The annual Black History observance is a reflection 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. Throughout its history, an event that was initiated as a celebration and reminder of the past, cultural identity and bonds between Black populations worldwide, has taken on a commercial tone, growing to encompass functions where Black people are compensated to talk to predominantly white listeners about “unconscious bias” and “allyship”. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade generated a rise in the industry of demonstrating racial awareness. However, that period has concluded. The surge has peaked, producing a diluted aftermath of what promoting consciousness is for.
The History of Black History Observance
Initially celebrated in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as an observance of African American heritage by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of commemoration and observance in the middle of February. Black History Month grew out of this movement and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the United States and Canada in winter, but also in autumn in the United Kingdom, Deutschland, the Republic of Ireland and the Netherlands.
The period has evolved since that time, focusing less on the narratives of transatlantic enslavement and civil rights battles, and greater focus on notable African descendants in government, the arts, and social movements, and broadly celebrating the contribution Black people have made to mold society. It is in schools where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with talks and cultural events. But the manner the month is observed is a reflection of the current political situation. How it progresses is a good lesson in how appropriation leads to weakening: the transformation of Black History Month has hindered the point of it, which is to tackle structural and organizational discrimination.
A Jarring Moment
Little demonstrates how critical it is to rethink Black History Month better than the current time in which it takes place this year. In the Britain, a reemerging right-wing in the form of the Reform party is top in opinion ratings. In the summer we saw the largest far-right rally in British history. a prominent political figure, the African descendant in charge of the Conservative party, is a strong critic of anti-racism activism, and we are in a position where a member of parliament feels empowered to declare that a lack of white people in certain urban areas is a cause for alarm. Meanwhile, extreme conservative groups are growing in the European continent as a complete entity.
In the US, a significant offensive against DEI and affirmative action has been brought, often successfully, to the top legal institutions of the country. A effort to erase African American heritage and experience from the historical documents is under way. One of Donald Trump's early administrative commands targeted the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the prestigious establishment, accusing them of a “concerted and widespread effort to alter the country's historical narrative” by portraying America “as inherently racist”.
In this context, the celebration symbolises how minimally it can be impactful if it is limited to either obligatory business commemorations, or politically neutered commemorations of contributions in the past, rather than confronting the realities of the present. It also demonstrates how its limited duration means that it is separated from the broader ongoing work that is necessary. An academic expert, a prof at an educational institution, expressed it perfectly when she raised concerns about the short-term symbolic gestures of the observance. “The difficulty with adopting a symbolic stance”, she wrote, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month evolves into a fleeting performance rather than a driver of transformation.”
Reevaluating, Not Abandoning
Determining how to adjust, modify and expand efforts for racial equality and recognition in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a difficult task. There is a inclination to just eliminate things like Black History Month completely, believing they are simply not fit for purpose, or are remnants of an time that has failed to deliver.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the whole broad system and legacy of activism for racial justice – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and certainly, even commercial engagements – constitute an infrastructure that a lot of work has been invested in. 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 appear as? To begin with, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is spread out throughout the annual calendar (as certain organizations are already starting to implement), sections of its curriculum (particularly around notable African descendants) integrated into school curriculums. It would also be a period that does not shy away from governmental matters, and allows opportunity for people, particularly youth, to air their fears and experiences. What use is simple recognition of the history when it ignores the current situation of extreme conservative demonstrations in the street? Organizations who mark it should not be comforted with the neutral terminology of hidden discrimination and sensitivity to subtle slights, but challenged by the dangers that impact society if fight against prejudice is not approached earnestly. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made up-to-date, critical, and reactive. Perhaps an total re-identification is necessary – Black History is Now Month.