Black History Month acts as a gauge of the prevailing political atmosphere, so how do we revamp it?
It's Black History Month in the United Kingdom, and it appears it’s time for a rethink. Throughout its history, an observance that started out as a celebration and reminder of the past, cultural identity and bonds between Black populations worldwide, has taken on a commercial tone, growing to encompass gatherings where individuals of African heritage are paid to speak with predominantly white listeners about “unconscious bias” and supportive partnership. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests created a surge in the business of demonstrating racial awareness. However, that period has concluded. The wave has reached its height, resulting in a somewhat empty inheritance of what promoting consciousness is for.
The Background of Black History Month
Initially celebrated in the US and Canada, Black History Month was established in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by Black scholar Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of remembrance and recognition in the middle of February. Black History Month evolved from this initiative and was officially launched in 1970. Currently it is marked not only in the US and Canada in winter, but also in October in the UK, Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands.
The observance has developed since those days, focusing less on the histories of colonial slavery and civil rights battles, and greater focus on prominent Black figures in politics, culture, and activism, and broadly celebrating the input Black people have made to mold society. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with discussions and heritage festivities. But the method the celebration is commemorated is a manifestation of the political moment. How it progresses is a good lesson in how assimilation leads to erosion: the reshaping of Black History Month has hindered the objective of it, which is to tackle systemic and institutional racism.
A Disconcerting Period
Few things illustrate how important it is to reevaluate Black History Month better than the specific period in which it takes place this year. In the United Kingdom, a revitalized conservative movement in the form of the Reform political group is leading the polls. In the summer we observed the most significant ultra-conservative gathering in the history of Britain. the Conservative leader, the Black leader of the Tory party, is a strong critic of the racial justice movement, and we are in a situation where a legislator gains confidence to say that a lack of white people in certain urban areas is a cause for alarm. At the same time, extreme conservative groups are expanding in the EU as a whole.
In the America, a colossal assault against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been carried, frequently with success, to the supreme judicial bodies of the country. A campaign to scrub African American heritage and narrative from the records is under way. One of the former president's early administrative commands focused on the museum of African American legacy, and the Smithsonian Institution, accusing them of a organized and extensive campaign to alter the country's historical narrative” by representing the nation “as naturally discriminatory”.
Given these circumstances, the celebration symbolises how minimally it can be influential if it is confined to either dutiful corporate observances, or depoliticized celebrations of contributions in the past, rather than challenging the realities of the current era. It also reveals how its limited duration means that it is separated from the broader ongoing work that is needed. An academic expert, a prof at University of Greenwich, expressed it perfectly when she voiced worries about the temporary “tokenism” of the month. “The difficulty with taking a tokenistic approach”, she stated, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month evolves into a fleeting performance rather than a catalyst for change.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Establishing how to adjust, modify and expand efforts for fair treatment and appreciation in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a challenging endeavor. There is a urge to just do away with observances such as Black History Month entirely, assuming they are no longer suitable, or are remnants of an era that has failed to deliver.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and tradition of activism for racial justice – local anti-racism groups, DEI programs, and certainly, even commercial engagements – represent an framework that a considerable labor has been dedicated to. It is there not only to deteriorate as the situation evolves (and in fact, declines), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a contemporary active Black History Month appear as? Firstly, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is spread out through the year (as certain organizations are already starting to implement), sections of its curriculum (particularly around notable African descendants) included in academic syllabi. It would also be a period that does not avoid political issues, and leaves space for people, particularly young people, to share their anxieties and narratives. What value has basic knowledge of the past when it fails to address the current situation of extreme conservative demonstrations in the urban areas? Institutions who celebrate it should not be pacified with the non-confrontational words of implicit prejudice and awareness of “microaggressions”, but confronted with the risks that impact society if fight against prejudice is not taken seriously. In short, Black History Month should be made contemporary, critical, and responsive. Maybe an complete renaming is in order – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.
