The annual Black History observance acts as a gauge of the current political climate, so how do we revamp it?
It's Black History Month in the Britain, and it seems it’s time for a reassessment. Over the years, an event that was initiated as a celebration and reminder of the past, cultural identity and bonds between international African diaspora communities, has taken on a commercial tone, broadening to incorporate events where Black people are paid to speak with predominantly white listeners about implicit prejudice and active solidarity. The demonstrations for racial justice in the 2020s generated a rise in the industry of showcasing anti-racist commitment. But even that moment has passed. The tide has peaked, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what increasing understanding is for.
The Origins of Black History Observance
Initially celebrated in the US and Canada, 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 movement and was officially launched in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the North America in winter, but also in the tenth month in the United Kingdom, Germany, Éire and the Netherlands.
The month has developed since those days, focusing less on the histories of the slave trade across the Atlantic and struggles for equality, and more on notable African descendants in politics, culture, and activism, and extensively acknowledging the contribution Black people have made to mold society. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most frequently marked, with talks and cultural events. But the manner the observance is commemorated is a manifestation of the current political situation. How it evolves is a good lesson in how co-option leads to erosion: the reshaping of Black History Month has impeded the point of it, which is to address structural and organizational discrimination.
A Jarring Moment
Little demonstrates how crucial it is to reevaluate Black History Month as much as the particular moment in which it falls this year. In the UK, a reemerging right-wing in the form of the Reform political group is leading the polls. In the recent season we observed the biggest extreme right demonstration in the UK's past. a prominent political figure, the African descendant in charge of the Conservative party, is a strong critic of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a situation where a legislator feels empowered to state that “not seeing any white faces” in parts of a city is a source of worry. At the same time, far-right parties are surging in Europe as a whole.
In the America, a massive attack against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been brought, repeatedly with positive outcomes, to the supreme judicial bodies of the country. A drive to erase African American heritage and narrative from the archives is ongoing. One of the former president's first executive orders aimed at the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the renowned cultural organization, claiming they of a coordinated and broad attempt to rewrite our Nation’s history” by representing the nation “as naturally discriminatory”.
In this context, the month represents how insufficiently it can be effective if it is limited to either obligatory business commemorations, or depoliticized festivities of historical achievements, rather than challenging the realities of the current era. It also reveals how its limited duration means that it is separated from the wider consistent effort that is required. Denise Miller, a prof at University of Greenwich, expressed it perfectly when she voiced worries about the fleeting superficial actions of the month. “The issue with taking a tokenistic approach”, she stated, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month evolves into a brief show rather than a catalyst for change.”
Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning
Determining how to adjust, modify and expand efforts for equal rights and acknowledgment in such moments of dejection and worry is a difficult task. There is a temptation to just do away with observances such as Black History Month completely, assuming they are inadequate for current needs, or are relics of an era 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, inclusion and equity efforts, and certainly, even commercial engagements – constitute an infrastructure that a considerable labor has been dedicated to. It is there not just to decay as the political landscape shifts (and in fact, regresses), but to be a living breathing thing.
So what would a contemporary active Black History Month seem? Firstly, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is spread out through the year (as some institutions are already starting to implement), elements of its material (particularly around prominent figures of color) included in academic syllabi. It would also be a era that does not shy away from politics, and allows opportunity for people, particularly the younger generation, to express their concerns and stories. What value has mere awareness of the bygone era when it doesn’t reckon with the current situation of far-right rallies in the street? Establishments who observe it should not be reassured with the non-confrontational words of hidden discrimination and alertness to subtle slights, but faced with the risks that affect everyone if anti-racism is not treated with importance. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made current, critical, and adaptive. It could be that an entire name rebrand is in order – Black History is Now Month.
