Black History Month serves as a mirror of the political moment, so how do we revamp it?
We are in Black History Month in the Britain, and it seems it’s time for a reassessment. Throughout its history, an celebration that began as a festivity and recollection of history, culture and the connections between Black populations worldwide, has adopted a business-like atmosphere, growing to encompass functions where African descendants are paid to address Caucasian groups about implicit prejudice and “allyship”. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests created a surge in the industry of displaying cultural sensitivity. But even that moment has passed. The tide has reached its height, resulting in a somewhat empty inheritance of what increasing understanding is for.
The Background of Black History Observance
First commemorated in the US and Canada, Black History Month was established in 1962 as an observance of African American heritage by historian of African descent Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of commemoration and observance in the February's second week. Black History Month developed from this initiative and was officially launched in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the US and Canada in the second month, but also in autumn in the United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The observance has evolved since its inception, placing less emphasis on the accounts of colonial slavery and struggles for equality, and more on influential individuals of color in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, and widely honoring the input Black people have made to influence the nation. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most commonly celebrated, with lectures and artistic activities. But the way the month is celebrated is a reflection of the current political situation. How it develops is a valuable example in how co-option leads to dismantling: the transformation of Black History Month has stymied the purpose of it, which is to confront embedded and established prejudice.
A Disconcerting Period
Little demonstrates how important it is to reconsider Black History Month as much as the current time in which it takes place this year. In the Britain, a resurgent right in the guise of the Reform political group is ahead in surveys. In the summer we saw the biggest extreme right demonstration in the history of Britain. a prominent political figure, the Black leader of the Tory party, is a firm opponent of anti-racism activism, and we are in a place where a member of parliament feels empowered to say that a lack of white people in certain urban areas is a reason for concern. At the same time, ultra-nationalist movements are growing in Europe as a complete entity.
In the US, a colossal assault against DEI and affirmative action has been brought, frequently with success, to the supreme judicial bodies of the state. A effort to remove African American heritage and legacy from the records is ongoing. One of the former president's early administrative commands focused on the museum of African American legacy, and the Smithsonian Institution, claiming they of a organized and extensive campaign to alter the country's historical narrative” by depicting the United States “as naturally discriminatory”.
In this context, the observance illustrates how insufficiently it can be impactful if it is limited to either routine organizational acknowledgments, or depoliticized commemorations of former accomplishments, rather than challenging the conditions of the current era. It also reveals how its short period means that it is detached from the more extensive continuous action that is necessary. A university professor, a professor at an educational institution, put it best when she voiced worries about the fleeting superficial actions of the celebration. “The issue with embracing a superficial method”, she stated, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month becomes a transient display rather than a catalyst for change.”
Reevaluating, Not Abandoning
Determining how to alter, change and broaden initiatives for fair treatment and appreciation in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a difficult task. There is a temptation to just discontinue things like Black History Month entirely, believing they are simply not fit for purpose, or are vestiges of an period that has not worked.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and tradition of campaigns for equality – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, DEI programs, and yes, even those talks to businesses – form an framework that a lot of work has gone into. It is there not just to decay as the political landscape shifts (and in fact, deteriorates), but to be a living breathing thing.
So what would a contemporary active Black History Month appear as? Well, first, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is dispersed through the year (as certain organizations are already starting to implement), sections of its curriculum (particularly around prominent figures of color) incorporated into school curriculums. It would also be a era that does not avoid governmental matters, and allows opportunity for people, particularly young people, to air their fears and experiences. What purpose serves basic knowledge of the past when it ignores the current situation of extreme conservative demonstrations in the urban areas? Organizations who celebrate it should not be reassured with the passive language of implicit prejudice and sensitivity to minor insults, but faced with the risks that impact society if opposition to discrimination is not treated with importance. In short, Black History Month should be made current, pressing, and responsive. It could be that an complete renaming is required – Black History is Now Month.
