Black History Month serves as a mirror of the political moment, so in what ways can we modernize it?
This is Black History Month in the Britain, and it appears it’s time for a re-evaluation. As time has passed, an celebration that was initiated as a celebration and reminder of heritage, traditions and links between Black populations worldwide, has adopted a commercial tone, broadening to incorporate functions where Black people are remunerated to address white audiences about “unconscious bias” and active solidarity. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests sparked an increase in the enterprise of demonstrating racial awareness. Yet, that phase is now over. The surge has crested, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what raising awareness is for.
The Background of Black History Celebration
Initially celebrated in the US and Canada, Black History Month was established in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with seven days of commemoration and observance in the middle of February. Black History Month grew out of this campaign and was publicly established in 1970. Currently it is marked not only in the North America in winter, but also in autumn in the United Kingdom, the Federal Republic of Germany, Éire and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The observance has developed since its inception, placing less emphasis on the narratives of transatlantic enslavement and civil rights battles, and more on prominent Black figures in government, the arts, and social movements, and extensively acknowledging 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 method the month is observed is a reflection of the political moment. How it evolves is a instructive case in how assimilation leads to weakening: the transformation of Black History Month has impeded the point of it, which is to address structural and organizational discrimination.
A Jarring Moment
Few things illustrate how crucial it is to reevaluate Black History Month as much as the particular moment in which it takes place this year. In the UK, a reemerging right-wing in the form of the Reform organization is leading the polls. In the summer we saw the biggest extreme right demonstration in British history. a prominent political figure, the Black leader of the Conservative party, is a firm opponent of anti-racism activism, and we are in a position where a legislator gains confidence to say that “not seeing any white faces” in parts of a city is a reason for concern. Simultaneously, far-right parties are surging in the European continent as a whole.
In the US, a significant offensive against DEI and affirmative action has been carried, frequently with success, to the highest courts of the state. A effort to erase Black history and narrative from the records is under way. One of Donald Trump's early administrative commands focused on the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the prestigious establishment, accusing them of a coordinated and broad attempt to rewrite our Nation’s history” by portraying America “as inherently racist”.
Given these circumstances, the month illustrates how little it can be influential if it is restricted to either dutiful corporate observances, or depoliticized celebrations of historical achievements, rather than addressing the conditions of the current era. It also reveals how its limited duration means that it is disconnected from the more extensive continuous action that is necessary. Denise Miller, a prof at University of Greenwich, expressed it perfectly when she raised concerns about the short-term symbolic gestures of the celebration. “The difficulty with embracing a superficial method”, she commented, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month evolves into a transient display rather than a catalyst for change.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Establishing how to adapt, revise and extend actions for equal rights and acknowledgment in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a difficult task. There is a inclination to just do away with observances such as Black History Month altogether, thinking they are no longer suitable, or are remnants of an period that has not worked.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the complete comprehensive structure and heritage of activism for racial justice – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, DEI programs, and yes, even those talks to businesses – represent an framework that a lot of work has been invested in. 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 fresh vibrant Black History Month look like? Well, first, it would be extended beyond a brief observance: something that is distributed across all seasons (as some institutions are already commencing), parts of its content (particularly around notable African descendants) included in educational programs. It would also be a era that does not shy away from political issues, and leaves space for citizens, particularly youth, to share their anxieties and narratives. What purpose serves basic knowledge of the history when it doesn’t reckon with the current situation of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the public spaces? Establishments who observe it should not be reassured with the non-confrontational words of hidden discrimination and awareness of subtle slights, but challenged by the threats that impact society if opposition to discrimination is not taken seriously. To summarize, Black History Month should be made contemporary, critical, and reactive. Maybe an entire name rebrand is necessary – Black History is Now Month.
