Black History Month is a reflection of the prevailing political atmosphere, so how do we revamp it?
This is Black History Month in the Britain, and it feels like it’s time for a rethink. As time has passed, an event that started out as a festivity and recollection of history, culture and the connections between Black populations worldwide, has taken on a business-like atmosphere, broadening to incorporate events where individuals of African heritage are compensated to talk to predominantly white listeners about “unconscious bias” and supportive partnership. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade generated a rise in the enterprise of demonstrating racial awareness. But even that moment has passed. The surge has peaked, producing a diluted aftermath of what increasing understanding is for.
The Origins of Black History Month
First commemorated in the US and Canada, Black History Month was established in 1962 as an observance of African American heritage by Black scholar Carter G. Woodson with seven days of celebration and reflection in the middle of February. 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 October in the United Kingdom, the Federal Republic of Germany, Ireland and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The period has evolved since that time, focusing less on the narratives of colonial slavery and struggles for equality, and increasingly on notable African descendants in politics, culture, and activism, and broadly celebrating the input Black people have made to mold society. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most commonly celebrated, with lectures and artistic activities. But the way the month is observed is a indication of the current political situation. How it develops is a good lesson in how assimilation leads to weakening: the restructuring of Black History Month has stymied the point of it, which is to confront systemic and institutional racism.
A Jarring Moment
Hardly anything shows how crucial it is to reconsider Black History Month better than the specific period in which it takes place this year. In the United Kingdom, a revitalized conservative movement in the shape of the Reform organization is leading the polls. In the summer we saw the largest far-right rally in British history. a prominent political figure, the Black leader of the Tory party, is a firm opponent of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a situation where a legislator feels emboldened to state that a lack of white people in parts of a city is a source of worry. Meanwhile, ultra-nationalist movements are expanding in the EU as a whole.
In the United States, a colossal assault against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been carried, repeatedly with positive outcomes, to the supreme judicial bodies of the state. A effort to remove African American heritage and experience from the archives is under way. One of the political figure's first executive orders focused on the museum of African American legacy, and the Smithsonian Institution, alleging that they of a “concerted and widespread effort to alter the country's historical narrative” by portraying America “as inherently racist”.
Given these circumstances, the observance symbolises how little it can be influential if it is restricted to either dutiful corporate observances, or depoliticized festivities of contributions in the past, rather than challenging the conditions of the contemporary world. It also shows how its short period means that it is disconnected from the wider consistent effort that is necessary. A university professor, a professor at a learning establishment, expressed it perfectly when she expressed apprehension about the temporary “tokenism” of the celebration. “The difficulty with adopting a symbolic stance”, she wrote, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month turns into a fleeting performance rather than a driver of transformation.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Determining how to adjust, modify and expand initiatives for fair treatment and appreciation in such moments of dejection and worry is a difficult task. There is a inclination to just do away with observances such as Black History Month entirely, believing they are no longer suitable, or are remnants of an period that has failed to deliver.
But despite everything, Black History Month, and in fact the whole broad system and tradition of activism for racial justice – local anti-racism groups, DEI programs, and certainly, even commercial engagements – constitute an foundation that a considerable labor has gone into. It is there not only to deteriorate as the political landscape shifts (and in fact, regresses), but to be a dynamic entity.
So what would a fresh vibrant Black History Month look like? Well, first, it would be extended beyond a brief observance: something that is spread out through the year (as various establishments are already starting to implement), elements of its material (particularly around historic Black characters) integrated into educational programs. It would also be a time that does not avoid governmental matters, and allows opportunity for people, particularly the younger generation, to express their concerns and stories. What value has simple recognition of the past when it doesn’t reckon with the contemporary truth of far-right rallies in the street? Institutions who mark it should not be reassured with the non-confrontational words of implicit prejudice and sensitivity to minor insults, but faced with the risks that affect everyone if fight against prejudice is not treated with importance. To summarize, Black History Month should be made up-to-date, pressing, and responsive. Perhaps an entire name rebrand is necessary – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.
