The annual Black History observance acts as a gauge of the current political climate, so in what ways can we modernize it?
We are in Black History Month in the UK, and it appears it’s time for a re-evaluation. As time has passed, an event that was initiated as a celebration and reminder of the past, cultural identity and bonds between international African diaspora communities, has adopted a corporate feel, broadening to incorporate functions where individuals of African heritage are remunerated to address Caucasian groups about hidden biases and “allyship”. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade generated a rise in the enterprise of displaying cultural sensitivity. However, that period has concluded. The surge has crested, producing a diluted aftermath of what promoting consciousness is for.
The Origins of Black History Month
First commemorated in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was created in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by historian of African descent Carter G. Woodson with seven days of commemoration and observance in the second week of February. Black History Month developed from this initiative and was publicly established in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the North America in February, but also in autumn in the UK, Deutschland, the Republic of Ireland and the Netherlands.
The observance has transformed since that time, giving reduced attention to the histories of transatlantic enslavement and fights for racial justice, and increasingly on notable African descendants in politics, culture, and activism, and extensively acknowledging the contribution Black people have made to mold society. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with talks and cultural events. But the method the celebration is commemorated is a reflection of the current political situation. How it progresses is a instructive case in how appropriation leads to weakening: the reshaping of Black History Month has stymied the purpose of it, which is to confront systemic and institutional racism.
A Disconcerting Period
Hardly anything shows how important it is to rethink Black History Month more than the specific period in which it occurs this year. In the UK, a resurgent right in the shape of the Reform party is leading the polls. In the recent season we saw the largest far-right rally in the history of Britain. Kemi Badenoch, the person of color at the helm of the Tory party, is a firm opponent of the racial justice movement, and we are in a situation where a member of parliament feels emboldened to declare that “not seeing any white faces” in certain urban areas is a cause for alarm. Simultaneously, extreme conservative groups are growing in the European continent as a entirety.
In the US, a significant offensive against DEI and affirmative action has been carried, frequently with success, to the highest courts of the state. A drive to scrub African American heritage and legacy from the archives is ongoing. One of the former president's first executive orders targeted the museum of African American legacy, and the prestigious establishment, alleging that they of a organized and extensive campaign to change the national past” by representing the nation “as naturally discriminatory”.
Given these circumstances, the observance symbolises how little it can be influential if it is restricted to either dutiful corporate observances, or politically neutered celebrations of contributions in the past, rather than confronting the situation of the contemporary world. It also reveals how its limited duration means that it is separated from the broader ongoing work that is needed. An academic expert, a professor at a learning establishment, expressed it perfectly when she voiced worries about the temporary “tokenism” of the celebration. “The problem with embracing a superficial method”, she commented, “is that it often means that Black History Month turns into a transient display rather than a catalyst for change.”
Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning
Figuring out how to alter, change and broaden initiatives for racial equality and recognition in such moments of dejection and worry is a treacherous thing. There is a inclination to just do away with events including Black History Month completely, believing they are no longer suitable, or are vestiges of an time 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, inclusion and equity efforts, and certainly, even commercial engagements – represent an infrastructure that a considerable labor has been invested in. It is there not merely to decline as the politics moves on (and in fact, deteriorates), but to be a dynamic entity.
So what would a fresh vibrant Black History Month appear as? Firstly, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is dispersed through the year (as various establishments are already starting to implement), sections of its curriculum (particularly around historic Black characters) integrated into school curriculums. It would also be a period that does not evade politics, and leaves space for individuals, particularly youth, to express their concerns and stories. What purpose serves mere awareness of the past when it ignores the present reality of far-right rallies in the urban areas? Organizations who mark it should not be comforted with the passive language of implicit prejudice and alertness to subtle slights, but faced with the dangers that impact society if anti-racism is not treated with importance. In short, Black History Month should be made up-to-date, critical, and responsive. Maybe an complete renaming is necessary – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.
