Black History Month is a reflection of the political moment, so in what ways can we modernize it?
This is Black History Month in the United Kingdom, and it feels like it’s time for a re-evaluation. Throughout its history, an celebration that was initiated as a celebration and reminder of history, culture and the connections between Black populations worldwide, has taken on a commercial tone, broadening to incorporate events where individuals of African heritage are remunerated to address Caucasian groups about implicit prejudice and active solidarity. The demonstrations for racial justice in the 2020s created a surge in the industry of showcasing anti-racist commitment. Yet, that phase is now over. The wave has peaked, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what promoting consciousness is for.
The Origins of Black History Observance
First commemorated in the US and Canada, Black History Month was established in 1962 as an observance of African American heritage by Black scholar Carter G. Woodson with seven days of commemoration and observance in the second week of February. Black History Month evolved from this initiative and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Currently it is marked not only in the United States and Canada in the second month, but also in the tenth month in the United Kingdom, the Federal Republic of Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands.
The month has evolved since that time, giving reduced attention to the narratives of transatlantic enslavement and civil rights battles, and more 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 learning environments where Black History Month is most frequently marked, with lectures and artistic activities. But the method the celebration is celebrated is a reflection of the political moment. How it develops is a instructive case in how co-option leads to erosion: the transformation of Black History Month has hindered the purpose of it, which is to tackle embedded and established prejudice.
A Disconcerting Period
Little demonstrates how important it is to reevaluate Black History Month better than the specific period in which it takes place this year. In the UK, a resurgent right in the shape of the Reform party is ahead in surveys. In the recent season we witnessed the biggest extreme right demonstration in the history of Britain. a prominent political figure, the person of color at the helm of the right-wing political group, is a strong critic of the racial justice movement, and we are in a situation where a member of parliament feels empowered to declare that the absence of Caucasian individuals in parts of a city is a source of worry. At the same time, far-right parties are growing in the European continent as a entirety.
In the US, a significant offensive against inclusion programs and preferential policies has been brought, often successfully, to the top legal institutions of the country. A effort to erase African American heritage and experience from the archives is ongoing. One of the former president's early administrative commands targeted the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the Smithsonian Institution, accusing them of a “concerted and widespread effort to alter the country's historical narrative” by portraying America “as fundamentally prejudiced”.
Against this backdrop, the observance illustrates how little it can be impactful if it is confined to either obligatory business commemorations, or stripped of political content commemorations of former accomplishments, rather than addressing the situation of the present. It also demonstrates how its limited duration means that it is detached from the broader ongoing work that is necessary. 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 adopting a symbolic stance”, she commented, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month evolves into a fleeting performance rather than a agent of progress.”
Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning
Figuring out how to adapt, revise and extend actions for fair treatment and appreciation in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a treacherous thing. There is a urge to just discontinue events including Black History Month completely, assuming 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 tradition of racial movements – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, inclusion and equity efforts, and certainly, even commercial engagements – form an framework that a lot of work has been invested in. It is there not merely to decline as the politics moves on (and in fact, declines), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a contemporary active Black History Month seem? Well, first, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is dispersed across all seasons (as certain organizations are already starting to implement), elements of its material (particularly around prominent figures of color) 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 express their concerns and stories. What use is simple recognition of the bygone era when it fails to address the present reality of far-right rallies in the urban areas? Organizations who mark it should not be pacified with the neutral terminology of hidden discrimination and awareness of “microaggressions”, but confronted with the risks that affect everyone if anti-racism is not approached earnestly. To summarize, Black History Month should be made contemporary, urgent, and responsive. Perhaps an entire name rebrand is in order – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.
