Black History Month serves as a mirror of the political moment, so in what ways can we modernize it?
This is Black History Month in the United Kingdom, and it seems it’s time for a re-evaluation. Throughout its history, an celebration that started out as a commemorative event of the past, cultural identity and bonds between global Black communities, has taken on a commercial tone, growing to encompass gatherings where Black people are compensated to address Caucasian groups about hidden biases and “allyship”. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests generated a rise in the industry of showcasing anti-racist commitment. Yet, that phase is now over. The surge has reached its height, producing a diluted aftermath of what increasing understanding is for.
The Background of Black History Celebration
First commemorated in the America and its northern neighbor, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as an observance of African American heritage 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 initiative and was officially launched in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the US and Canada in the second month, but also in autumn in the United Kingdom, Deutschland, Ireland and the Netherlands.
The observance has transformed since its inception, placing less emphasis on the histories of transatlantic enslavement and struggles for equality, and more on prominent Black figures in politics, culture, and activism, and extensively acknowledging 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 way the observance is observed is a manifestation of the current political situation. How it develops is a instructive case in how co-option leads to erosion: the restructuring of Black History Month has hindered the point of it, which is to confront structural and organizational discrimination.
A Disconcerting Period
Few things illustrate how critical it is to reconsider Black History Month more than the current time in which it takes place this year. In the United Kingdom, a reemerging right-wing in the form of the Reform party is top in opinion ratings. In the recent season we saw the largest far-right rally in the UK's past. Kemi Badenoch, the African descendant in charge of the right-wing political group, is a strong critic of anti-racism activism, and we are in a place where a member of parliament feels emboldened to state that the absence of Caucasian individuals in parts of a city is a reason for concern. At the same time, far-right parties are growing in the European continent as a complete entity.
In the America, a significant offensive against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been taken, frequently with success, to the top legal institutions of the nation. A campaign to scrub Black history and narrative from the historical documents is under way. One of the political figure's initial presidential directives aimed at the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the Smithsonian Institution, claiming they of a coordinated and broad attempt to change the national past” by portraying America “as inherently racist”.
Given these circumstances, the observance represents how insufficiently it can be impactful if it is confined to either routine organizational acknowledgments, or depoliticized festivities of contributions in the past, rather than addressing the conditions of the current era. It also reveals how its limited duration means that it is detached from the wider consistent effort that is required. Denise Miller, a prof at University of Greenwich, put it best when she raised concerns about the fleeting superficial actions of the celebration. “The issue with adopting a symbolic stance”, she commented, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month evolves into a fleeting performance rather than a catalyst for change.”
Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning
Establishing how to adjust, modify and expand actions for equal rights and acknowledgment in such moments of dejection and worry is a difficult task. There is a temptation to just do away with observances such as Black History Month altogether, believing they are no longer suitable, or are relics of an period that has been ineffective.
But despite everything, Black History Month, and in fact the complete comprehensive structure and legacy of racial movements – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, DEI programs, and yes, even those talks to businesses – represent an infrastructure that a considerable labor has been dedicated to. It is there not merely to decline as the situation evolves (and in fact, deteriorates), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month seem? Firstly, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is dispersed through the year (as certain organizations are already starting to implement), sections of its curriculum (particularly around notable African descendants) integrated into academic syllabi. It would also be a time that does not avoid governmental matters, and leaves space for citizens, particularly the younger generation, to express their concerns and stories. What purpose serves simple recognition of the past when it doesn’t reckon with the present reality of far-right rallies in the public spaces? Establishments who celebrate it should not be pacified with the neutral terminology of “unconscious bias” and sensitivity to minor insults, but faced with the threats that face all if fight against prejudice is not taken seriously. In short, Black History Month should be made current, critical, and responsive. Maybe an entire name rebrand is necessary – Contemporary Black History Month.
