This commemorative month is a reflection of the current political climate, so in what ways can we modernize it?
We are in Black History Month in the United Kingdom, and it seems it’s time for a re-evaluation. Throughout its history, an celebration that was initiated as a celebration and reminder of the past, cultural identity and bonds between international African diaspora communities, has adopted a commercial tone, broadening to incorporate gatherings where Black people are compensated to address white audiences about “unconscious bias” and active solidarity. The demonstrations for racial justice in the 2020s generated a rise 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 promoting consciousness is for.
The Background of Black History Observance
Initially celebrated in the US and Canada, Black History Month was established in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by Black scholar Carter G. Woodson with seven days of remembrance and recognition in the middle of February. Black History Month developed from this movement and was publicly established in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the United States and Canada in winter, but also in October in the United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands.
The month has developed since that time, placing less emphasis on the histories of colonial slavery and fights for racial justice, and increasingly on influential individuals of color in government, the arts, and social movements, and broadly celebrating the impact Black people have made to influence the nation. It is in schools where Black History Month is most commonly celebrated, with discussions and heritage festivities. But the way the celebration is commemorated is a reflection of the current political situation. How it evolves is a instructive case in how appropriation leads to erosion: the transformation of Black History Month has hindered the purpose of it, which is to confront embedded and established prejudice.
A Jarring Moment
Little demonstrates how crucial it is to rethink Black History Month as much as the particular moment in which it occurs this year. In the United Kingdom, a revitalized conservative movement in the guise of the Reform party is top in opinion ratings. In the warmer months we observed the largest far-right rally in the history of Britain. a prominent political figure, the person of color at the helm of the right-wing political group, is a staunch adversary of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a position where a member of parliament gains confidence to state that the absence of Caucasian individuals in parts of a city is a cause for alarm. Meanwhile, ultra-nationalist movements are growing in the EU as a whole.
In the America, a massive attack against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been taken, frequently with success, to the highest courts of the nation. A campaign to remove the history of people of color and legacy from the historical documents is in progress. One of Donald Trump's first executive orders aimed at the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the prestigious establishment, accusing them of a coordinated and broad attempt to alter the country's historical narrative” by portraying America “as inherently racist”.
Against this backdrop, the month symbolises how minimally it can be effective if it is restricted to either dutiful corporate observances, or depoliticized celebrations of contributions in the past, rather than addressing the situation of the contemporary world. It also demonstrates how its limited duration means that it is detached from the broader ongoing work that is necessary. A university professor, a prof at an educational institution, expressed it perfectly when she raised concerns about the short-term symbolic gestures of the observance. “The difficulty with embracing a superficial method”, she wrote, “is that it often means that Black History Month becomes a fleeting performance rather than a agent of progress.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Establishing how to adjust, modify and expand actions for fair treatment and appreciation in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a treacherous thing. There is a temptation to just discontinue observances such as Black History Month altogether, thinking they are no longer suitable, or are vestiges of an era that has not worked.
But despite everything, Black History Month, and in fact the whole broad system and tradition of campaigns for equality – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, inclusion and equity efforts, and yes, even those talks to businesses – represent an framework that a considerable labor has been invested in. It is there not just to decay as the political landscape shifts (and in fact, declines), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a fresh vibrant Black History Month appear as? Well, first, it would be extended beyond a brief observance: something that is dispersed throughout the annual calendar (as some institutions are already commencing), parts of its content (particularly around notable African descendants) integrated into academic syllabi. It would also be a period that does not evade political issues, and provides room for individuals, particularly the younger generation, to express their concerns and stories. What use is basic knowledge of the past when it fails to address the current situation of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the street? Organizations who observe it should not be comforted with the neutral terminology of “unconscious bias” and sensitivity to “microaggressions”, but challenged by the threats that impact society if fight against prejudice is not approached earnestly. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made current, pressing, and reactive. Perhaps an total re-identification is required – Contemporary Black History Month.
