This commemorative month is a reflection of the prevailing political atmosphere, so in what ways can we modernize it?
This is Black History Month in the UK, and it seems 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 international African diaspora communities, has developed a business-like atmosphere, expanding to include functions where African descendants are paid to talk to white audiences about hidden biases and active solidarity. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade generated a rise in the industry of displaying cultural sensitivity. However, that period has concluded. The surge has crested, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what increasing understanding is for.
The Origins of Black History Celebration
First commemorated in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by Black scholar Carter G. Woodson with a week of commemoration and observance in the middle of February. Black History Month developed from this campaign and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the US and Canada in the second month, but also in autumn in the United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland and the Holland.
The month has evolved since its inception, placing less emphasis on the narratives of colonial slavery and struggles for equality, and greater focus on notable African descendants in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, and widely honoring the contribution Black people have made to influence the nation. It is in schools where Black History Month is most frequently marked, with discussions and heritage festivities. But the way the month is observed is a manifestation of the current political situation. How it evolves is a good lesson in how co-option leads to dismantling: the reshaping of Black History Month has stymied the point of it, which is to confront structural and organizational discrimination.
A Troubling Time
Little demonstrates how critical it is to reevaluate Black History Month as much as the particular moment in which it occurs this year. In the Britain, a resurgent right in the guise of the Reform organization is ahead in surveys. In the summer we witnessed the biggest extreme right demonstration in the history of Britain. the Conservative leader, the Black leader of the Conservative party, is a staunch adversary of the racial justice movement, and we are in a place where a legislator feels emboldened to say that “not seeing any white faces” in parts of a city is a cause for alarm. Simultaneously, far-right parties are growing in the EU as a complete entity.
In the US, a colossal assault against DEI and affirmative action has been taken, often successfully, to the top legal institutions of the country. A effort to remove Black history and narrative from the archives is in progress. One of Donald Trump's early administrative commands targeted the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the prestigious establishment, accusing them of a organized and extensive campaign to rewrite our Nation’s history” by portraying America “as inherently racist”.
In this context, the observance represents how insufficiently it can be impactful if it is limited to either routine organizational acknowledgments, or stripped of political content festivities of former accomplishments, rather than confronting the conditions of the current era. It also demonstrates how its limited duration means that it is disconnected from the broader ongoing work that is necessary. A university professor, a professor at an educational institution, put it best when she expressed apprehension about the temporary “tokenism” of the celebration. “The issue with embracing a superficial method”, she commented, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month evolves into a fleeting performance rather than a driver of transformation.”
Reevaluating, Not Abandoning
Establishing how to adjust, modify and expand actions for fair treatment and appreciation in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a treacherous thing. There is a temptation to just eliminate things like Black History Month altogether, thinking they are no longer suitable, or are vestiges of an period that has been ineffective.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the complete comprehensive structure and tradition of racial movements – local anti-racism groups, inclusion and equity efforts, and yes, even those talks to businesses – form an framework that a considerable labor has been dedicated to. It is there not only to deteriorate as the situation evolves (and in fact, deteriorates), but to be a living breathing thing.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month appear as? Well, first, it would be extended beyond a brief observance: something that is distributed throughout the annual calendar (as certain organizations are already starting to implement), sections of its curriculum (particularly around prominent figures of color) incorporated into educational programs. It would also be a era that does not avoid politics, and allows opportunity for people, particularly youth, to share their anxieties and narratives. What value has mere awareness of the past when it doesn’t reckon with the current situation of far-right rallies in the public spaces? Establishments who celebrate it should not be comforted with the neutral terminology of “unconscious bias” and awareness of subtle slights, but confronted with the threats that face all if fight against prejudice is not taken seriously. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made current, pressing, and adaptive. Perhaps an entire name rebrand is required – Contemporary Black History Month.
