This commemorative month serves as a mirror of the political moment, so what steps can we take to refresh it?
It's Black History Month in the Britain, and it appears it’s time for a re-evaluation. As time has passed, an event that started out as a commemorative event of the past, cultural identity and bonds between Black populations worldwide, has developed a commercial tone, broadening to incorporate functions where individuals of African heritage are compensated to address white audiences about implicit prejudice and “allyship”. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade sparked an increase in the enterprise of showcasing anti-racist commitment. But even that moment has passed. The wave has reached its height, producing a diluted aftermath of what raising awareness is for.
The Background of Black History Celebration
Initially celebrated in the America and its northern neighbor, Black History Month was created in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with seven days of celebration and reflection in the middle of February. Black History Month developed from this campaign and was officially launched in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the North America in the second month, but also in autumn in the United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The month has transformed since those days, focusing less on the histories of transatlantic enslavement and fights for racial justice, and increasingly on prominent Black figures in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, and extensively acknowledging the input Black people have made to mold society. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with lectures and artistic activities. But the method the celebration is commemorated is a manifestation of the contemporary political context. How it evolves is a instructive case in how co-option leads to dismantling: the transformation of Black History Month has stymied the point of it, which is to confront structural and organizational discrimination.
A Jarring Moment
Few things illustrate how important it is to reevaluate Black History Month better than the particular moment in which it takes place this year. In the Britain, a reemerging right-wing in the form of the Reform political group is ahead in surveys. In the warmer months we observed the biggest extreme right demonstration in the history of Britain. a prominent political figure, the African descendant in charge of the Conservative party, is a staunch adversary of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a position where a member of parliament feels empowered to say that a lack of white people in certain urban areas is a reason for concern. Simultaneously, extreme conservative groups are expanding in Europe as a entirety.
In the United States, a massive attack against DEI and affirmative action has been carried, frequently with success, to the top legal institutions of the country. A campaign to erase the history of people of color and legacy from the records is in progress. One of Donald Trump's initial presidential directives aimed at the museum of African American legacy, and the prestigious establishment, accusing them of a coordinated and broad attempt to alter the country's historical narrative” by depicting the United States “as fundamentally prejudiced”.
In this context, the month symbolises how little it can be effective if it is limited to either dutiful corporate observances, or politically neutered commemorations of contributions in the past, rather than addressing the realities of the contemporary world. It also shows how its restricted time span means that it is separated from the broader ongoing work that is required. Denise Miller, a prof at an educational institution, put it best when she raised concerns about the temporary “tokenism” of the month. “The issue with adopting a symbolic stance”, she stated, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month turns into a brief show rather than a catalyst for change.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Figuring out how to adapt, revise and extend initiatives for racial equality and recognition in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a challenging endeavor. There is a urge to just discontinue events including Black History Month altogether, believing they are simply not fit for purpose, or are relics of an time that has been ineffective.
Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and tradition of activism for racial justice – local anti-racism groups, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and yes, even those talks to businesses – form an foundation that a lot of work has been dedicated to. It is there not just to decay as the politics moves on (and in fact, declines), but to be a dynamic entity.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month seem? To begin with, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is spread out through the year (as various establishments are already beginning to do), elements of its material (particularly around prominent figures of color) incorporated into academic syllabi. It would also be a era that does not avoid political issues, and provides room for people, particularly the younger generation, to express their concerns and stories. What purpose serves mere awareness of the past when it ignores the contemporary truth of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the public spaces? Organizations who observe it should not be reassured with the non-confrontational words of hidden discrimination and sensitivity to minor insults, but faced with the threats that face all if opposition to discrimination is not taken seriously. To summarize, Black History Month should be made up-to-date, urgent, and responsive. Maybe an complete renaming is necessary – Black History is Now Month.
