This commemorative month serves as a mirror of the political moment, so what steps can we take to refresh it?
This is Black History Month in the Britain, and it feels like it’s time for a rethink. As time has passed, an celebration that began as a celebration and reminder of heritage, traditions and links between international African diaspora communities, has adopted a corporate feel, broadening to incorporate events where individuals of African heritage are paid to talk to white audiences about hidden biases and active solidarity. The demonstrations for racial justice in the 2020s sparked an increase in the enterprise of displaying cultural sensitivity. Yet, that phase is now over. The tide has crested, resulting in a somewhat empty inheritance of what raising awareness is for.
The Background of Black History Month
Originally observed in the America and its northern neighbor, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by historian of African descent Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of celebration and reflection in the middle of February. Black History Month developed from this movement and was officially launched in 1970. Currently it is marked not only in the United States and Canada in the second month, but also in the tenth month in the UK, Deutschland, the Republic of Ireland and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The period has transformed since those days, giving reduced attention to the histories of transatlantic enslavement and civil rights battles, and greater focus on prominent Black figures in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, and widely honoring the contribution Black people have made to influence the nation. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with lectures and artistic activities. But the method the month is celebrated is a manifestation of the political moment. How it progresses is a instructive case in how assimilation leads to weakening: the restructuring of Black History Month has hindered the point of it, which is to address embedded and established prejudice.
A Troubling Time
Few things illustrate how critical it is to reevaluate Black History Month as much as the current time in which it falls this year. In the United Kingdom, a reemerging right-wing in the shape of the Reform organization is leading the polls. In the recent season we witnessed the biggest extreme right demonstration in the UK's past. Kemi Badenoch, the person of color at the helm of the right-wing political group, is a firm opponent of anti-racism activism, and we are in a situation where a member of parliament gains confidence to say that the absence of Caucasian individuals in certain urban areas is a source of worry. At the same time, far-right parties are growing in the EU as a whole.
In the US, a colossal assault against DEI and affirmative action has been brought, often successfully, to the top legal institutions of the state. A effort to erase African American heritage and experience from the historical documents is ongoing. One of the political figure's initial presidential directives targeted the museum of African American legacy, and the renowned cultural organization, alleging that they of a coordinated and broad attempt to alter the country's historical narrative” by portraying America “as naturally discriminatory”.
Against this backdrop, the month illustrates how little it can be effective if it is restricted to either obligatory business commemorations, or politically neutered festivities of former accomplishments, rather than confronting the realities of the present. It also demonstrates how its restricted time span means that it is separated from the wider consistent effort that is needed. Denise Miller, a professor at an educational institution, 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 frequently results in that Black History Month evolves into a transient display rather than a agent of progress.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Figuring out how to adjust, modify and expand actions for fair treatment and appreciation in such times of discouragement and concern is a treacherous thing. There is a urge to just discontinue observances such as Black History Month entirely, assuming they are simply not fit for purpose, or are vestiges of an era that has not worked.
Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and tradition of campaigns for equality – community-based BLM initiatives, inclusion and equity efforts, and yes, even those talks to businesses – constitute an foundation that a significant effort has been invested in. It is there not only to deteriorate as the politics moves on (and in fact, deteriorates), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a contemporary active Black History Month appear as? Firstly, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is distributed through the year (as certain organizations are already starting to implement), parts of its content (particularly around prominent figures of color) incorporated into educational programs. It would also be a period that does not shy away from political issues, and leaves space for individuals, particularly youth, to express their concerns and stories. What use is mere awareness of the history when it doesn’t reckon with the contemporary truth of extreme conservative demonstrations in the urban areas? Organizations who mark it should not be comforted with the neutral terminology of implicit prejudice and sensitivity to subtle slights, but challenged by the threats that face all if anti-racism is not approached earnestly. To summarize, Black History Month should be made contemporary, urgent, and reactive. Perhaps an total re-identification is required – Black History is Now Month.
