This commemorative month serves as a mirror of the political moment, so in what ways can we modernize it?
We are in Black History Month in the United Kingdom, and it seems it’s time for a reassessment. As time has passed, an observance that began as a commemorative event of history, culture and the connections between Black populations worldwide, has developed a corporate feel, broadening to incorporate gatherings where African descendants are paid to address white audiences about implicit prejudice and “allyship”. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests created a surge in the business of demonstrating racial awareness. But even that moment has passed. The wave has reached its height, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what raising awareness is for.
The Origins of Black History Celebration
First commemorated in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history by Black scholar Carter G. Woodson with seven days of remembrance and recognition in the middle of February. Black History Month grew out of this movement and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the United States and Canada in February, but also in October in the UK, the Federal Republic of Germany, Éire and the Netherlands.
The period has evolved since that time, placing less emphasis on the histories of transatlantic enslavement and fights for racial justice, and more on prominent Black figures in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, and widely honoring the input Black people have made to shape the country. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with discussions and heritage festivities. But the manner the observance is celebrated is a reflection of the current political situation. How it progresses is a good lesson in how appropriation leads to erosion: the restructuring of Black History Month has stymied the point of it, which is to confront embedded and established prejudice.
A Jarring Moment
Little demonstrates how crucial it is to reevaluate Black History Month better than the specific period in which it takes place this year. In the UK, a revitalized conservative movement in the shape of the Reform organization is ahead in surveys. In the summer we saw the largest far-right rally in the UK's past. a prominent political figure, the person of color at the helm of the right-wing political group, is a firm opponent of the racial justice movement, and we are in a situation where a member of parliament gains confidence to state that a lack of white people in certain urban areas is a cause for alarm. Simultaneously, extreme conservative groups are expanding in Europe as a complete entity.
In the United States, a massive attack against DEI and affirmative action has been brought, frequently with success, to the highest courts of the country. A drive to scrub African American heritage and experience from the archives is under way. One of Donald Trump's early administrative commands targeted the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the renowned cultural organization, claiming they of a coordinated and broad attempt to alter the country's historical narrative” by portraying America “as fundamentally prejudiced”.
Against this backdrop, the observance symbolises how minimally it can be impactful if it is restricted to either dutiful corporate observances, or politically neutered commemorations of contributions in the past, rather than confronting the conditions of the current era. It also demonstrates how its short period means that it is disconnected from the broader ongoing work that is needed. A university professor, a professor at an educational institution, articulated it most accurately when she voiced worries about the short-term symbolic gestures of the observance. “The problem with taking a tokenistic approach”, she wrote, “is that it often means that Black History Month turns into a fleeting performance rather than a agent of progress.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Establishing how to adjust, modify and expand actions for fair treatment and appreciation in such moments of dejection and worry is a difficult task. There is a inclination to just eliminate events including Black History Month completely, thinking they are inadequate for current needs, or are vestiges of an era that has failed to deliver.
Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and tradition of racial movements – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and certainly, even commercial engagements – constitute an foundation that a significant effort has gone into. It is there not merely to decline as the situation evolves (and in fact, deteriorates), but to be a living breathing thing.
So what would a fresh vibrant Black History Month appear as? Well, first, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is spread out through the year (as certain organizations are already commencing), sections of its curriculum (particularly around prominent figures of color) incorporated into academic syllabi. It would also be a period that does not evade political issues, and leaves space for people, particularly youth, to express their concerns and stories. What purpose serves basic knowledge of the bygone era when it ignores the current situation of extreme conservative demonstrations in the public spaces? Institutions who observe it should not be comforted with the non-confrontational words of hidden discrimination and alertness to subtle slights, but challenged by the dangers that impact society if anti-racism is not taken seriously. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made contemporary, pressing, and adaptive. It could be that an entire name rebrand is required – Contemporary Black History Month.
