Black History Month is a reflection of the prevailing political atmosphere, so in what ways can we modernize it?
We are in Black History Month in the UK, and it feels like it’s time for a rethink. Over the years, an event that was initiated as a celebration and reminder of the past, cultural identity and bonds between global Black communities, has developed a corporate feel, growing to encompass events where African descendants are compensated to speak with white audiences about hidden biases and “allyship”. The demonstrations for racial justice in the 2020s sparked an increase in the business of demonstrating racial awareness. However, that period has concluded. The wave has reached its height, producing a diluted aftermath of what increasing understanding is for.
The Background of Black History Observance
Initially celebrated in the US and Canada, Black History Month was established in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with a week of remembrance and recognition in the second week of February. Black History Month developed from this initiative and was officially launched in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the North America in the second month, but also in October in the Britain, Germany, the Republic of Ireland and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The month has evolved since its inception, giving reduced attention to the accounts of transatlantic enslavement and civil rights battles, and more on prominent Black figures in politics, culture, and activism, and extensively acknowledging the input Black people have made to influence the nation. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most commonly celebrated, with discussions and heritage festivities. But the way the month is observed is a manifestation of the political moment. How it evolves is a good lesson in how co-option leads to dismantling: the restructuring of Black History Month has impeded the point of it, which is to tackle systemic and institutional racism.
A Disconcerting Period
Few things illustrate how critical it is to reevaluate Black History Month better than the particular moment in which it falls this year. In the United Kingdom, a revitalized conservative movement in the guise of the Reform organization is leading the polls. In the warmer months we witnessed the most significant ultra-conservative gathering in the history of Britain. Kemi Badenoch, the African descendant in charge of the Conservative party, is a firm opponent of the racial justice movement, and we are in a place where a member of parliament feels empowered to declare that the absence of Caucasian individuals in specific city neighborhoods is a cause for alarm. Simultaneously, extreme conservative groups are growing in the EU as a entirety.
In the America, a colossal assault against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been carried, repeatedly with positive outcomes, to the supreme judicial bodies of the nation. A campaign to remove Black history and narrative from the historical documents is in progress. One of Donald Trump's early administrative commands aimed at the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the renowned cultural organization, accusing them of a “concerted and widespread effort to alter the country's historical narrative” by representing the nation “as naturally discriminatory”.
Given these circumstances, the month illustrates how insufficiently it can be impactful if it is confined to either dutiful corporate observances, or stripped of political content commemorations of former accomplishments, rather than addressing the realities of the contemporary world. It also reveals how its limited duration means that it is disconnected from the more extensive continuous action that is needed. An academic expert, a prof at University of Greenwich, expressed it perfectly when she voiced worries about the short-term symbolic gestures of the observance. “The difficulty with embracing a superficial method”, she stated, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month becomes a transient display rather than a driver of transformation.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Determining how to alter, change and broaden efforts for fair treatment and appreciation in such times of discouragement and concern is a challenging endeavor. There is a inclination to just do away with observances such as Black History Month altogether, assuming they are simply not fit for purpose, or are remnants of an era that has been ineffective.
But despite everything, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and legacy of activism for racial justice – community-based BLM initiatives, inclusion and equity efforts, and indeed, including corporate presentations – constitute an foundation that a lot of work 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 seem? Firstly, it would be extended beyond a brief observance: something that is spread out through the year (as various establishments are already starting to implement), parts of its content (particularly around notable African descendants) incorporated into academic syllabi. It would also be a time that does not shy away from politics, and leaves space for individuals, particularly the younger generation, to air their fears and experiences. What purpose serves simple recognition of the bygone era when it ignores the contemporary truth of extreme conservative demonstrations in the urban areas? Establishments who mark it should not be comforted with the neutral terminology of “unconscious bias” and awareness of “microaggressions”, but faced with the threats that impact society if fight against prejudice is not treated with importance. In short, Black History Month should be made contemporary, pressing, and reactive. It could be that an total re-identification is in order – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.