This commemorative month acts as a gauge of the prevailing political atmosphere, so how do we revamp it?
This is Black History Month in the UK, and it seems it’s time for a re-evaluation. As time has passed, an observance that was initiated as a festivity and recollection of heritage, traditions and links between international African diaspora communities, has developed a commercial tone, growing to encompass functions where individuals of African heritage are remunerated to speak with predominantly white listeners about implicit prejudice and active solidarity. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests created a surge in the enterprise of displaying cultural sensitivity. Yet, that phase is now over. The wave has peaked, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what promoting consciousness is for.
The Background of Black History Month
First commemorated 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 multiple days of remembrance and recognition in the February's second week. Black History Month grew out of this movement and was officially launched in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the US and Canada in the second month, but also in autumn in the United Kingdom, the Federal Republic of Germany, Éire and the Netherlands.
The observance has transformed since its inception, placing less emphasis on the accounts of transatlantic enslavement and struggles for equality, and more on prominent Black figures in government, the arts, and social movements, and broadly celebrating the impact Black people have made to influence the nation. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with talks and cultural events. But the manner the celebration is commemorated is a indication of the contemporary political context. How it evolves is a good lesson in how co-option leads to weakening: the transformation of Black History Month has impeded the objective of it, which is to tackle structural and organizational discrimination.
A Troubling Time
Hardly anything shows how crucial it is to reconsider Black History Month more than the specific period in which it occurs this year. In the United Kingdom, a reemerging right-wing in the shape of the Reform political group is leading the polls. In the summer we observed the largest far-right rally in the history of Britain. the Conservative leader, the person of color at the helm of the right-wing political group, is a strong critic of the racial justice movement, and we are in a position where a legislator feels empowered to say that the absence of Caucasian individuals in certain urban areas is a reason for concern. Meanwhile, extreme conservative groups are surging in the European continent as a whole.
In the America, a colossal assault against DEI and affirmative action has been brought, frequently with success, to the highest courts of the country. A effort to erase the history of people of color and legacy from the archives is ongoing. One of Donald Trump's first executive orders targeted the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the renowned cultural organization, claiming they of a coordinated and broad attempt to change the national past” by portraying America “as fundamentally prejudiced”.
Against this backdrop, the observance symbolises how insufficiently it can be effective if it is confined to either dutiful corporate observances, or depoliticized festivities of former accomplishments, rather than addressing the conditions of the present. It also demonstrates how its restricted time span means that it is disconnected from the wider consistent effort that is needed. A university professor, a prof at University of Greenwich, expressed it perfectly when she voiced worries about the temporary “tokenism” of the celebration. “The difficulty with embracing a superficial method”, she commented, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month turns into a transient display rather than a catalyst for change.”
Reevaluating, Not Abandoning
Establishing how to adjust, modify and expand efforts for racial equality and recognition in such moments of dejection and worry is a challenging endeavor. There is a urge to just eliminate things like Black History Month completely, believing they are inadequate for current needs, or are remnants of an period that has failed to deliver.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the whole broad system and tradition of racial movements – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, inclusion and equity efforts, and certainly, even commercial engagements – form an framework that a significant effort has been dedicated to. It is there not merely to decline as the political landscape shifts (and in fact, deteriorates), but to be a living breathing thing.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month appear as? Well, first, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is spread out across all seasons (as certain organizations are already starting to implement), elements of its material (particularly around historic Black characters) incorporated into school curriculums. It would also be a period that does not evade political issues, and allows opportunity for people, particularly young people, to share their anxieties and narratives. What purpose serves basic knowledge of the bygone era when it ignores the present reality of extreme conservative demonstrations in the urban areas? Establishments who mark it should not be reassured with the passive language of “unconscious bias” and alertness to “microaggressions”, but challenged by the threats that face all if opposition to discrimination is not approached earnestly. In short, Black History Month should be made contemporary, urgent, and reactive. It could be that an total re-identification is necessary – Black History is Now Month.
