BLACK HISTORY MONTH: IS IT ENOUGH?

It would be appropriate to begin this article with complete honesty: this is an extensively broad question and does not have as straightforward an answer as one may think. It will be very difficult to answer within such a small space, but it can be seen as a first step towards open discussion throughout the coming year. The worthiness of Black History Month (BHM) is unquestionable. It has allowed under-represented ethnic minority groups within the UK to find pride within their own heritage and historical contributions to the British culture. It has highlighted that the history taught in our primary and secondary schools is not transparent in its inclusivity and does not fully recognise the contributions of ethnic minorities to British society to the level which it should. BHM was established in 1987 in Britain. We have certainly come a long way since refusing individuals of African and Irish descent the ability to rent a property in London. In modern Britain, we have people from ethnic minority groups occupying all levels of the social strata. They are proud to call themselves British citizens and contribute to both British culture and its history still in the making. In light of these facts, some may question the need for a BHM at all; have we not already established the level of equality and integration of all colours and creeds the month-long event set out to promote? Certainly not fast enough. Our institutional history curricula still largely exclude the contributions of ethnic minority figures. In society today, even, the repercussions of some ignorant and outdated mentalities still affect us, creating stereotypical misconceptions and, consequently, discrimination towards ethnic minorities. Nonetheless, we are in a position which enables us to learn from the past and influence the future by teaching ourselves and each other cultural understanding and inclusivity, rather than tolerance. Truthfully, like with every good thing, there comes a time for reassessment and redevelopment in order to maintain a direction towards improvement. The general approach to cultural education during BHM mainly celebrates important historical figures of African descent. Nonetheless, it is far too simplistic to squeeze numerous cultures of one ethnic group under a singular umbrella definition and into one month. Furthermore, it was the people from an array of cultural and ethnic backgrounds who devoted to the British culture and history and BHM should be a time for all peoples to recognise and learn about this. BHM should be expanded as a platform for change to build on the work done by the movements who fought early discrimination towards minorities in Britain, such as the “Self Help Movement” and every individual who contributed to evolving the British society into the state of inclusion and representation of today. So, Black History Month is not enough. Not enough because one single month isn’t fairly representing the spectrum of ethnicities whose important figures impacted the development of the British history and society. Not enough, as these figures should be remembered and celebrated not merely for one month, but throughout the whole academic year in schools across the UK. Not enough as the equality and integration it symbolizes are yet to become ubiquitous uncontested realities in Britain. The question should read ‘Black History Month or simply history?’ because this is ultimately what we should want. However, despite its limitations, BHM is an invaluable platform of opportunity for discussion, inclusion, cultural education and political reform which should aim at the development of a more inclusive and representative society in Britain. An opportunity to challenge and eradicate concepts which reiterate a gross separation such as, for example, the outdated and reductionist definitions of black and white. Instead we should address people by their culture of origin: for example, English, Ghanaian, Malaysian, half-Irish and half-Indian, Bangladeshi, Italian, Mexican, Jamaican, or more generically, Latino American, or of Asian, European or African descent. BHM should be an opportunity to reclaim the value of recognising the individuals beyond their ethnicity. Until British history and, indeed, American and worldwide history are equally representative of all the ethnicities who contributed to its progress, we need Black History Month. This is until history is defined as neither black nor white, but purely history.
LUISA VIOLET BORDOLI