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 UK, and it seems it’s time for a rethink. Over the years, an event that began as a celebration and reminder of heritage, traditions and links between Black populations worldwide, has taken on a commercial tone, growing to encompass functions where individuals of African heritage are compensated to speak with Caucasian groups about hidden biases and “allyship”. 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 reached its height, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what increasing understanding is for.
The History of Black History Month
First commemorated in the America and its northern neighbor, Black History Month was created in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history by historian of African descent Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of remembrance and recognition in the February's second week. Black History Month grew out of this campaign and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the US and Canada in February, but also in the tenth month in the Britain, the Federal Republic of Germany, Ireland and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The period has transformed since its inception, placing less emphasis on the histories of colonial slavery and fights for racial justice, and more on influential individuals of color in politics, culture, and activism, and extensively acknowledging the input Black people have made to mold society. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with discussions and heritage festivities. But the method the observance is observed is a reflection of the political moment. How it progresses is a good lesson in how assimilation leads to dismantling: the restructuring of Black History Month has stymied the purpose of it, which is to address structural and organizational discrimination.
A Troubling Time
Hardly anything shows how important it is to rethink Black History Month as much as the current time in which it takes place this year. In the UK, a reemerging right-wing in the guise of the Reform organization is top in opinion ratings. In the warmer months we witnessed the biggest extreme right demonstration in British history. the Conservative leader, the person of color at the helm of the right-wing political group, is a firm opponent of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a position where a member of parliament gains confidence to declare that the absence of Caucasian individuals in parts of a city is a source of worry. Meanwhile, far-right parties are expanding in the EU as a entirety.
In the US, a massive attack against inclusion programs and preferential policies has been brought, repeatedly with positive outcomes, to the supreme judicial bodies of the state. A drive to scrub Black history and narrative from the records is under way. One of Donald Trump's first executive orders aimed at the museum of African American legacy, and the renowned cultural organization, alleging that they of a coordinated and broad attempt to rewrite our Nation’s history” by representing the nation “as naturally discriminatory”.
Against this backdrop, the celebration symbolises how insufficiently it can be influential if it is confined to either obligatory business commemorations, or stripped of political content festivities of contributions in the past, rather than challenging the realities of the contemporary world. It also shows how its restricted time span means that it is detached from the broader ongoing work that is necessary. An academic expert, a professor at a learning establishment, expressed it perfectly when she voiced worries about the fleeting superficial actions of the month. “The problem with taking a tokenistic approach”, she stated, “is that it often means that Black History Month turns into a brief show rather than a catalyst for change.”
Reevaluating, Not Abandoning
Figuring out how to alter, change and broaden efforts for racial equality and recognition in such moments of dejection and worry is a challenging endeavor. There is a inclination to just discontinue events including Black History Month completely, assuming they are simply not fit for purpose, or are vestiges of an period that has been ineffective.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the whole broad system and heritage of activism for racial justice – community-based BLM initiatives, inclusion and equity efforts, and yes, even those talks to businesses – form an framework that a lot of work has been dedicated to. It is there not just to decay as the situation evolves (and in fact, declines), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month look like? Well, first, it would be extended beyond a brief observance: something that is spread out through the year (as certain organizations are already starting to implement), sections of its curriculum (particularly around notable African descendants) incorporated into academic syllabi. It would also be a time that does not avoid politics, and provides room for individuals, particularly the younger generation, to share their anxieties and narratives. What use is basic knowledge of the history when it ignores the present reality of extreme conservative demonstrations in the public spaces? Organizations who mark it should not be reassured with the neutral terminology of “unconscious bias” and awareness of minor insults, but challenged by the dangers that affect everyone if opposition to discrimination is not approached earnestly. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made up-to-date, pressing, and reactive. Perhaps an complete renaming is necessary – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.
