The annual Black History observance is a reflection of the current political climate, so in what ways can we modernize it?
We are in Black History Month in the Britain, and it seems it’s time for a rethink. Over the years, an observance that began as a commemorative event of history, culture and the connections between international African diaspora communities, has taken on a corporate feel, broadening to incorporate gatherings where individuals of African heritage are remunerated to speak with Caucasian groups about hidden biases and supportive partnership. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests sparked an increase in the business of showcasing anti-racist commitment. But even that moment has passed. The tide has crested, producing a diluted aftermath of what promoting consciousness is for.
The Background of Black History Observance
Initially celebrated in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was established in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history by Black scholar Carter G. Woodson with seven days of commemoration and observance 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 United States and Canada in February, but also in October in the United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland and the Holland.
The observance has transformed since its inception, placing less emphasis on the accounts of colonial slavery and struggles for equality, and greater focus on notable African descendants in government, the arts, and social movements, and extensively acknowledging the input Black people have made to influence the nation. 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 evolves is a good lesson in how assimilation leads to erosion: the reshaping of Black History Month has impeded the point of it, which is to address systemic and institutional racism.
A Jarring Moment
Hardly anything shows how crucial it is to reevaluate Black History Month more than the current time in which it takes place this year. In the Britain, a revitalized conservative movement in the form of the Reform political group is leading the polls. In the recent season we witnessed the largest far-right rally in the history of Britain. the Conservative leader, the Black leader of the Conservative party, is a firm opponent of anti-racism activism, and we are in a place where a elected representative gains confidence to state that “not seeing any white faces” in parts of a city is a cause for alarm. At the same time, far-right parties are surging in the EU as a entirety.
In the America, a massive attack against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been brought, often successfully, to the supreme judicial bodies of the state. A campaign to erase African American heritage and narrative from the historical documents is in progress. One of Donald Trump's first executive orders targeted the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the prestigious establishment, accusing them of a organized and extensive campaign to change the national past” by depicting the United States “as inherently racist”.
Against this backdrop, the celebration illustrates how insufficiently it can be effective if it is limited to either obligatory business commemorations, or stripped of political content commemorations of contributions in the past, rather than challenging the conditions of the contemporary world. It also shows how its restricted time span means that it is detached from the wider consistent effort that is necessary. A university professor, a professor at University of Greenwich, expressed it perfectly when she raised concerns about the fleeting superficial actions of the month. “The problem with embracing a superficial method”, she stated, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month becomes a fleeting performance rather than a agent of progress.”
Reevaluating, Not Abandoning
Figuring out how to alter, change and broaden actions for equal rights and acknowledgment in such times of discouragement and concern is a difficult task. There is a urge to just do away with observances such as Black History Month entirely, assuming 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 heritage of racial movements – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and yes, even those talks to businesses – form an framework that a lot of work has been dedicated to. It is there not just to decay as the situation evolves (and in fact, declines), but to be a dynamic entity.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month appear as? Well, first, it would be extended beyond a brief observance: something that is spread out across all seasons (as some institutions are already starting to implement), parts of its content (particularly around prominent figures of color) included in school curriculums. It would also be a time that does not shy away from governmental matters, and allows opportunity for citizens, particularly the younger generation, to share their anxieties and narratives. What value has mere awareness of the bygone era when it doesn’t reckon with the present reality of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the urban areas? Organizations who celebrate it should not be pacified with the neutral terminology of “unconscious bias” and awareness of minor insults, but challenged by the dangers that face all if anti-racism is not taken seriously. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made contemporary, urgent, and adaptive. Maybe an complete renaming is necessary – Contemporary Black History Month.
