Black History Month serves as a mirror of the political moment, so in what ways can we modernize it?
It's Black History Month in the UK, and it feels like it’s time for a re-evaluation. As time has passed, an observance that started out as a commemorative event of history, culture and the connections between international African diaspora communities, has developed a corporate feel, growing to encompass functions where individuals of African heritage are paid to speak with Caucasian groups about hidden biases and “allyship”. The demonstrations for racial justice in the 2020s sparked an increase in the enterprise of displaying cultural sensitivity. But even that moment has passed. The tide has crested, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what raising awareness is for.
The Origins of Black History Observance
First commemorated in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was created in 1962 as an observance of African American heritage by historian of African descent Carter G. Woodson with seven days of remembrance and recognition in the middle of February. Black History Month evolved from this initiative and was publicly established in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the North America in winter, but also in the tenth month in the Britain, the Federal Republic of Germany, Ireland and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The month has transformed since its inception, placing less emphasis on the narratives of the slave trade across the Atlantic and struggles for equality, and greater focus on notable African descendants in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, and extensively acknowledging the impact Black people have made to mold society. It is in schools where Black History Month is most frequently marked, with lectures and artistic activities. But the method the month is observed is a manifestation of the current political situation. How it develops is a valuable example in how appropriation leads to weakening: the restructuring of Black History Month has stymied the purpose of it, which is to tackle embedded and established prejudice.
A Troubling Time
Little demonstrates how important it is to reconsider Black History Month as much as the current time in which it falls this year. In the United Kingdom, a resurgent right in the shape of the Reform party is ahead in surveys. In the recent season we witnessed the largest far-right rally in British history. Kemi Badenoch, the Black leader of the Conservative party, is a staunch adversary of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a situation where a member of parliament feels emboldened to declare that the absence of Caucasian individuals in specific city neighborhoods is a source of worry. Simultaneously, ultra-nationalist movements are expanding in the EU as a whole.
In the United States, a massive attack against DEI and affirmative action has been carried, often successfully, to the top legal institutions of the country. A effort to erase the history of people of color and narrative from the historical documents is ongoing. One of the political figure's initial presidential directives focused on the museum of African American legacy, and the Smithsonian Institution, accusing them of a coordinated and broad attempt to alter the country's historical narrative” by depicting the United States “as naturally discriminatory”.
Given these circumstances, the month symbolises how minimally it can be impactful if it is limited to either obligatory business commemorations, or depoliticized commemorations of former accomplishments, rather than challenging the conditions of the contemporary world. It also reveals how its limited duration means that it is separated from the wider consistent effort that is needed. An academic expert, a educator at University of Greenwich, articulated it most accurately when she expressed apprehension about the temporary “tokenism” of the observance. “The issue with adopting a symbolic stance”, she commented, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month turns into a transient display rather than a driver of transformation.”
Reevaluating, Not Abandoning
Establishing how to adjust, modify and expand initiatives for fair treatment and appreciation in such times of discouragement and concern is a treacherous thing. There is a urge to just discontinue observances such as Black History Month altogether, thinking they are no longer suitable, or are remnants of an era that has failed to deliver.
But despite everything, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and heritage of campaigns for equality – local anti-racism groups, inclusion and equity efforts, and yes, even those talks to businesses – constitute an framework that a considerable labor has gone into. It is there not merely to decline as the politics moves on (and in fact, declines), but to be a living breathing thing.
So what would a fresh vibrant Black History Month seem? Firstly, it would be extended beyond a brief observance: something that is dispersed throughout the annual calendar (as certain organizations are already starting to implement), parts of its content (particularly around historic Black characters) integrated into educational programs. It would also be a time that does not evade political issues, and provides room for individuals, particularly the younger generation, to express their concerns and stories. What value has simple recognition of the history when it doesn’t reckon with the present reality of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the public spaces? Establishments who celebrate it should not be reassured with the passive language of “unconscious bias” and sensitivity to “microaggressions”, but faced with the risks that affect everyone if opposition to discrimination is not treated with importance. In short, Black History Month should be made current, pressing, and responsive. Maybe an total re-identification is in order – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.
