Black History Month acts as a gauge of the prevailing political atmosphere, so how do we revamp it?
It's Black History Month in the United Kingdom, and it feels like it’s time for a rethink. Over the years, an event that was initiated as a festivity and recollection of history, culture and the connections between international African diaspora communities, has taken on a commercial tone, broadening to incorporate functions where African descendants are compensated to talk to Caucasian groups about “unconscious bias” and supportive partnership. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade created a surge in the enterprise of showcasing anti-racist commitment. But even that moment has passed. The wave has peaked, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what raising awareness is for.
The Origins of Black History Month
First commemorated in the US and Canada, Black History Month was created in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of commemoration and observance in the second week of February. Black History Month developed from this movement and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the US and Canada in winter, but also in October in the Britain, Deutschland, Ireland and the Netherlands.
The period has transformed since that time, focusing less on the narratives of colonial slavery and fights for racial justice, and greater focus on prominent Black figures in politics, culture, and activism, and widely honoring the input Black people have made to mold society. It is in schools where Black History Month is most commonly celebrated, with talks and cultural events. But the method the observance is commemorated is a indication of the contemporary political context. How it evolves is a valuable example in how co-option leads to erosion: the reshaping of Black History Month has impeded the point of it, which is to address systemic and institutional racism.
A Disconcerting Period
Few things illustrate how crucial it is to rethink Black History Month more than the current time in which it occurs this year. In the United Kingdom, a revitalized conservative movement in the shape of the Reform organization is ahead in surveys. In the summer we witnessed the largest far-right rally in British history. the Conservative leader, the African descendant in charge of the right-wing political group, is a strong critic of the racial justice movement, and we are in a position where a elected representative feels empowered to say that “not seeing any white faces” in specific city neighborhoods is a source of worry. At the same time, ultra-nationalist movements are growing in Europe as a entirety.
In the America, a massive attack against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been taken, often successfully, to the highest courts of the state. A campaign to erase Black history and experience from the records is under way. One of the former president's first executive orders aimed at the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the Smithsonian Institution, claiming they of a “concerted and widespread effort to alter the country's historical narrative” by depicting the United States “as fundamentally prejudiced”.
Against this backdrop, the observance symbolises how insufficiently it can be impactful if it is restricted to either dutiful corporate observances, or politically neutered festivities of contributions in the past, rather than confronting the realities of the contemporary world. It also reveals how its restricted time span means that it is disconnected from the wider consistent effort that is required. An academic expert, a prof at University of Greenwich, expressed it perfectly when she raised concerns about the fleeting superficial actions of the month. “The problem with taking a tokenistic approach”, she commented, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month evolves into a transient display rather than a driver of transformation.”
Reevaluating, Not Abandoning
Establishing how to adjust, modify and expand initiatives for equal rights and acknowledgment in such times of discouragement and concern is a treacherous thing. There is a temptation to just eliminate things like Black History Month entirely, believing they are simply not fit for purpose, or are vestiges of an era that has failed to deliver.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the complete comprehensive structure and tradition of activism for racial justice – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, inclusion and equity efforts, and certainly, even commercial engagements – represent an foundation 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 dynamic entity.
So what would a contemporary active Black History Month appear as? To begin with, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is distributed across all seasons (as certain organizations are already starting to implement), parts of its content (particularly around prominent figures of color) incorporated into academic syllabi. It would also be a time that does not evade politics, and provides room for citizens, particularly youth, to share their anxieties and narratives. What value has simple recognition of the past when it doesn’t reckon with the present reality of far-right rallies in the urban areas? Establishments who observe it should not be comforted with the non-confrontational words of “unconscious bias” and alertness to minor insults, but confronted with the dangers that affect everyone if fight against prejudice is not taken seriously. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made up-to-date, urgent, and responsive. Perhaps an total re-identification is necessary – Black History is Now Month.
