Black History Month is a reflection of the current political climate, so what steps can we take to refresh it?
This is Black History Month in the UK, and it appears it’s time for a re-evaluation. Throughout its history, an event that was initiated as a commemorative event of the past, cultural identity and bonds between global Black communities, has taken on a business-like atmosphere, expanding to include gatherings where Black people are compensated to talk to white audiences about implicit prejudice and active solidarity. The demonstrations for racial justice in the 2020s sparked an increase in the industry of showcasing anti-racist commitment. But even that moment has passed. The tide has peaked, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what increasing understanding is for.
The Background of Black History Observance
Originally observed in the US and Canada, Black History Month was established in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by historian of African descent Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of celebration and reflection in the second week of February. Black History Month evolved from this initiative and was officially launched in 1970. Currently it is marked not only in the United States and Canada in February, but also in autumn in the United Kingdom, Germany, the Republic of Ireland and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The period has evolved since its inception, 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 broadly celebrating the impact Black people have made to shape the country. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most frequently marked, with lectures and artistic activities. But the way the celebration is observed is a indication of the political moment. How it progresses is a valuable example in how assimilation leads to weakening: the restructuring of Black History Month has hindered the purpose of it, which is to address structural and organizational discrimination.
A Troubling Time
Hardly anything shows how important it is to reevaluate Black History Month as much as the current time in which it takes place this year. In the United Kingdom, a reemerging right-wing in the form of the Reform party is top in opinion ratings. In the recent season we witnessed the largest far-right rally in British history. the Conservative leader, the African descendant in charge of the Conservative party, is a firm opponent of the racial justice movement, and we are in a position where a member of parliament feels empowered to state that the absence of Caucasian individuals in parts of a city is a reason for concern. At the same time, extreme conservative groups are surging in Europe as a entirety.
In the United States, a colossal assault against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been carried, often successfully, to the highest courts of the country. A campaign to remove Black history and narrative from the historical documents is ongoing. One of Donald Trump's early administrative commands targeted the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the renowned cultural organization, alleging that they of a organized and extensive campaign to rewrite our Nation’s history” by portraying America “as inherently racist”.
In this context, the observance illustrates how minimally it can be impactful if it is limited to either routine organizational acknowledgments, or stripped of political content celebrations of former accomplishments, rather than addressing the conditions of the present. It also reveals how its short period means that it is separated from the wider consistent effort that is needed. An academic expert, a prof at University of Greenwich, put it best when she voiced worries about the fleeting superficial actions of the celebration. “The problem with adopting a symbolic stance”, she commented, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month turns into a fleeting performance rather than a agent of progress.”
Reevaluating, Not Abandoning
Establishing how to alter, change and broaden efforts for equal rights and acknowledgment in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a challenging endeavor. There is a inclination to just do away with events including Black History Month altogether, assuming they are no longer suitable, or are remnants of an period that has been ineffective.
But despite everything, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and tradition of racial movements – local anti-racism groups, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and yes, even those talks to businesses – represent an framework that a significant effort has been dedicated to. It is there not merely to decline as the politics moves on (and in fact, regresses), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month seem? To begin with, it would be extended beyond a brief observance: something that is spread out across all seasons (as certain organizations are already commencing), parts of its content (particularly around prominent figures of color) incorporated into educational programs. It would also be a period that does not avoid politics, and provides room for people, particularly young people, to express their concerns and stories. What use is simple recognition of the past when it doesn’t reckon with the contemporary truth of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the urban areas? Organizations who mark it should not be comforted with the neutral terminology of hidden discrimination and awareness of subtle slights, but confronted with the risks that affect everyone if anti-racism is not taken seriously. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made current, critical, and adaptive. Perhaps an total re-identification is necessary – Contemporary Black History Month.