This commemorative month acts as a gauge of the political moment, so what steps can we take to refresh it?
It's Black History Month in the Britain, and it feels like it’s time for a re-evaluation. As time has passed, an observance that was initiated as a celebration and reminder of the past, cultural identity and bonds between Black populations worldwide, has adopted a corporate feel, expanding to include gatherings where individuals of African heritage are compensated to speak with predominantly white listeners about “unconscious bias” and supportive partnership. The demonstrations for racial justice in the 2020s created a surge in the industry of showcasing anti-racist commitment. But even that moment has passed. The tide has reached its height, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what increasing understanding is for.
The History of Black History Observance
Initially celebrated in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history by Black scholar Carter G. Woodson with a week of remembrance and recognition in the second week of February. Black History Month evolved from this campaign and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Currently it is marked not only in the United States and Canada in February, but also in autumn in the UK, Germany, Éire and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The period has developed since that time, focusing less on the narratives of the slave trade across the Atlantic and fights for racial justice, and more on notable African descendants 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 talks and cultural events. But the manner the celebration is observed is a reflection of the current political situation. How it progresses is a valuable example in how assimilation leads to erosion: the reshaping of Black History Month has stymied the point of it, which is to tackle embedded and established prejudice.
A Disconcerting Period
Hardly anything shows how crucial it is to reevaluate Black History Month as much as the current time in which it occurs this year. In the UK, a revitalized conservative movement in the form of the Reform political group is top in opinion ratings. In the recent season we observed the biggest extreme right demonstration in the history of Britain. Kemi Badenoch, the Black leader of the Conservative party, is a strong critic of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a situation where a member of parliament gains confidence to say that the absence of Caucasian individuals in certain urban areas is a source of worry. At the same time, extreme conservative groups are expanding in Europe as a whole.
In the America, a significant offensive against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been brought, often successfully, to the top legal institutions of the nation. A effort to erase Black history and experience from the archives is under way. One of Donald Trump's first executive orders targeted the museum of African American legacy, and the renowned cultural organization, claiming they of a organized and extensive campaign to change the national past” by portraying America “as inherently racist”.
Against this backdrop, the observance illustrates how minimally it can be influential if it is confined to either obligatory business commemorations, or depoliticized festivities of former accomplishments, rather than addressing the conditions of the contemporary world. It also reveals how its restricted time span means that it is detached from the wider consistent effort that is required. Denise Miller, a professor at an educational institution, put it best when she expressed apprehension about the fleeting superficial actions of the observance. “The problem with adopting a symbolic stance”, she wrote, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month turns into a fleeting performance rather than a driver of transformation.”
Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning
Establishing how to adapt, revise and extend actions for fair treatment and appreciation in such times of discouragement and concern is a challenging endeavor. There is a urge to just discontinue observances such as Black History Month entirely, assuming they are inadequate for current needs, or are relics of an period that has not worked.
But despite everything, Black History Month, and in fact the whole broad system and legacy of activism for racial justice – local anti-racism groups, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and indeed, including corporate presentations – form an foundation that a significant effort has gone into. It is there not just to decay as the political landscape shifts (and in fact, regresses), but to be a living breathing thing.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month look like? To begin with, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is spread out across all seasons (as various establishments are already starting to implement), sections of its curriculum (particularly around notable African descendants) included in school curriculums. It would also be a time that does not avoid politics, and allows opportunity for individuals, particularly the younger generation, to share their anxieties and narratives. What purpose serves simple recognition of the bygone era when it ignores the current situation of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the public spaces? Establishments who mark it should not be pacified with the non-confrontational words of “unconscious bias” and alertness to subtle slights, but challenged by the dangers that impact society if fight against prejudice is not taken seriously. In short, Black History Month should be made up-to-date, pressing, and responsive. Perhaps an complete renaming is in order – Black History is Now Month.
