history” by representing the nation “as naturally discriminatory”.
Given these circumstances, the month illustrates how insufficiently it can be effective if it is limited to either obligatory business commemorations, or stripped of political content celebrations of historical achievements, rather than challenging the realities of the contemporary world. It also reveals how its limited duration means that it is disconnected from the wider consistent effort that is needed. A university professor, a educator at a learning establishment, articulated it most accurately when she voiced worries about the short-term symbolic gestures of the celebration. “The difficulty with adopting a symbolic stance”, she wrote, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month becomes a fleeting performance rather than a catalyst for change.”
Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning
Determining how to adjust, modify and expand efforts for racial equality and recognition in such moments of dejection and worry is a challenging endeavor. There is a temptation to just discontinue events including Black History Month completely, assuming they are no longer suitable, or are vestiges of an era that has been ineffective.
But despite everything, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and legacy of campaigns for equality – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, DEI programs, and certainly, even commercial engagements – constitute an infrastructure that a significant effort has been invested in. 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 new dynamic Black History Month appear as? Well, first, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is dispersed throughout the annual calendar (as various establishments are already beginning to do), elements of its material (particularly around prominent figures of color) included in school curriculums. It would also be a time that does not avoid political issues, and leaves space for individuals, particularly youth, to express their concerns and stories. What purpose serves basic knowledge of the past when it fails to address the current situation of far-right rallies in the street? Establishments who mark it should not be reassured with the non-confrontational words of implicit prejudice and sensitivity to subtle slights, but confronted with the threats that impact society if anti-racism is not treated with importance. To summarize, Black History Month should be made up-to-date, urgent, and reactive. Maybe an complete renaming is necessary – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.
