Black History Month acts as a gauge of the prevailing political atmosphere, so how do we revamp 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 celebration and reminder of heritage, traditions and links between global Black communities, has taken on a corporate feel, broadening to incorporate functions where Black people are remunerated to speak with predominantly white listeners about implicit prejudice and supportive partnership. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade created a surge in the enterprise of demonstrating racial awareness. Yet, that phase is now over. The tide has reached its height, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what raising awareness is for.
The History of Black History Month
Initially celebrated in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was established in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by Black scholar Carter G. Woodson with seven days of remembrance and recognition in the second week of February. Black History Month evolved from this initiative and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the United States and Canada in February, but also in the tenth month in the United Kingdom, Deutschland, Ireland and the Netherlands.
The observance has evolved since those days, placing less emphasis on the accounts of colonial slavery and fights for racial justice, and increasingly on prominent Black figures in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, and widely honoring the impact Black people have made to shape the country. It is in schools where Black History Month is most frequently marked, with discussions and heritage festivities. But the way the celebration is observed is a reflection of the contemporary political context. How it progresses is a instructive case in how co-option leads to erosion: the restructuring of Black History Month has hindered the point of it, which is to tackle systemic and institutional racism.
A Troubling Time
Few things illustrate how crucial it is to reevaluate Black History Month as much as the specific period in which it falls this year. In the UK, a resurgent right in the shape of the Reform organization is top in opinion ratings. In the recent season we witnessed the largest far-right rally in the history of Britain. the Conservative leader, the African descendant in charge of the Tory party, is a firm opponent of anti-racism activism, and we are in a place where a member of parliament feels empowered to say that the absence of Caucasian individuals in parts of a city is a cause for alarm. Simultaneously, extreme conservative groups are surging in the EU as a whole.
In the America, a significant offensive against inclusion programs and preferential policies has been taken, often successfully, to the top legal institutions of the nation. A effort to erase Black history and narrative from the archives is under way. One of the former president's first executive orders focused on the museum of African American legacy, and the renowned cultural organization, claiming they of a coordinated and broad attempt to change the national past” by representing the nation “as fundamentally prejudiced”.
Given these circumstances, the celebration represents how minimally it can be impactful if it is confined to either obligatory business commemorations, or depoliticized celebrations of historical achievements, rather than addressing the situation of the contemporary world. It also shows 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, put it best when she voiced worries about the short-term symbolic gestures of the month. “The issue with taking a tokenistic approach”, she wrote, “is that it often means that Black History Month turns into a brief show rather than a agent of progress.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Determining how to adapt, revise and extend actions for fair treatment and appreciation in such times of discouragement and concern is a difficult task. There is a temptation to just discontinue things like Black History Month altogether, believing they are no longer suitable, or are relics of an time that has not worked.
Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the whole broad system and tradition of campaigns for equality – community-based BLM initiatives, DEI programs, and yes, even those talks to businesses – constitute an foundation that a lot of work has been invested in. It is there not merely to decline as the situation evolves (and in fact, declines), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month appear as? To begin with, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is dispersed through the year (as various establishments are already starting to implement), parts of its content (particularly around notable African descendants) incorporated into educational programs. It would also be a time that does not evade political issues, and allows opportunity for citizens, particularly the younger generation, to air their fears and experiences. What purpose serves simple recognition of the history when it ignores the contemporary truth of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the street? Institutions who observe it should not be comforted with the neutral terminology of “unconscious bias” and awareness of “microaggressions”, but confronted with the threats that impact society if fight against prejudice is not treated with importance. To summarize, Black History Month should be made current, pressing, and responsive. Maybe an entire name rebrand is in order – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.
