This commemorative month is a reflection of the political moment, so in what ways can we modernize it?
We are in Black History Month in the United Kingdom, and it feels like it’s time for a reassessment. As time has passed, an observance that started out as a festivity and recollection of the past, cultural identity and bonds between global Black communities, has taken on a business-like atmosphere, growing to encompass events where African descendants are compensated to address Caucasian groups about “unconscious bias” and active solidarity. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests created a surge in the industry of showcasing anti-racist commitment. But even that moment has passed. The wave has reached its height, producing a diluted aftermath of what promoting consciousness is for.
The Background of Black History Month
First commemorated in the US and Canada, Black History Month was established in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by Black scholar Carter G. Woodson with seven days of commemoration and observance in the February's second week. Black History Month evolved from this movement and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the North America in the second month, but also in October in the United Kingdom, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Republic of Ireland and the Holland.
The observance has developed since that time, focusing less on the accounts of transatlantic enslavement and struggles for equality, and increasingly on prominent Black figures in government, the arts, and social movements, and extensively acknowledging the impact Black people have made to mold society. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most commonly celebrated, with talks and cultural events. But the manner the celebration is celebrated is a manifestation of the current political situation. How it progresses is a good lesson in how appropriation 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 crucial it is to reevaluate Black History Month better than the particular moment in which it occurs this year. In the UK, a revitalized conservative movement in the form of the Reform organization is top in opinion ratings. In the summer 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 anti-racism activism, and we are in a position where a legislator feels empowered to state that “not seeing any white faces” in parts of a city is a cause for alarm. At the same time, extreme conservative groups are expanding in the European continent as a entirety.
In the United States, a colossal assault against DEI and affirmative action has been carried, repeatedly with positive outcomes, to the highest courts of the state. A campaign to erase Black history and legacy from the archives is ongoing. One of Donald Trump's initial presidential directives focused on the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the Smithsonian Institution, alleging that they of a organized and extensive campaign to alter the country's historical narrative” by portraying America “as naturally discriminatory”.
Against this backdrop, the celebration illustrates how minimally it can be influential if it is restricted to either obligatory business commemorations, or politically neutered celebrations of historical achievements, rather than addressing the conditions of the present. It also shows how its limited duration means that it is detached from the more extensive continuous action that is required. Denise Miller, a professor at a learning establishment, put it best when she raised concerns about the short-term symbolic gestures of the celebration. “The issue with taking a tokenistic approach”, she stated, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month evolves into a fleeting performance rather than a catalyst for change.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Figuring out how to alter, change and broaden initiatives for equal rights and acknowledgment in such times of discouragement and concern is a challenging endeavor. There is a urge to just do away with events including Black History Month completely, thinking they are simply not fit for purpose, or are relics of an period that has not worked.
Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the complete comprehensive structure and legacy of campaigns for equality – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, DEI programs, and indeed, including corporate presentations – constitute an framework that a considerable labor has been dedicated to. It is there not merely to decline as the politics moves on (and in fact, deteriorates), but to be a living breathing thing.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month seem? To begin with, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is spread out through the year (as various establishments are already starting to implement), parts of its content (particularly around historic Black characters) incorporated into academic syllabi. It would also be a era that does not shy away from politics, and leaves space for individuals, particularly the younger generation, to air their fears and experiences. What value has simple recognition of the bygone era when it ignores the contemporary truth of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the street? Organizations who observe it should not be pacified with the passive language of implicit prejudice and alertness to subtle slights, but faced with the dangers that face all if opposition to discrimination is not approached earnestly. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made up-to-date, critical, and reactive. Perhaps an total re-identification is required – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.
