Black History Month is a reflection of the current political climate, so how do we revamp it?
It's Black History Month in the UK, and it seems it’s time for a reassessment. As time has passed, an observance that started out as a festivity and recollection of heritage, traditions and links between global Black communities, has adopted a commercial tone, broadening to incorporate gatherings where Black people are remunerated to speak with Caucasian groups about implicit prejudice and supportive partnership. The demonstrations for racial justice in the 2020s created a surge in the business of showcasing anti-racist commitment. Yet, that phase is now over. The wave has peaked, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what increasing understanding is for.
The Origins of Black History Celebration
First commemorated in the America and its northern neighbor, Black History Month was established in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of commemoration and observance in the February's second week. Black History Month grew out of this initiative and was publicly established in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the US and Canada in February, but also in the tenth month in the United Kingdom, Germany, Éire and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The period has evolved since that time, focusing less on the narratives of transatlantic enslavement and struggles for equality, and more on notable African descendants in politics, culture, and activism, and widely honoring the input Black people have made to shape the country. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most commonly celebrated, with talks and cultural events. But the way the month is celebrated is a reflection of the political moment. How it develops is a good lesson in how appropriation leads to weakening: the restructuring of Black History Month has hindered the purpose of it, which is to confront structural and organizational discrimination.
A Disconcerting Period
Little demonstrates how important it is to rethink Black History Month better than the particular moment in which it takes place this year. In the United Kingdom, a reemerging right-wing in the shape of the Reform party is ahead in surveys. In the warmer months we witnessed the most significant ultra-conservative gathering in the UK's past. a prominent political figure, the Black leader of the Tory party, is a firm opponent of the racial justice movement, and we are in a place where a elected representative gains confidence to say that a lack of white people in certain urban areas is a cause for alarm. Meanwhile, ultra-nationalist movements are expanding in the EU as a entirety.
In the America, a colossal assault against inclusion programs and preferential policies has been taken, frequently with success, to the supreme judicial bodies of the nation. A effort to erase Black history and narrative from the archives is ongoing. One of the former president's initial presidential directives focused on the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the renowned cultural organization, accusing them of a coordinated and broad attempt to change the national past” by representing the nation “as fundamentally prejudiced”.
In this context, the observance represents how minimally it can be impactful if it is limited to either dutiful corporate observances, or stripped of political content festivities of historical achievements, rather than confronting the situation of the present. It also shows how its short period means that it is separated from the more extensive continuous action that is necessary. A university professor, a prof at an educational institution, articulated it most accurately when she voiced worries about the temporary “tokenism” of the observance. “The issue with taking a tokenistic approach”, she stated, “is that it often means that Black History Month becomes a fleeting performance rather than a driver of transformation.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Determining how to adjust, modify and expand initiatives for racial equality and recognition in such times of discouragement and concern is a difficult task. There is a urge to just do away with observances such as Black History Month entirely, believing they are no longer suitable, or are remnants 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 legacy of racial movements – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and yes, even those talks to businesses – constitute an framework that a considerable labor has been invested in. It is there not only to deteriorate as the politics moves on (and in fact, declines), but to be a living breathing thing.
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 spread out through the year (as some institutions 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 shy away from politics, and allows opportunity for people, particularly youth, to air their fears and experiences. What use is mere awareness of the bygone era when it fails to address the present reality of extreme conservative demonstrations in the street? Institutions who observe it should not be comforted with the neutral terminology of hidden discrimination and alertness to minor insults, but confronted with the dangers that affect everyone if anti-racism is not approached earnestly. To summarize, Black History Month should be made contemporary, urgent, and responsive. Maybe an total re-identification is required – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.