Black History Month is a reflection of the current political climate, so in what ways can we modernize it?
We are in Black History Month in the UK, and it feels like it’s time for a reassessment. Throughout its history, an event that started out as a celebration and reminder of the past, cultural identity and bonds between global Black communities, has adopted a commercial tone, broadening to incorporate functions where Black people are paid to talk to white audiences about hidden biases and active solidarity. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade 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 promoting consciousness 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 historian of African descent Carter G. Woodson with seven days of remembrance and recognition in the middle of February. Black History Month grew out of this campaign and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Currently it is marked not only in the North America in the second month, but also in October in the United Kingdom, the Federal Republic of Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands.
The period has evolved since those days, giving reduced attention to the histories of the slave trade across the Atlantic and civil rights battles, and increasingly on prominent Black figures in politics, culture, and activism, and widely honoring the input Black people have made to influence the nation. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with discussions and heritage festivities. But the way the celebration is commemorated is a reflection of the political moment. How it develops is a good lesson in how assimilation leads to dismantling: the restructuring of Black History Month has impeded the objective of it, which is to confront systemic and institutional racism.
A Jarring Moment
Few things illustrate how critical it is to reevaluate Black History Month as much as the specific period in which it falls this year. In the United Kingdom, a reemerging right-wing in the form of the Reform party is leading the polls. In the summer we observed the most significant ultra-conservative gathering in the history of Britain. a prominent political figure, the African descendant in charge of the Conservative party, is a staunch adversary of anti-racism activism, and we are in a situation where a member of parliament gains confidence to state that the absence of Caucasian individuals in certain urban areas is a cause for alarm. At the same time, far-right parties are surging in the EU as a whole.
In the United States, a significant offensive against DEI and affirmative action has been taken, repeatedly with positive outcomes, to the supreme judicial bodies of the nation. A campaign to erase the history of people of color and legacy from the archives is in progress. One of the political figure's early administrative commands aimed at the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the Smithsonian Institution, claiming they of a organized and extensive campaign to rewrite our Nation’s history” by portraying America “as fundamentally prejudiced”.
Given these circumstances, the month symbolises how minimally it can be influential if it is restricted to either obligatory business commemorations, or depoliticized commemorations of former accomplishments, rather than confronting the realities of the present. It also demonstrates how its short period means that it is detached from the more extensive continuous action that is required. Denise Miller, a prof at an educational institution, articulated it most accurately when she raised concerns about the fleeting superficial actions of the month. “The issue with taking a tokenistic approach”, she wrote, “is that it often means that Black History Month evolves into a transient display rather than a catalyst for change.”
Reevaluating, Not Abandoning
Determining how to adapt, revise and extend actions for fair treatment and appreciation in such times of discouragement and concern is a difficult task. There is a inclination to just do away with observances such as Black History Month altogether, believing they are no longer suitable, or are vestiges of an era that has been ineffective.
Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and heritage of activism for racial justice – local anti-racism groups, DEI programs, and certainly, even commercial engagements – constitute an infrastructure that a lot of work has been dedicated to. It is there not just to decay as the situation evolves (and in fact, declines), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a contemporary active Black History Month look like? Firstly, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is spread out through the year (as certain organizations are already commencing), parts of its content (particularly around prominent figures of color) included in school curriculums. It would also be a era that does not shy away from governmental matters, and provides room for people, particularly youth, to express their concerns and stories. What use is mere awareness of the past when it ignores the current situation of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the urban areas? Organizations who observe it should not be comforted with the passive language of “unconscious bias” and alertness to minor insults, but faced with the threats that impact society if fight against prejudice is not approached earnestly. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made current, pressing, and responsive. Perhaps an total re-identification is required – Contemporary Black History Month.
