This commemorative month is a reflection of the current political climate, so in what ways can we modernize it?
It's Black History Month in the United Kingdom, and it appears it’s time for a re-evaluation. Throughout its history, an celebration that began as a celebration and reminder of the past, cultural identity and bonds between Black populations worldwide, has developed a commercial tone, broadening to incorporate functions where individuals of African heritage are compensated to address predominantly white listeners about hidden biases and “allyship”. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests generated a rise in the industry of showcasing anti-racist commitment. But even that moment has passed. The surge has peaked, producing a diluted aftermath of what promoting consciousness is for.
The History of Black History Observance
Originally observed in the US and Canada, Black History Month was established in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of celebration and reflection in the second week of February. Black History Month grew out of this initiative and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Currently it is marked not only in the North America in winter, but also in October in the United Kingdom, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Republic of Ireland and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The month has evolved since its inception, giving reduced attention to the histories of the slave trade across the Atlantic and fights for racial justice, and greater focus on prominent Black figures in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, and broadly celebrating the input Black people have made to influence the nation. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most frequently marked, with discussions and heritage festivities. But the method the observance is observed is a reflection of the current political situation. How it progresses is a instructive case in how co-option leads to dismantling: the transformation of Black History Month has hindered the objective of it, which is to address embedded and established prejudice.
A Troubling Time
Few things illustrate how critical it is to reevaluate Black History Month more than the current time in which it takes place this year. In the United Kingdom, a resurgent right in the form of the Reform political group is top in opinion ratings. In the warmer months we witnessed the largest far-right rally in British history. a prominent political figure, the Black leader of the right-wing political group, is a staunch adversary of anti-racism activism, and we are in a position where a member of parliament feels emboldened to say that a lack of white people in parts of a city is a source of worry. Simultaneously, ultra-nationalist movements are growing in Europe as a entirety.
In the US, a significant offensive against DEI and affirmative action has been taken, repeatedly with positive outcomes, to the highest courts of the country. A campaign to scrub Black history and narrative from the archives is under way. One of the political figure's early administrative commands focused on the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the renowned cultural organization, accusing them of a organized and extensive campaign to alter the country's historical narrative” by depicting the United States “as fundamentally prejudiced”.
Given these circumstances, the celebration symbolises how insufficiently it can be impactful if it is restricted to either dutiful corporate observances, or politically neutered celebrations of former accomplishments, rather than addressing the situation of the current era. It also shows how its limited duration means that it is separated from the more extensive continuous action that is needed. An academic expert, a educator at a learning establishment, articulated it most accurately when she voiced worries about the temporary “tokenism” of the observance. “The difficulty with taking a tokenistic approach”, she wrote, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month turns into a fleeting performance rather than a agent of progress.”
Reevaluating, Not Abandoning
Establishing how to adjust, modify and expand initiatives for fair treatment and appreciation in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a challenging endeavor. There is a inclination to just do away with observances such as Black History Month entirely, thinking they are simply not fit for purpose, or are relics of an time that has not worked.
But despite everything, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and legacy of activism for racial justice – local anti-racism groups, DEI programs, and yes, even those talks to businesses – form an framework that a significant effort has gone into. It is there not only to deteriorate as the situation evolves (and in fact, regresses), but to be a dynamic entity.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month look like? Well, first, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is distributed throughout the annual calendar (as some institutions are already starting to implement), sections of its curriculum (particularly around notable African descendants) integrated into educational programs. It would also be a era that does not shy away from politics, and allows opportunity for people, particularly the younger generation, to express their concerns and stories. What use is simple recognition of the bygone era when it ignores the contemporary truth of far-right rallies in the public spaces? Organizations who celebrate it should not be pacified with the neutral terminology of “unconscious bias” and alertness to “microaggressions”, but faced with the risks that affect everyone if opposition to discrimination is not taken seriously. In short, Black History Month should be made contemporary, critical, and reactive. It could be that an complete renaming is required – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.
