This commemorative month is a reflection of the current political climate, 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 re-evaluation. Over the years, an observance that began as a commemorative event of history, culture and the connections between international African diaspora communities, has adopted a commercial tone, expanding to include gatherings where African descendants are paid to talk to white audiences about hidden biases and “allyship”. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade sparked an increase in the business of displaying cultural sensitivity. However, that period has concluded. The wave has reached its height, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what promoting consciousness is for.
The History of Black History Observance
Originally observed in the US and Canada, Black History Month was established in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by Black scholar Carter G. Woodson with a week of commemoration and observance in the February's second week. Black History Month grew out of this movement and was officially launched in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the US and Canada in winter, but also in the tenth month in the UK, Germany, Éire and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The period has transformed since that time, giving reduced attention to the narratives of the slave trade across the Atlantic and civil rights battles, and more on notable African descendants in politics, culture, and activism, and widely honoring the contribution 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 celebration is observed is a manifestation of the current political situation. How it progresses is a valuable example in how co-option leads to erosion: the reshaping of Black History Month has hindered the purpose of it, which is to tackle structural and organizational discrimination.
A Jarring Moment
Little demonstrates how important it is to reconsider Black History Month more than the specific period in which it takes place this year. In the Britain, a resurgent right in the shape of the Reform political group is leading the polls. In the warmer months we saw the most significant ultra-conservative gathering in the UK's past. Kemi Badenoch, the Black leader of the Conservative party, is a strong critic of the racial justice movement, and we are in a situation where a legislator feels emboldened to state that the absence of Caucasian individuals in parts of a city is a cause for alarm. At the same time, ultra-nationalist movements are growing in Europe as a entirety.
In the America, a colossal assault against DEI and affirmative action has been brought, repeatedly with positive outcomes, to the highest courts of the country. A effort to remove Black history and experience from the historical documents is ongoing. One of Donald Trump's first executive orders focused on the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the renowned cultural organization, accusing them of a organized and extensive campaign to change the national past” by portraying America “as inherently racist”.
Given these circumstances, the celebration represents how insufficiently it can be impactful if it is restricted to either obligatory business commemorations, or politically neutered commemorations of historical achievements, rather than confronting the situation of the present. It also reveals how its limited duration means that it is detached from the more extensive continuous action that is needed. Denise Miller, a educator at a learning establishment, put it best when she voiced worries about the temporary “tokenism” of the month. “The issue with taking a tokenistic approach”, she wrote, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month evolves into a brief show rather than a catalyst for change.”
Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning
Determining how to adapt, revise and extend initiatives for fair treatment and appreciation in such moments of dejection and worry is a difficult task. There is a urge to just discontinue observances such as Black History Month altogether, assuming they are simply not fit for purpose, or are remnants of an period that has failed to deliver.
Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the whole broad system and heritage of campaigns for equality – local anti-racism groups, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and indeed, including corporate presentations – constitute an framework that a considerable labor has gone into. It is there not merely to decline as the political landscape shifts (and in fact, declines), but to be a living breathing thing.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month seem? To begin with, it would be extended beyond a brief observance: something that is dispersed throughout the annual calendar (as various establishments are already commencing), elements of its material (particularly around historic Black characters) included in educational programs. It would also be a time that does not avoid political issues, and provides room for individuals, particularly youth, to share their anxieties and narratives. What purpose serves basic knowledge of the history when it doesn’t reckon with the present reality of extreme conservative demonstrations in the urban areas? Organizations who mark it should not be comforted with the passive language of “unconscious bias” and awareness of “microaggressions”, but challenged by the dangers that face all if anti-racism is not taken seriously. To summarize, Black History Month should be made up-to-date, critical, and adaptive. Maybe an total re-identification is in order – Contemporary Black History Month.
