Black History Month acts as a gauge of the political moment, so in what ways can we modernize it?
This is Black History Month in the UK, and it seems it’s time for a rethink. As time has passed, an celebration that was initiated as a commemorative event of history, culture and the connections between international African diaspora communities, has taken on a corporate feel, growing to encompass functions where Black people are paid to speak with Caucasian groups about implicit prejudice and active solidarity. The demonstrations for racial justice in the 2020s sparked an increase in the business of showcasing anti-racist commitment. Yet, that phase is now over. The tide has reached its height, producing a diluted aftermath of what promoting consciousness is for.
The Origins of Black History Month
Originally observed in the US and Canada, Black History Month was established in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history by historian of African descent Carter G. Woodson with a week of commemoration and observance in the middle of February. Black History Month grew out of this initiative and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the North America in the second month, but also in autumn in the UK, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Republic of Ireland and the Holland.
The period has evolved since that time, placing less emphasis on the narratives of transatlantic enslavement and fights for racial justice, and more on prominent Black figures in politics, culture, and activism, and broadly celebrating the contribution Black people have made to influence the nation. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with talks and cultural events. But the manner the celebration is observed is a reflection of the current political situation. How it evolves is a instructive case in how co-option leads to erosion: the reshaping of Black History Month has hindered the purpose of it, which is to confront systemic and institutional racism.
A Jarring Moment
Hardly anything shows 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 reemerging right-wing in the guise of the Reform political group is ahead in surveys. In the warmer months we witnessed the most significant ultra-conservative gathering in the history of Britain. the Conservative leader, the African descendant in charge of the Tory party, is a firm opponent of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a place where a legislator feels empowered to state that “not seeing any white faces” in certain urban areas is a reason for concern. At the same time, ultra-nationalist movements are surging in the European continent as a complete entity.
In the US, a massive attack against DEI and affirmative action has been carried, repeatedly with positive outcomes, to the top legal institutions of the state. A effort to scrub Black history and narrative from the historical documents is in progress. One of the former president's first executive orders aimed at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the Smithsonian Institution, accusing them of a “concerted and widespread effort to rewrite our Nation’s history” by depicting the United States “as fundamentally prejudiced”.
In this context, the month illustrates how minimally it can be influential if it is restricted to either obligatory business commemorations, or stripped of political content celebrations of contributions in the past, rather than challenging the situation of the contemporary world. It also demonstrates how its short period means that it is disconnected from the more extensive continuous action that is necessary. Denise Miller, a educator at University of Greenwich, expressed it perfectly when she expressed apprehension about the temporary “tokenism” of the observance. “The difficulty with taking a tokenistic approach”, she commented, “is that it often means that Black History Month turns into a fleeting performance rather than a catalyst for change.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Establishing how to alter, change and broaden efforts for equal rights and acknowledgment in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a difficult task. There is a temptation to just do away with observances such as Black History Month completely, thinking they are inadequate for current needs, or are relics of an period that has failed to deliver.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the complete comprehensive structure and tradition of racial movements – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and yes, even those talks to businesses – form an foundation that a significant effort has gone into. It is there not merely to decline as the political landscape shifts (and in fact, declines), but to be a living breathing thing.
So what would a fresh vibrant Black History Month seem? Well, first, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is spread out across all seasons (as various establishments are already commencing), sections of its curriculum (particularly around historic Black characters) integrated into educational programs. It would also be a time that does not shy away from political issues, and provides room for people, particularly young people, to express their concerns and stories. What purpose serves mere awareness of the history when it fails to address the contemporary truth of far-right rallies in the street? Organizations who observe it should not be pacified with the neutral terminology of “unconscious bias” and awareness of “microaggressions”, but faced with the threats that impact society if opposition to discrimination is not approached earnestly. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made current, critical, and reactive. Maybe an complete renaming is in order – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.
