Black History Month acts as a gauge of the political moment, so in what ways can we modernize it?
This is Black History Month in the Britain, and it feels like it’s time for a reassessment. Over the years, an observance that was initiated as a festivity and recollection of history, culture and the connections between global Black communities, has adopted a corporate feel, growing to encompass functions where African descendants are remunerated to speak with predominantly white listeners about hidden biases and “allyship”. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests created a surge in the business of demonstrating racial awareness. But even that moment has passed. The tide has crested, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what raising awareness is for.
The History of Black History Celebration
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 commemoration and observance in the middle of February. Black History Month developed from this movement and was officially launched in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the US and Canada in February, but also in the tenth month in the United Kingdom, the Federal Republic of Germany, Ireland and the Holland.
The month has evolved since those days, focusing less on the histories of colonial slavery and fights for racial justice, and increasingly on notable African descendants in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, and broadly celebrating the impact Black people have made to shape the country. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most frequently marked, with talks and cultural events. But the way the celebration is celebrated is a reflection of the contemporary political context. How it evolves is a good lesson in how appropriation leads to dismantling: the reshaping of Black History Month has hindered the purpose of it, which is to confront structural and organizational discrimination.
A Disconcerting Period
Few things illustrate how important it is to rethink Black History Month better than the particular moment in which it falls this year. In the Britain, a revitalized conservative movement in the guise of the Reform organization is top in opinion ratings. In the summer we witnessed the most significant ultra-conservative gathering in the history of Britain. a prominent political figure, the African descendant in charge of the right-wing political group, is a staunch adversary of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a situation where a elected representative gains confidence to state that the absence of Caucasian individuals in certain urban areas is a reason for concern. Meanwhile, ultra-nationalist movements are expanding in the European continent as a whole.
In the United States, a massive attack against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been carried, frequently with success, to the top legal institutions of the state. A campaign to erase the history of people of color and narrative from the historical documents is under way. One of the former president's first executive orders focused on the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the prestigious establishment, accusing them of a “concerted and widespread effort to alter the country's historical narrative” by portraying America “as inherently racist”.
Given these circumstances, the observance symbolises how little it can be effective if it is restricted to either routine organizational acknowledgments, or politically neutered commemorations of historical achievements, rather than challenging the realities of the contemporary world. It also shows how its restricted time span 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 expressed apprehension about the short-term symbolic gestures of the month. “The issue with adopting a symbolic stance”, she stated, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month turns into a transient display rather than a catalyst for change.”
Reevaluating, Not Abandoning
Figuring out how to adjust, modify and expand initiatives for equal rights and acknowledgment in such times of discouragement and concern is a difficult task. There is a inclination to just eliminate observances such as Black History Month entirely, thinking they are simply not fit for purpose, or are relics of an period that has failed to deliver.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the complete comprehensive structure and tradition of racial movements – community-based BLM initiatives, inclusion and equity efforts, and yes, even those talks to businesses – represent an infrastructure that a considerable labor has been dedicated to. It is there not merely to decline as the political landscape shifts (and in fact, deteriorates), but to be a living breathing thing.
So what would a fresh vibrant Black History Month look like? Well, first, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is dispersed across all seasons (as certain organizations are already beginning to do), parts of its content (particularly around prominent figures of color) included in school curriculums. It would also be a period that does not avoid politics, and provides room for citizens, particularly youth, to air their fears and experiences. What value has simple recognition of the bygone era when it fails to address the present reality of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the urban areas? Organizations who mark it should not be reassured with the neutral terminology of implicit prejudice and alertness to subtle slights, but challenged by the risks that impact society if fight against prejudice is not taken seriously. To summarize, Black History Month should be made contemporary, pressing, and adaptive. Perhaps an entire name rebrand is in order – Contemporary Black History Month.
