Black History Month is a reflection of the political moment, so what steps can we take to refresh it?
It's Black History Month in the UK, and it appears it’s time for a re-evaluation. As time has passed, an observance that began as a commemorative event of history, culture and the connections between international African diaspora communities, has taken on a commercial tone, growing to encompass functions where Black people are compensated to address predominantly white listeners about implicit prejudice and supportive partnership. The demonstrations for racial justice in the 2020s sparked an increase in the business of demonstrating racial awareness. Yet, that phase is now over. The tide has reached its height, resulting in a somewhat empty inheritance of what promoting consciousness is for.
The Origins 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 second week of February. Black History Month grew out of this campaign and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the United States and Canada in the second month, but also in autumn in the Britain, Germany, Éire and the Netherlands.
The period has evolved since that time, focusing less on the narratives of the slave trade across the Atlantic and civil rights battles, and more on influential individuals of color in government, the arts, and social movements, and broadly celebrating the input Black people have made to mold society. It is in schools where Black History Month is most commonly celebrated, with lectures and artistic activities. But the way the observance is observed is a reflection of the current political situation. How it evolves is a valuable example in how assimilation leads to dismantling: the transformation of Black History Month has impeded the purpose of it, which is to tackle embedded and established prejudice.
A Disconcerting Period
Few things illustrate how important it is to rethink Black History Month better than the current time in which it falls this year. In the United Kingdom, a resurgent right in the shape of the Reform organization is leading the polls. In the warmer months we witnessed the most significant ultra-conservative gathering in the UK's past. a prominent political figure, the Black leader of the Tory party, is a staunch adversary of anti-racism activism, and we are in a position where a legislator feels emboldened to state that “not seeing any white faces” in specific city neighborhoods is a source of worry. At the same time, extreme conservative groups are expanding in the European continent as a whole.
In the America, a colossal assault against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been taken, often successfully, to the highest courts of the nation. A drive to scrub the history of people of color and narrative from the historical documents is ongoing. One of Donald Trump's initial presidential directives focused on the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the prestigious establishment, accusing them of a “concerted and widespread effort to rewrite our Nation’s history” by portraying America “as naturally discriminatory”.
Against this backdrop, the observance represents how insufficiently it can be impactful if it is restricted to either dutiful corporate observances, or politically neutered festivities of contributions in the past, rather than challenging the situation of the contemporary world. It also shows how its restricted time span means that it is separated from the broader ongoing work that is needed. An academic expert, a educator at an educational institution, put it best when she voiced worries about the temporary “tokenism” of the celebration. “The problem with taking a tokenistic approach”, she commented, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month becomes a fleeting performance rather than a driver of transformation.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Figuring out how to adjust, modify and expand efforts for racial equality and recognition in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a difficult task. There is a inclination to just eliminate events including Black History Month altogether, believing they are no longer suitable, or are remnants of an time that has not worked.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and heritage of activism for racial justice – community-based BLM initiatives, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and indeed, including corporate presentations – constitute an infrastructure that a considerable labor has been dedicated to. 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 appear as? To begin with, it would be extended beyond a brief observance: something that is dispersed across all seasons (as certain organizations are already commencing), parts of its content (particularly around historic Black characters) included in school curriculums. It would also be a period that does not avoid governmental matters, and allows opportunity for people, particularly young people, to air their fears and experiences. What use is simple recognition of the bygone era when it doesn’t reckon with the current situation of extreme conservative demonstrations in the street? Establishments who mark it should not be comforted with the non-confrontational words of implicit prejudice and sensitivity to “microaggressions”, but faced with the dangers that impact society if anti-racism is not treated with importance. Briefly stated, 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.
