The annual Black History observance acts as a gauge of the political moment, so in what ways can we modernize it?
This is Black History Month in the Britain, and it appears it’s time for a rethink. As time has passed, an event that began as a festivity and recollection of heritage, traditions and links between international African diaspora communities, has taken on a business-like atmosphere, expanding to include gatherings where African descendants are remunerated to address white audiences about “unconscious bias” and “allyship”. 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 peaked, resulting in a somewhat empty inheritance of what raising awareness is for.
The History of Black History Celebration
Initially celebrated in the America and its northern neighbor, Black History Month was established in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with a week of remembrance and recognition in the February's second week. Black History Month developed from this initiative and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the US and Canada in February, but also in the tenth month in the United Kingdom, Deutschland, the Republic of Ireland and the Holland.
The observance has transformed since that time, giving reduced attention to the narratives of transatlantic enslavement and civil rights battles, and greater focus on notable African descendants 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 frequently marked, with talks and cultural events. But the way the observance is commemorated is a reflection of the political moment. How it develops is a good lesson in how co-option leads to erosion: the restructuring of Black History Month has hindered the objective of it, which is to tackle embedded and established prejudice.
A Jarring Moment
Few things illustrate how critical it is to reconsider Black History Month better than the specific period in which it takes place this year. In the UK, a resurgent right in the guise of the Reform party is ahead in surveys. In the summer we saw the largest far-right rally in British history. Kemi Badenoch, the Black leader of the Tory party, is a firm opponent of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a position where a member of parliament feels emboldened to declare that the absence of Caucasian individuals in specific city neighborhoods is a cause for alarm. At the same time, extreme conservative groups are growing in the European continent as a entirety.
In the America, a significant offensive against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been brought, often successfully, to the highest courts of the country. A drive to erase the history of people of color and narrative from the historical documents is in progress. One of the former president's first executive orders targeted the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the renowned cultural organization, alleging that they of a organized and extensive campaign to rewrite our Nation’s history” by representing the nation “as fundamentally prejudiced”.
Against this backdrop, the month represents how insufficiently it can be influential if it is confined to either dutiful corporate observances, or depoliticized festivities of historical achievements, rather than addressing the situation of the current era. It also reveals how its restricted time span means that it is separated from the wider consistent effort that is needed. An academic expert, a professor at a learning establishment, expressed it perfectly when she expressed apprehension about the fleeting superficial actions of the month. “The problem with embracing a superficial method”, she wrote, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month becomes a transient display rather than a agent of progress.”
Reevaluating, Not Abandoning
Figuring out how to adjust, modify and expand initiatives for racial equality and recognition in such moments of dejection and worry is a challenging endeavor. There is a temptation to just eliminate observances such as Black History Month altogether, thinking they are inadequate for current needs, or are relics of an era that has failed to deliver.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and heritage of racial movements – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and certainly, even commercial engagements – constitute an foundation that a significant effort has been invested in. It is there not just to decay as the situation evolves (and in fact, deteriorates), but to be a dynamic entity.
So what would a contemporary active Black History Month appear as? Firstly, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is spread out across all seasons (as various establishments are already commencing), parts of its content (particularly around notable African descendants) incorporated into academic syllabi. It would also be a time that does not shy away from governmental matters, and allows opportunity for people, particularly young people, to share their anxieties and narratives. What use is mere awareness of the bygone era when it ignores the contemporary truth of extreme conservative demonstrations in the urban areas? Organizations who celebrate it should not be comforted with the neutral terminology of implicit prejudice and awareness of subtle slights, but confronted with the dangers that affect everyone if anti-racism is not taken seriously. To summarize, Black History Month should be made contemporary, urgent, and adaptive. It could be that an complete renaming is required – Black History is Now Month.
