This commemorative month acts as a gauge of the current political climate, so what steps can we take to refresh it?
We are in Black History Month in the UK, and it seems it’s time for a reassessment. Throughout its history, an celebration that was initiated as a commemorative event of history, culture and the connections between global Black communities, has developed a business-like atmosphere, growing to encompass gatherings where individuals of African heritage are remunerated to talk to Caucasian groups about implicit prejudice and active solidarity. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests created a surge in the industry of showcasing anti-racist commitment. Yet, that phase is now over. The tide has reached its height, resulting in a somewhat empty inheritance of what raising awareness is for.
The Background of Black History Observance
First commemorated in the US and Canada, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history by historian of African descent Carter G. Woodson with seven days of remembrance and recognition in the February's second week. Black History Month grew out of this movement and was officially launched in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the United States and Canada in the second month, but also in October in the Britain, Germany, the Republic of Ireland and the Holland.
The observance has evolved since that time, focusing less on the accounts of the slave trade across the Atlantic and civil rights battles, and greater focus on notable African descendants in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, and broadly celebrating the contribution Black people have made to influence the nation. It is in schools where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with talks and cultural events. But the way the observance is commemorated is a reflection of the political moment. How it develops is a valuable example in how assimilation leads to dismantling: the transformation of Black History Month has impeded the objective of it, which is to address systemic and institutional racism.
A Troubling Time
Little demonstrates how critical it is to reconsider Black History Month better than the specific period in which it falls this year. In the UK, a revitalized conservative movement in the shape of the Reform party is ahead in surveys. In the warmer months we observed the most significant ultra-conservative gathering in the UK's past. a prominent political figure, 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 situation where a elected representative gains confidence to state that the absence of Caucasian individuals in certain urban areas is a cause for alarm. At the same time, far-right parties are expanding in Europe as a complete entity.
In the United States, a colossal assault against DEI and affirmative action has been taken, frequently with success, to the highest courts of the country. A effort to scrub Black history and narrative from the historical documents is under way. One of the former president's early administrative commands focused on the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the renowned cultural organization, accusing them of a organized and extensive campaign to change the national past” by depicting the United States “as naturally discriminatory”.
Given these circumstances, the observance illustrates how minimally it can be influential if it is limited to either dutiful corporate observances, or depoliticized commemorations of contributions in the past, rather than challenging the realities of the current era. It also shows how its short period means that it is disconnected from the wider consistent effort that is necessary. An academic expert, a professor at University of Greenwich, expressed it perfectly when she expressed apprehension about the fleeting superficial actions of the observance. “The difficulty with adopting a symbolic stance”, she commented, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month turns into a transient display rather than a driver of transformation.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Figuring out how to adjust, modify and expand actions for fair treatment and appreciation in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a difficult task. There is a urge to just eliminate observances such as Black History Month entirely, believing they are inadequate for current needs, or are relics of an time that has been ineffective.
Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and legacy of racial movements – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, inclusion and equity efforts, and certainly, even commercial engagements – form an framework that a significant effort has gone into. It is there not merely to decline as the situation evolves (and in fact, deteriorates), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month appear as? Firstly, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is dispersed through the year (as various establishments are already starting to implement), parts of its content (particularly around historic Black characters) incorporated into academic syllabi. It would also be a time that does not shy away from political issues, and provides room for citizens, particularly the younger generation, to express their concerns and stories. What use is simple recognition of the history when it fails to address the current situation of extreme conservative demonstrations in the street? Establishments who celebrate it should not be pacified with the passive language of implicit prejudice and alertness to minor insults, but faced with the dangers that impact society if opposition to discrimination is not treated with importance. In short, Black History Month should be made contemporary, critical, and responsive. Perhaps an complete renaming is necessary – Black History is Now Month.
