Black History Month is a reflection of the prevailing political atmosphere, so how do we revamp it?
We are in Black History Month in the UK, and it feels like it’s time for a re-evaluation. Over the years, an observance that began as a celebration and reminder of the past, cultural identity and bonds between global Black communities, has developed a corporate feel, growing to encompass gatherings where Black people are compensated to address white audiences about implicit prejudice and supportive partnership. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests created a surge in the enterprise of demonstrating racial awareness. However, that period has concluded. The tide has peaked, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what increasing understanding is for.
The Origins of Black History Month
Originally observed in the US and Canada, Black History Month was established in 1962 as an observance of African American heritage by historian of African descent Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of remembrance and recognition in the second week of February. Black History Month grew out of this initiative and was officially launched in 1970. Currently it is marked not only in the US and Canada in the second month, but also in October in the United Kingdom, the Federal Republic of Germany, Éire and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The month has transformed since that time, focusing less on the narratives of transatlantic enslavement and civil rights battles, and more on notable African descendants in government, the arts, and social movements, and broadly celebrating the impact Black people have made to shape the country. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most commonly celebrated, with discussions and heritage festivities. But the method the month is celebrated is a reflection of the political moment. How it progresses is a good lesson in how co-option leads to dismantling: the restructuring of Black History Month has hindered the purpose of it, which is to address systemic and institutional racism.
A Jarring Moment
Hardly anything shows how crucial it is to reevaluate Black History Month more than the specific period in which it takes place this year. In the UK, a revitalized conservative movement in the form of the Reform organization is ahead in surveys. In the warmer months we observed the largest far-right rally in the history of Britain. the Conservative leader, the African descendant in charge of the Conservative party, is a firm opponent of the racial justice movement, and we are in a position where a elected representative feels empowered to declare that the absence of Caucasian individuals in specific city neighborhoods is a cause for alarm. Meanwhile, extreme conservative groups are growing in the European continent as a complete entity.
In the America, a colossal assault against DEI and affirmative action has been carried, often successfully, to the supreme judicial bodies of the state. A campaign to remove Black history and experience from the archives is ongoing. One of Donald Trump's initial presidential directives aimed at the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the Smithsonian Institution, alleging that they of a “concerted and widespread effort to change the national past” by portraying America “as naturally discriminatory”.
Given these circumstances, the month represents how little it can be effective if it is limited to either obligatory business commemorations, or depoliticized commemorations of historical achievements, rather than addressing the conditions of the current era. It also reveals how its restricted time span means that it is disconnected from the more extensive continuous action that is needed. A university professor, a educator at an educational institution, articulated it most accurately when she voiced worries about the fleeting superficial actions of the celebration. “The difficulty with taking a tokenistic approach”, she stated, “is that it often means that Black History Month turns into a transient display rather than a agent of progress.”
Reevaluating, Not Abandoning
Determining how to alter, change and broaden initiatives for equal rights and acknowledgment in such moments of dejection and worry is a challenging endeavor. There is a temptation to just eliminate events including Black History Month entirely, believing they are inadequate for current needs, or are vestiges of an period that has not worked.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and legacy of campaigns for equality – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, inclusion and equity efforts, and indeed, including corporate presentations – form an foundation that a lot of work has been invested in. It is there not just to decay as the politics moves on (and in fact, regresses), but to be a living breathing thing.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month seem? Well, first, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is distributed through the year (as some institutions are already beginning to do), elements of its material (particularly around notable African descendants) included in academic syllabi. It would also be a time that does not shy away from governmental matters, and allows opportunity for citizens, particularly youth, to express their concerns and stories. What value has simple recognition of the history when it doesn’t reckon with the current situation of extreme conservative demonstrations in the street? Organizations who celebrate it should not be reassured with the passive language of “unconscious bias” and awareness of minor insults, but challenged by the risks that impact society if opposition to discrimination is not treated with importance. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made contemporary, urgent, and responsive. It could be that an entire name rebrand is required – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.
