Black History Month acts as a gauge of the prevailing political atmosphere, so in what ways can we modernize it?
We are in Black History Month in the Britain, and it seems it’s time for a reassessment. Over the years, an observance that was initiated as a celebration and reminder of history, culture and the connections between international African diaspora communities, has adopted a business-like atmosphere, expanding to include events where individuals of African heritage are remunerated to address white audiences about “unconscious bias” and supportive partnership. The demonstrations for racial justice in the 2020s sparked an increase in the business of showcasing anti-racist commitment. However, that period has concluded. The surge has reached its height, resulting in a somewhat empty inheritance of what promoting consciousness is for.
The History of Black History Month
First commemorated in the US and Canada, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as an observance of African American heritage by historian of African descent Carter G. Woodson with a week of commemoration and observance in the middle of February. Black History Month developed from this initiative and was officially launched in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the US and Canada in the second month, but also in October in the United Kingdom, the Federal Republic of Germany, Ireland and the Holland.
The observance has evolved since that time, focusing less on the narratives of colonial slavery and fights for racial justice, and more on notable African descendants in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, and widely honoring the contribution Black people have made to influence the nation. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with discussions and heritage festivities. But the way the month is observed is a manifestation of the contemporary political context. How it progresses is a good lesson in how assimilation leads to erosion: the reshaping of Black History Month has hindered the point of it, which is to confront structural and organizational discrimination.
A Disconcerting Period
Few things illustrate how critical it is to rethink Black History Month better than the specific period in which it takes place this year. In the Britain, a reemerging right-wing in the shape of the Reform organization is ahead in surveys. In the recent season we observed 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 strong critic of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a place where a member of parliament gains confidence to declare that a lack of white people in specific city neighborhoods is a cause for alarm. Meanwhile, far-right parties are expanding in the European continent as a entirety.
In the US, a significant offensive against inclusion programs and preferential policies has been carried, repeatedly with positive outcomes, to the supreme judicial bodies of the state. A effort to scrub African American heritage and experience from the archives is ongoing. One of the political figure's initial presidential directives aimed at the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the renowned cultural organization, alleging that they of a “concerted and widespread effort to rewrite our Nation’s history” by representing the nation “as inherently racist”.
Against this backdrop, the observance illustrates how little it can be impactful if it is limited to either obligatory business commemorations, or politically neutered celebrations of contributions in the past, rather than confronting the realities of the current era. It also shows how its restricted time span means that it is detached from the more extensive continuous action that is necessary. An academic expert, a educator at an educational institution, put it best when she raised concerns about the short-term symbolic gestures of the month. “The issue with taking a tokenistic approach”, she wrote, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month becomes a transient display rather than a driver of transformation.”
Reevaluating, Not Abandoning
Figuring out how to adjust, modify and expand initiatives for fair treatment and appreciation in such moments of dejection and worry is a challenging endeavor. There is a inclination to just eliminate observances such as Black History Month altogether, assuming they are simply not fit for purpose, or are relics of an time that has been ineffective.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and legacy of racial movements – community-based BLM initiatives, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and certainly, even commercial engagements – constitute an infrastructure that a considerable labor has been invested in. It is there not only to deteriorate as the political landscape shifts (and in fact, deteriorates), but to be a dynamic entity.
So what would a fresh vibrant Black History Month appear as? Firstly, it would be extended beyond a brief observance: something that is dispersed throughout the annual calendar (as certain organizations are already starting to implement), sections of its curriculum (particularly around historic Black characters) incorporated into school curriculums. It would also be a period that does not shy away from politics, and leaves space for citizens, particularly the younger generation, to express their concerns and stories. What value has mere awareness of the history when it ignores the present reality of extreme conservative demonstrations in the urban areas? Institutions who celebrate it should not be comforted with the non-confrontational words of hidden discrimination and alertness to subtle slights, but faced with the dangers that impact society if anti-racism is not treated with importance. To summarize, Black History Month should be made up-to-date, urgent, and responsive. It could be that an entire name rebrand is required – Black History is Now Month.