This commemorative month acts as a gauge of the current political climate, so in what ways can we modernize it?
This is Black History Month in the UK, and it appears it’s time for a reassessment. As time has passed, an observance that began as a festivity and recollection of the past, cultural identity and bonds between global Black communities, has taken on a commercial tone, broadening to incorporate events where individuals of African heritage are remunerated to speak with predominantly white listeners about “unconscious bias” and supportive partnership. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade sparked an increase in the industry of displaying cultural sensitivity. But even that moment has passed. The surge has reached its height, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what promoting consciousness is for.
The Background of Black History Celebration
Initially celebrated in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as an observance of African American heritage by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with a week of celebration and reflection in the middle of February. Black History Month grew out of this movement and was publicly established in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the North America in winter, but also in October in the Britain, the Federal Republic of Germany, Ireland and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The observance has transformed since those days, giving reduced attention to the narratives of colonial slavery and struggles for equality, and increasingly on prominent Black figures in politics, culture, and activism, and widely honoring the contribution Black people have made to mold society. It is in schools where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with discussions and heritage festivities. But the manner the month is celebrated is a manifestation of the contemporary political context. How it develops is a instructive case in how co-option leads to dismantling: the reshaping of Black History Month has hindered the objective of it, which is to tackle structural and organizational discrimination.
A Troubling Time
Few things illustrate how important it is to rethink Black History Month as much as the current time in which it falls this year. In the United Kingdom, a resurgent right in the shape of the Reform political group is leading the polls. In the warmer months we observed the biggest extreme right demonstration in the UK's past. the Conservative leader, the Black leader of the Tory party, is a firm opponent of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a position where a legislator feels emboldened to say that the absence of Caucasian individuals in parts of a city is a cause for alarm. Meanwhile, far-right parties are expanding in Europe as a whole.
In the America, a significant offensive against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been brought, frequently with success, to the supreme judicial bodies of the country. A campaign to erase Black history and experience from the archives is under way. One of the political figure's first executive orders focused on the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the renowned cultural organization, accusing them of a coordinated and broad attempt to change the national past” by portraying America “as inherently racist”.
Given these circumstances, the observance symbolises how minimally it can be impactful if it is restricted to either routine organizational acknowledgments, or stripped of political content festivities of historical achievements, rather than confronting the conditions of the present. It also demonstrates how its short period means that it is disconnected from the more extensive continuous action that is required. A university professor, a professor at a learning establishment, expressed it perfectly when she expressed apprehension about the temporary “tokenism” of the observance. “The difficulty with embracing a superficial method”, she commented, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month turns into a fleeting performance rather than a agent of progress.”
Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning
Determining how to adjust, modify and expand efforts for fair treatment and appreciation in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a difficult task. There is a temptation to just eliminate observances such as Black History Month altogether, thinking they are inadequate for current needs, or are remnants of an time that has been ineffective.
Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the complete comprehensive structure and legacy of activism for racial justice – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and indeed, including corporate presentations – constitute an infrastructure that a significant effort has been invested in. It is there not only to deteriorate as the situation evolves (and in fact, regresses), but to be a dynamic entity.
So what would a contemporary active Black History Month appear as? To begin with, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is spread out through the year (as some institutions are already starting to implement), elements of its material (particularly around notable African descendants) incorporated into educational programs. It would also be a era that does not evade political issues, and leaves space for people, particularly the younger generation, to express their concerns and stories. What value has mere awareness of the history when it ignores the current situation of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the street? Organizations who mark it should not be pacified with the passive language of implicit prejudice and sensitivity to subtle slights, but faced with the risks that impact society if anti-racism is not taken seriously. To summarize, Black History Month should be made current, pressing, and reactive. It could be that an total re-identification is necessary – Contemporary Black History Month.