Black History Month is a reflection of the current political climate, so how do we revamp it?
We are in Black History Month in the Britain, and it feels like it’s time for a reassessment. Over the years, an event that started out as a festivity and recollection of history, culture and the connections between Black populations worldwide, has developed a business-like atmosphere, growing to encompass gatherings where Black people are remunerated to address Caucasian groups about hidden biases and active solidarity. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests generated a rise in the industry of demonstrating racial awareness. Yet, that phase is now over. The surge has peaked, producing a diluted aftermath of what raising awareness is for.
The Background of Black History Month
First commemorated in the US and Canada, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as an observance of African American heritage by Black scholar Carter G. Woodson with seven days of celebration and reflection in the February's second week. Black History Month evolved from this initiative and was officially launched in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the US and Canada in winter, but also in autumn in the United Kingdom, Germany, the Republic of Ireland and the Netherlands.
The month has evolved since those days, placing less emphasis on the histories of colonial slavery and civil rights battles, and increasingly on influential individuals of color in politics, culture, and activism, and broadly celebrating the contribution Black people have made to mold society. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with discussions and heritage festivities. But the way the observance is commemorated is a reflection of the political moment. How it evolves is a valuable example in how assimilation leads to erosion: the reshaping of Black History Month has hindered the point of it, which is to tackle embedded and established prejudice.
A Jarring Moment
Little demonstrates how crucial it is to reevaluate Black History Month more than the specific period in which it occurs this year. In the United Kingdom, a reemerging right-wing in the guise of the Reform party is top in opinion ratings. In the recent season we witnessed the biggest extreme right demonstration in the UK's past. a prominent political figure, the person of color at the helm of the Tory party, is a staunch adversary of anti-racism activism, and we are in a position where a legislator gains confidence to declare that “not seeing any white faces” in specific city neighborhoods is a cause for alarm. Simultaneously, extreme conservative groups are growing in the European continent as a entirety.
In the US, a colossal assault against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been brought, frequently with success, to the highest courts of the state. A drive to scrub the history of people of color and narrative from the archives is in progress. One of Donald Trump's initial presidential directives targeted the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the prestigious establishment, accusing them of a organized and extensive campaign to alter the country's historical narrative” by representing the nation “as fundamentally prejudiced”.
In this context, the month represents how little it can be impactful if it is confined to either routine organizational acknowledgments, or depoliticized celebrations of historical achievements, rather than confronting the situation of the contemporary world. It also reveals how its limited duration means that it is separated from the wider consistent effort that is needed. An academic expert, a professor at University of Greenwich, expressed it perfectly when she raised concerns about the temporary “tokenism” of the observance. “The issue with embracing a superficial method”, she stated, “is that it often means that Black History Month turns into a fleeting performance rather than a catalyst for change.”
Reevaluating, Not Abandoning
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 discontinue events including Black History Month altogether, thinking they are no longer suitable, or are relics of an era that has been ineffective.
Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the whole broad system and tradition of activism for racial justice – local anti-racism groups, inclusion and equity efforts, and yes, even those talks to businesses – represent an foundation that a significant effort has been dedicated to. It is there not just to decay as the political landscape shifts (and in fact, deteriorates), but to be a dynamic entity.
So what would a fresh vibrant Black History Month look like? Well, first, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is distributed across all seasons (as certain organizations are already starting to implement), elements of its material (particularly around notable African descendants) incorporated into school curriculums. It would also be a era that does not evade governmental matters, and allows opportunity for people, particularly youth, to air their fears and experiences. What value has basic knowledge of the bygone era when it doesn’t reckon with the current situation of far-right rallies in the urban areas? Organizations who mark it should not be reassured with the neutral terminology of implicit prejudice and awareness of “microaggressions”, but faced with the threats that affect everyone if opposition to discrimination is not treated with importance. In short, Black History Month should be made current, urgent, and responsive. It could be that an entire name rebrand is in order – Black History is Now Month.
