This commemorative month acts as a gauge of the prevailing political atmosphere, so how do we revamp it?
We are in Black History Month in the Britain, and it seems it’s time for a rethink. Over the years, an celebration that began as a commemorative event of the past, cultural identity and bonds between global Black communities, has adopted a corporate feel, growing to encompass events where Black people are compensated to address Caucasian groups about implicit prejudice 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 tide has peaked, producing a diluted aftermath of what increasing understanding is for.
The Background of Black History Celebration
Originally observed in the United States 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 evolved from this initiative and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the United States and Canada in February, but also in the tenth month in the UK, the Federal Republic of Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands.
The observance has evolved since those days, placing less emphasis on the narratives of colonial slavery and struggles for equality, and greater focus on influential individuals of color in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, and widely honoring the impact Black people have made to shape the country. It is in schools where Black History Month is most commonly celebrated, with discussions and heritage festivities. But the manner the month is celebrated is a reflection of the current political situation. How it progresses is a valuable example in how assimilation leads to dismantling: the transformation of Black History Month has hindered the objective of it, which is to address structural and organizational discrimination.
A Disconcerting Period
Few things illustrate how crucial it is to reevaluate Black History Month as much as the specific period in which it takes place this year. In the Britain, a reemerging right-wing in the guise of the Reform political group is leading the polls. In the warmer months we witnessed the largest far-right rally in the history of Britain. the Conservative leader, the African descendant in charge of the Tory party, is a strong critic of anti-racism activism, and we are in a position where a legislator feels emboldened to say that the absence of Caucasian individuals in parts of a city is a reason for concern. Simultaneously, extreme conservative groups are surging in the European continent as a entirety.
In the US, a significant offensive against inclusion programs and preferential policies has been carried, often successfully, to the highest courts of the state. A drive to remove African American heritage and legacy from the historical documents is under way. One of Donald Trump's initial presidential directives targeted the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the renowned cultural organization, accusing them of a “concerted and widespread effort to alter the country's historical narrative” by representing the nation “as inherently racist”.
Given these circumstances, the month symbolises how little it can be impactful if it is limited to either obligatory business commemorations, or politically neutered festivities of former accomplishments, rather than addressing the realities of the contemporary world. It also demonstrates how its short period means that it is detached from the wider consistent effort that is needed. A university professor, a educator at University of Greenwich, put it best when she raised concerns about the short-term symbolic gestures of the month. “The difficulty with adopting a symbolic stance”, she commented, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month turns into a brief show rather than a agent of progress.”
Reevaluating, Not Abandoning
Establishing how to adapt, revise and extend efforts for racial equality and recognition in such times of discouragement and concern is a challenging endeavor. There is a inclination to just discontinue things like Black History Month altogether, assuming they are simply not fit for purpose, or are remnants of an time that has been ineffective.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and legacy of campaigns for equality – community-based BLM initiatives, DEI programs, and indeed, including corporate presentations – form an framework that a considerable labor has gone into. It is there not just to decay as the political landscape shifts (and in fact, declines), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month appear as? Well, first, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is spread out through the year (as certain organizations are already commencing), elements of its material (particularly around notable African descendants) integrated into school curriculums. It would also be a time that does not avoid politics, and leaves space for individuals, particularly youth, to air their fears and experiences. What value has simple recognition of the past when it ignores the present reality of far-right rallies in the public spaces? Institutions who celebrate it should not be reassured with the non-confrontational words of hidden discrimination and sensitivity to “microaggressions”, but faced with the risks that face all if fight against prejudice is not approached earnestly. To summarize, Black History Month should be made contemporary, critical, and responsive. Perhaps an complete renaming is required – Contemporary Black History Month.
