This commemorative month serves as a mirror of the prevailing political atmosphere, so in what ways can we modernize it?
This is Black History Month in the UK, and it appears it’s time for a re-evaluation. Over the years, an celebration that began as a commemorative event of the past, cultural identity and bonds between international African diaspora communities, has developed a corporate feel, expanding to include events where African descendants are remunerated to talk to predominantly white listeners about implicit prejudice and supportive partnership. The demonstrations for racial justice in the 2020s sparked an increase in the business of showcasing anti-racist commitment. Yet, that phase is now over. The wave has reached its height, producing a diluted aftermath of what increasing understanding is for.
The Background of Black History Month
First commemorated in the US and Canada, Black History Month was conceived 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 second week of February. Black History Month developed from this initiative and was officially launched in 1970. Currently it is marked not only in the US and Canada in February, but also in the tenth month in the UK, Deutschland, Éire and the Holland.
The observance has developed since those days, placing less emphasis on the narratives of the slave trade across the Atlantic and struggles for equality, and more on notable African descendants in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, and widely honoring the contribution Black people have made to shape the country. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most frequently marked, with lectures and artistic activities. But the manner the month is celebrated is a reflection of the current political situation. How it develops is a valuable example in how co-option leads to weakening: the transformation of Black History Month has impeded the point of it, which is to confront systemic and institutional racism.
A Troubling Time
Few things illustrate how critical it is to reconsider Black History Month more than the specific period in which it falls this year. In the UK, a revitalized conservative movement in the form of the Reform political group is leading the polls. In the summer we observed the largest far-right rally in the UK's past. Kemi Badenoch, 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 place where a elected representative feels emboldened to declare that a lack of white people in parts of a city is a cause for alarm. Simultaneously, far-right parties are expanding in Europe as a complete entity.
In the America, a colossal assault against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been brought, frequently with success, to the supreme judicial bodies of the nation. A effort to remove the history of people of color and legacy from the records is under way. One of the former president's first executive orders focused on the museum of African American legacy, and the renowned cultural organization, claiming they of a “concerted and widespread effort to alter the country's historical narrative” by depicting the United States “as naturally discriminatory”.
Against this backdrop, the month illustrates how little it can be effective if it is restricted to either obligatory business commemorations, or depoliticized celebrations of contributions in the past, rather than challenging the situation of the current era. It also reveals how its short period means that it is disconnected from the more extensive continuous action that is needed. An academic expert, a prof at a learning establishment, put it best when she voiced worries about the temporary “tokenism” of the celebration. “The problem with embracing a superficial method”, she stated, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month turns into a brief show rather than a catalyst for change.”
Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning
Determining how to adapt, revise and extend initiatives for equal rights and acknowledgment in such moments of dejection and worry is a treacherous thing. There is a inclination to just discontinue events including Black History Month entirely, assuming they are no longer suitable, or are remnants of an period that has not worked.
Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and tradition of campaigns for equality – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and indeed, including corporate presentations – constitute an foundation that a considerable labor has been dedicated to. It is there not just to decay as the politics moves on (and in fact, deteriorates), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month look like? Well, first, it would be extended beyond a brief observance: something that is dispersed across all seasons (as various establishments are already commencing), sections of its curriculum (particularly around notable African descendants) included in educational programs. It would also be a era that does not evade governmental matters, and provides room for individuals, particularly the younger generation, to air their fears and experiences. What use is simple recognition of the history when it fails to address the present reality of far-right rallies in the public spaces? Establishments who observe it should not be reassured with the neutral terminology of implicit prejudice and awareness of subtle slights, but faced with the threats that affect everyone if fight against prejudice is not approached earnestly. In short, Black History Month should be made contemporary, pressing, and responsive. Perhaps an total re-identification is necessary – Contemporary Black History Month.
