This commemorative month is a reflection of the prevailing political atmosphere, so in what ways can we modernize it?
This is Black History Month in the Britain, and it feels like it’s time for a rethink. Throughout its history, an event that began as a commemorative event of history, culture and the connections between Black populations worldwide, has taken on a business-like atmosphere, growing to encompass gatherings where African descendants are remunerated to talk to Caucasian groups about hidden biases and supportive partnership. The demonstrations for racial justice in the 2020s sparked an increase in the industry of demonstrating racial awareness. Yet, that phase is now over. The tide has peaked, resulting in a somewhat empty inheritance of what increasing understanding is for.
The Origins of Black History Month
Originally observed in the America and its northern neighbor, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history by historian of African descent Carter G. Woodson with a week of remembrance and recognition in the middle of February. Black History Month grew out of this initiative and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Currently it is marked not only in the North America in the second month, but also in autumn in the Britain, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Republic of Ireland and the Netherlands.
The month has transformed since those days, placing less emphasis on the accounts of colonial slavery and fights for racial justice, and greater focus on influential individuals of color in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, and broadly celebrating the input Black people have made to influence the nation. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with talks and cultural events. But the way the month is observed is a manifestation of the political moment. How it progresses is a valuable example in how co-option leads to dismantling: the transformation of Black History Month has hindered the objective of it, which is to address systemic and institutional racism.
A Troubling Time
Hardly anything shows how critical it is to rethink Black History Month more than the current time in which it takes place this year. In the United Kingdom, a reemerging right-wing in the shape of the Reform party is top in opinion ratings. In the recent season we saw the largest far-right rally in the UK's past. Kemi Badenoch, the person of color at the helm of the Tory party, is a firm opponent of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a place where a member of parliament gains confidence to declare that “not seeing any white faces” in certain urban areas is a source of worry. At the same time, extreme conservative groups are surging in Europe as a complete entity.
In the United States, a massive attack against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been brought, often successfully, to the top legal institutions of the state. A campaign to remove Black history and legacy from the records is ongoing. One of the former president's early administrative commands aimed at the museum of African American legacy, and the Smithsonian Institution, claiming they of a “concerted and widespread effort to change the national past” by representing the nation “as inherently racist”.
Given these circumstances, the celebration represents how minimally it can be impactful if it is restricted to either dutiful corporate observances, or depoliticized commemorations of contributions in the past, rather than addressing the conditions of the present. It also shows how its limited duration means that it is separated from the wider consistent effort that is necessary. An academic expert, a professor at a learning establishment, put it best when she raised concerns about the temporary “tokenism” of the observance. “The difficulty with taking a tokenistic approach”, she stated, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month becomes a fleeting performance rather than a catalyst for change.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Establishing how to adjust, modify and expand actions for racial equality and recognition in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a challenging endeavor. There is a urge to just eliminate things like Black History Month completely, thinking they are simply not fit for purpose, or are remnants of an time that has been ineffective.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the whole broad system and legacy of racial movements – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, inclusion and equity efforts, and indeed, including corporate presentations – form an foundation that a significant effort has been dedicated to. It is there not only to deteriorate as the situation evolves (and in fact, regresses), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a contemporary active Black History Month appear as? Firstly, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is distributed across all seasons (as some institutions are already beginning to do), sections of its curriculum (particularly around prominent figures of color) incorporated into academic syllabi. It would also be a era that does not evade political issues, and allows opportunity for individuals, particularly youth, to share their anxieties and narratives. What use is mere awareness of the past when it doesn’t reckon with the current situation of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the public spaces? Establishments who mark it should not be comforted with the passive language of implicit prejudice and alertness to “microaggressions”, but challenged by the threats that affect everyone if opposition to discrimination is not taken seriously. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made contemporary, urgent, and reactive. It could be that an entire name rebrand is in order – Black History is Now Month.
