Black History Month acts as a gauge of the prevailing political atmosphere, so how do we revamp it?
This is Black History Month in the UK, and it feels like it’s time for a reassessment. As time has passed, an event that began as a celebration and reminder of the past, cultural identity and bonds between global Black communities, has developed a corporate feel, growing to encompass functions where Black people are paid to speak with predominantly white listeners about implicit prejudice and supportive partnership. The demonstrations for racial justice in the 2020s created a surge in the enterprise of showcasing anti-racist commitment. But even that moment has passed. The surge has crested, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what promoting consciousness is for.
The Origins of Black History Observance
First commemorated in the US and Canada, Black History Month was established in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by Black scholar Carter G. Woodson with a week of celebration and reflection in the middle of February. Black History Month grew out of this campaign and was publicly established in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the United States and Canada in winter, but also in autumn in the Britain, Germany, the Republic of Ireland and the Netherlands.
The period has evolved since its inception, placing less emphasis on the narratives of transatlantic enslavement and civil rights battles, and increasingly on notable African descendants in politics, culture, and activism, and widely honoring the impact Black people have made to influence the nation. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most commonly celebrated, with talks and cultural events. But the way the observance is commemorated is a reflection of the contemporary political context. How it progresses is a good lesson in how assimilation leads to dismantling: the restructuring of Black History Month has hindered the objective of it, which is to address embedded and established prejudice.
A Disconcerting Period
Hardly anything shows how critical it is to reconsider Black History Month better than the specific period in which it occurs this year. In the United Kingdom, a revitalized conservative movement in the shape of the Reform political group is leading the polls. In the warmer months we witnessed the largest far-right rally in the UK's past. a prominent political figure, the person of color at the helm of the Conservative party, is a staunch adversary of anti-racism activism, and we are in a place where a elected representative gains confidence to declare that the absence of Caucasian individuals in certain urban areas is a reason for concern. Meanwhile, ultra-nationalist movements are surging in Europe as a complete entity.
In the United States, a significant offensive against inclusion programs and preferential policies has been brought, frequently with success, to the supreme judicial bodies of the country. A drive to scrub Black history and experience from the historical documents is ongoing. One of the former president's initial presidential directives aimed at the museum of African American legacy, and the prestigious establishment, claiming they of a “concerted and widespread effort to alter the country's historical narrative” by portraying America “as inherently racist”.
Against this backdrop, the observance symbolises how insufficiently it can be effective if it is restricted to either obligatory business commemorations, or depoliticized celebrations of former accomplishments, rather than challenging the realities of the current era. It also demonstrates how its restricted time span means that it is detached from the more extensive continuous action that is required. Denise Miller, a educator at an educational institution, expressed it perfectly when she expressed apprehension about the fleeting superficial actions of the celebration. “The problem with taking a tokenistic approach”, she commented, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month becomes a fleeting performance rather than a catalyst for change.”
Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning
Determining how to adjust, modify and expand actions for equal rights and acknowledgment in such times of discouragement and concern is a difficult task. There is a temptation to just eliminate things like Black History Month entirely, believing they are inadequate for current needs, or are vestiges of an era that has failed to deliver.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the whole broad system and heritage of racial movements – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, inclusion and equity efforts, and indeed, including corporate presentations – form an infrastructure that a considerable labor has been invested in. It is there not merely to decline as the political landscape shifts (and in fact, regresses), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month appear as? Well, first, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is distributed throughout the annual calendar (as certain organizations are already beginning to do), parts of its content (particularly around notable African descendants) integrated into school curriculums. It would also be a time that does not avoid political issues, and leaves space for individuals, particularly the younger generation, to share their anxieties and narratives. What use is basic knowledge of the history when it doesn’t reckon with the current situation of extreme conservative demonstrations in the street? Establishments who celebrate it should not be reassured with the passive language of “unconscious bias” and awareness of minor insults, but challenged by the risks that face all if opposition to discrimination is not taken seriously. To summarize, Black History Month should be made contemporary, pressing, and responsive. Perhaps an entire name rebrand is necessary – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.
