Black History Month serves as a mirror of the political moment, so in what ways can we modernize it?
We are in Black History Month in the UK, and it feels like it’s time for a re-evaluation. As time has passed, an celebration that was initiated as a commemorative event of heritage, traditions and links between global Black communities, has taken on a commercial tone, growing to encompass functions where Black people are compensated to speak with Caucasian groups about implicit prejudice and “allyship”. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade created a surge in the industry of displaying cultural sensitivity. Yet, that phase is now over. The surge has reached its height, producing a diluted aftermath of what promoting consciousness is for.
The Background of Black History Month
First commemorated in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was created in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history by historian of African descent Carter G. Woodson with seven days of remembrance and recognition in the second week of February. Black History Month developed from this campaign and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the US and Canada in the second month, but also in autumn in the Britain, Germany, the Republic of Ireland and the Holland.
The observance has developed since those days, focusing less on the narratives of the slave trade across the Atlantic and civil rights battles, and more on notable African descendants in government, the arts, and social movements, and widely honoring the impact Black people have made to mold society. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most frequently marked, with talks and cultural events. But the manner the observance is commemorated is a reflection of the contemporary political context. How it develops is a valuable example in how appropriation leads to dismantling: the transformation of Black History Month has impeded the point of it, which is to address structural and organizational discrimination.
A Jarring Moment
Hardly anything shows how crucial it is to reevaluate Black History Month as much as the particular moment in which it occurs this year. In the Britain, a resurgent right in the shape of the Reform organization is top in opinion ratings. In the summer we saw the biggest extreme right demonstration in British history. Kemi Badenoch, the Black leader of the right-wing political group, is a strong critic of the racial justice movement, and we are in a situation where a member of parliament feels empowered to say that a lack of white people in parts of a city is a cause for alarm. Simultaneously, far-right parties are growing in the EU as a complete entity.
In the United States, a colossal assault against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been brought, repeatedly with positive outcomes, to the top legal institutions of the nation. A drive to scrub Black history and legacy from the records is ongoing. One of the former president's initial presidential directives focused on the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the Smithsonian Institution, alleging that they of a coordinated and broad attempt to change the national past” by depicting the United States “as inherently racist”.
In this context, the month symbolises how minimally it can be effective if it is confined to either dutiful corporate observances, or politically neutered celebrations of contributions in the past, rather than challenging the situation of the current era. It also shows how its limited duration means that it is disconnected from the broader ongoing work that is needed. An academic expert, a educator at University of Greenwich, put it best when she voiced worries about the fleeting superficial actions of the observance. “The issue with adopting a symbolic stance”, she wrote, “is that it often means that Black History Month turns into a transient display rather than a catalyst for change.”
Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning
Establishing how to adapt, revise and extend actions for fair treatment and appreciation in such moments of dejection and worry is a treacherous thing. There is a urge to just do away with events including Black History Month completely, thinking they are no longer suitable, or are relics of an period that has not worked.
But despite everything, Black History Month, and in fact the complete comprehensive structure and tradition of activism for racial justice – local anti-racism groups, DEI programs, and yes, even those talks to businesses – constitute an foundation that a significant effort has been dedicated to. It is there not merely to decline as the situation evolves (and in fact, declines), but to be a living breathing thing.
So what would a contemporary active Black History Month seem? To begin with, it would be extended beyond a brief observance: something that is spread out throughout the annual calendar (as various establishments are already commencing), parts of its content (particularly around notable African descendants) included in academic syllabi. It would also be a time that does not shy away from politics, and leaves space for people, particularly youth, to express their concerns and stories. What use is mere awareness of the past when it ignores the contemporary truth of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the street? Institutions who mark it should not be comforted with the neutral terminology of “unconscious bias” and sensitivity to subtle slights, but confronted with the dangers that impact society if opposition to discrimination is not approached earnestly. In short, Black History Month should be made up-to-date, pressing, and responsive. Perhaps an total re-identification is required – Black History is Now Month.
