The annual Black History observance acts as a gauge of the current political climate, so how do we revamp it?
This is Black History Month in the United Kingdom, and it appears it’s time for a reassessment. Over the years, an event that began as a festivity and recollection of the past, cultural identity and bonds between global Black communities, has adopted a business-like atmosphere, broadening to incorporate gatherings where African descendants are remunerated to address white audiences about implicit prejudice and active solidarity. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade created a surge in the business of displaying cultural sensitivity. But even that moment has passed. The tide has peaked, resulting in a somewhat empty inheritance of what raising awareness is for.
The History of Black History Month
Originally observed in the US and Canada, Black History Month was established in 1962 as an observance of African American heritage by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of remembrance and recognition in the February's second week. Black History Month grew out of this campaign and was publicly established in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the North America in February, but also in the tenth month in the Britain, the Federal Republic of Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands.
The period has transformed since its inception, focusing less on the histories of the slave trade across the Atlantic and struggles for equality, and more on influential individuals of color in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, and extensively acknowledging the impact Black people have made to mold society. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most frequently marked, with lectures and artistic activities. But the manner the observance is observed is a indication of the political moment. How it develops is a valuable example in how assimilation leads to weakening: the transformation of Black History Month has hindered the point of it, which is to confront structural and organizational discrimination.
A Troubling Time
Little demonstrates how important it is to rethink Black History Month better than the specific period in which it occurs this year. In the United Kingdom, a revitalized conservative movement in the form of the Reform political group is leading the polls. In the summer we observed the most significant ultra-conservative gathering in British history. Kemi Badenoch, the African descendant in charge of the right-wing political group, is a firm opponent of anti-racism activism, and we are in a position where a elected representative feels empowered to say that a lack of white people in certain urban areas is a source of worry. Simultaneously, far-right parties are growing in the European continent as a complete entity.
In the United States, a massive attack against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been carried, often successfully, to the top legal institutions of the country. A effort to remove the history of people of color and legacy from the records is ongoing. One of Donald Trump's first executive orders focused on the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the Smithsonian Institution, accusing them of a coordinated and broad attempt to rewrite our Nation’s history” by portraying America “as naturally discriminatory”.
Against this backdrop, the observance illustrates how insufficiently it can be impactful if it is confined to either obligatory business commemorations, or stripped of political content commemorations of historical achievements, rather than challenging the situation of the contemporary world. It also reveals how its limited duration means that it is detached from the wider consistent effort that is needed. Denise Miller, a professor at an educational institution, put it best when she voiced worries about the temporary “tokenism” of the observance. “The difficulty with embracing a superficial method”, she commented, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month becomes a brief show rather than a driver of transformation.”
Reevaluating, Not Abandoning
Figuring out how to adapt, revise and extend efforts for racial equality and recognition in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a treacherous thing. There is a temptation to just eliminate events including Black History Month entirely, assuming they are simply not fit for purpose, or are remnants of an period that has not worked.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and heritage of campaigns for equality – local anti-racism groups, inclusion and equity efforts, and indeed, including corporate presentations – form an infrastructure that a considerable labor has been dedicated to. It is there not just to decay as the situation evolves (and in fact, deteriorates), but to be a dynamic entity.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month appear as? To begin with, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is spread out through the year (as some institutions are already commencing), parts of its content (particularly around prominent figures of color) incorporated into school curriculums. It would also be a period that does not avoid political issues, and leaves space for citizens, particularly young people, to air their fears and experiences. What purpose serves basic knowledge of the past when it ignores the present reality of extreme conservative demonstrations in the street? Institutions who observe it should not be reassured with the non-confrontational words of “unconscious bias” and awareness of “microaggressions”, but faced with the threats that face all if anti-racism is not treated with importance. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made up-to-date, critical, and adaptive. Perhaps an total re-identification is necessary – Contemporary Black History Month.