The annual Black History observance acts as a gauge of the current political climate, so in what ways can we modernize it?
It's Black History Month in the UK, and it feels like it’s time for a re-evaluation. Over the years, an event that began as a commemorative event of the past, cultural identity and bonds between global Black communities, has adopted a corporate feel, broadening to incorporate events where Black people are compensated to address predominantly white listeners about implicit prejudice and supportive partnership. The demonstrations for racial justice in the 2020s generated a rise in the industry of displaying cultural sensitivity. But even that moment has passed. The surge has peaked, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what promoting consciousness is for.
The Background of Black History Month
Originally observed in the America and its northern neighbor, Black History Month was established in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with seven days of celebration and reflection in the middle of February. Black History Month grew out of this movement and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Currently it is marked not only in the US and Canada in February, but also in the tenth month in the Britain, the Federal Republic of Germany, Éire and the Netherlands.
The month has evolved since its inception, focusing less on the narratives of colonial slavery and civil rights battles, and increasingly on notable African descendants in politics, culture, and activism, and broadly celebrating the impact Black people have made to mold society. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with talks and cultural events. But the manner the observance is commemorated is a reflection of the current political situation. How it progresses is a good lesson in how assimilation leads to weakening: the transformation of Black History Month has stymied the objective of it, which is to tackle embedded and established prejudice.
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 United Kingdom, a resurgent right in the shape of the Reform organization is leading the polls. In the summer we saw the largest far-right rally in the history of Britain. Kemi Badenoch, the Black leader of the right-wing political group, is a strong critic of Black Lives Matter, 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 reason for concern. Simultaneously, extreme conservative groups are growing in the EU as a complete entity.
In the United States, a colossal assault against inclusion programs and preferential policies has been carried, often successfully, to the supreme judicial bodies of the country. A campaign to scrub the history of people of color and legacy from the historical documents is in progress. One of Donald Trump's early administrative commands focused on the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the prestigious establishment, accusing them of a “concerted and widespread effort to change the national past” by representing the nation “as naturally discriminatory”.
Given these circumstances, the observance illustrates how insufficiently it can be impactful if it is limited to either dutiful corporate observances, or stripped of political content celebrations of former accomplishments, rather than addressing the realities of the current era. It also shows how its restricted time span means that it is separated from the wider consistent effort that is needed. A university professor, a professor at a learning establishment, articulated it most accurately when she raised concerns about the fleeting superficial actions of the celebration. “The problem with adopting a symbolic stance”, she wrote, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month becomes a fleeting performance rather than a agent of progress.”
Reevaluating, Not Abandoning
Establishing how to adapt, revise and extend initiatives for equal rights and acknowledgment in such times of discouragement and concern is a difficult task. There is a inclination to just discontinue things like Black History Month completely, believing they are no longer suitable, or are remnants of an era that has been ineffective.
Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the complete comprehensive structure and legacy of campaigns for equality – local anti-racism groups, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and yes, even those talks to businesses – constitute an infrastructure that a significant effort has been dedicated to. It is there not just to decay as the politics moves on (and in fact, regresses), but to be a dynamic entity.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month look like? To begin with, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is spread out throughout the annual calendar (as various establishments are already commencing), elements of its material (particularly around prominent figures of color) incorporated into academic syllabi. It would also be a time that does not evade governmental matters, and allows opportunity for individuals, particularly young people, to express their concerns and stories. What purpose serves simple recognition of the history when it fails to address the current situation of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the street? Establishments who mark it should not be comforted with the non-confrontational words of implicit prejudice and awareness of subtle slights, but faced with the dangers that affect everyone if fight against prejudice is not treated with importance. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made contemporary, pressing, and adaptive. Perhaps an total re-identification is necessary – Contemporary Black History Month.
