This commemorative month is a reflection of the current political climate, 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 event that started out as a festivity and recollection of the past, cultural identity and bonds between global Black communities, has taken on a corporate feel, expanding to include functions where African descendants are paid to talk to predominantly white listeners about hidden biases and supportive partnership. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests sparked an increase in the enterprise of demonstrating racial awareness. However, that period has concluded. The surge has crested, producing a diluted aftermath of what raising awareness is for.
The Origins of Black History Celebration
Originally observed in the US and Canada, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with a week of celebration and reflection in the second week of February. Black History Month evolved from this initiative and was publicly established in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the North America in the second month, but also in the tenth month in the Britain, the Federal Republic of Germany, Ireland and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The month has developed since that time, placing less emphasis on the accounts of colonial slavery and civil rights battles, and more on influential individuals of color in government, the arts, and social movements, and extensively acknowledging the contribution Black people have made to shape the country. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most commonly celebrated, with lectures and artistic activities. But the way the celebration is commemorated is a manifestation of the current political situation. How it evolves is a valuable example in how co-option leads to erosion: the reshaping of Black History Month has hindered the point of it, which is to confront systemic and institutional racism.
A Troubling Time
Little demonstrates how critical it is to rethink Black History Month better than the particular moment in which it falls this year. In the UK, a reemerging right-wing in the shape of the Reform political group is ahead in surveys. In the warmer months we saw the largest far-right rally in the UK's past. 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 situation where a elected representative feels empowered to state that the absence of Caucasian individuals in certain urban areas is a reason for concern. At the same time, far-right parties are growing in Europe as a entirety.
In the US, a significant offensive against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been taken, frequently with success, to the highest courts of the nation. A drive to scrub African American heritage and legacy from the archives is in progress. One of the political figure's initial presidential directives aimed at the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the Smithsonian Institution, claiming they of a coordinated and broad attempt to change the national past” by portraying America “as fundamentally prejudiced”.
In this context, the celebration illustrates how insufficiently it can be impactful if it is confined to either obligatory business commemorations, or stripped of political content celebrations of contributions in the past, rather than confronting the realities of the contemporary world. It also reveals how its short period means that it is separated from the more extensive continuous action that is necessary. A university professor, a prof at University of Greenwich, put it best when she expressed apprehension about the short-term symbolic gestures of the observance. “The difficulty with embracing a superficial method”, she wrote, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month becomes a transient display rather than a driver of transformation.”
Reevaluating, Not Abandoning
Determining how to alter, change and broaden actions for equal rights and acknowledgment in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a treacherous thing. There is a urge to just eliminate observances such as Black History Month entirely, assuming they are simply not fit for purpose, or are relics of an era that has not worked.
Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the complete comprehensive structure and legacy of racial movements – local anti-racism groups, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and yes, even those talks to businesses – represent an framework that a lot of work has gone into. It is there not only to deteriorate as the situation evolves (and in fact, regresses), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month appear as? Firstly, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is dispersed across all seasons (as certain organizations are already beginning to do), elements of its material (particularly around notable African descendants) incorporated into educational programs. It would also be a era that does not shy away from politics, and allows opportunity for individuals, particularly the younger generation, to express their concerns and stories. What value has mere awareness of the past when it fails to address the current situation of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the urban areas? Establishments who celebrate it should not be pacified with the non-confrontational words of “unconscious bias” and awareness of minor insults, but faced with the threats that affect everyone if anti-racism is not approached earnestly. To summarize, Black History Month should be made up-to-date, critical, and responsive. Perhaps an entire name rebrand is in order – Contemporary Black History Month.
