Black History 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 appears it’s time for a re-evaluation. Over the years, an celebration that started out as a commemorative event of history, culture and the connections between Black populations worldwide, has taken on a commercial tone, broadening to incorporate events where African descendants are paid to talk to predominantly white listeners about “unconscious bias” and supportive partnership. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade generated a rise in the business of displaying cultural sensitivity. However, that period has concluded. The surge has crested, resulting in a somewhat empty inheritance of what raising awareness is for.
The History of Black History Month
Originally observed in the America and its northern neighbor, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history by Black scholar Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of remembrance and recognition in the middle of February. Black History Month evolved from this initiative and was publicly established in 1970. Currently it is marked not only in the US and Canada in the second month, but also in October in the United Kingdom, Deutschland, Éire and the Netherlands.
The period has developed since its inception, focusing less on the histories of colonial slavery and civil rights battles, and more on prominent Black figures in politics, culture, and activism, and widely honoring the impact Black people have made to mold society. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with lectures and artistic activities. But the way the observance is celebrated is a indication of the political moment. How it progresses is a instructive case in how assimilation leads to dismantling: the reshaping of Black History Month has hindered the objective of it, which is to confront systemic and institutional racism.
A Jarring Moment
Little demonstrates how crucial it is to rethink Black History Month better than the specific period in which it falls this year. In the Britain, a resurgent right in the shape of the Reform political group is ahead in surveys. In the summer we witnessed the largest far-right rally in British history. a prominent political figure, the Black leader of the Conservative party, is a firm opponent of anti-racism activism, and we are in a situation where a elected representative feels emboldened to declare that “not seeing any white faces” in parts of a city is a source of worry. Simultaneously, extreme conservative groups are expanding in Europe as a complete entity.
In the US, a significant offensive against inclusion programs and preferential policies has been brought, often successfully, to the top legal institutions of the country. A effort to remove African American heritage and legacy from the archives is in progress. One of the political figure's early administrative commands targeted the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the renowned cultural organization, claiming they of a organized and extensive campaign to change the national past” by depicting the United States “as fundamentally prejudiced”.
Against this backdrop, the celebration symbolises how insufficiently it can be impactful if it is restricted to either obligatory business commemorations, or stripped of political content celebrations of former accomplishments, rather than confronting the realities of the present. It also reveals how its short period means that it is disconnected from the more extensive continuous action that is needed. A university professor, a professor at University of Greenwich, articulated it most accurately when she raised concerns about the fleeting superficial actions of the month. “The difficulty with taking a tokenistic approach”, she stated, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month becomes a brief show rather than a catalyst for change.”
Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning
Determining how to adapt, revise and extend actions for fair treatment and appreciation in such moments of dejection and worry is a treacherous thing. There is a inclination to just discontinue observances such as Black History Month completely, thinking they are inadequate for current needs, or are relics of an period that has been ineffective.
Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the complete comprehensive structure and tradition of activism for racial justice – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and yes, even those talks to businesses – represent an foundation that a significant effort has been invested in. It is there not merely to decline as the politics moves on (and in fact, deteriorates), but to be a living breathing thing.
So what would a fresh vibrant Black History Month seem? Firstly, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is distributed across all seasons (as some institutions are already starting to implement), sections of its curriculum (particularly around prominent figures of color) integrated into academic syllabi. It would also be a time that does not evade political issues, and provides room for people, particularly young people, to express their concerns and stories. What purpose serves basic knowledge of the bygone era when it fails to address the contemporary truth of extreme conservative demonstrations in the public spaces? Institutions who mark it should not be pacified with the passive language of implicit prejudice and awareness of “microaggressions”, but challenged by the risks that affect everyone if fight against prejudice is not taken seriously. To summarize, Black History Month should be made contemporary, critical, and adaptive. Perhaps an complete renaming is necessary – Contemporary Black History Month.
