This commemorative month is a reflection of the political moment, so how do we revamp it?
This is Black History Month in the UK, and it seems it’s time for a rethink. As time has passed, an observance that started out as a celebration and reminder of history, culture and the connections between international African diaspora communities, has taken on a commercial tone, growing to encompass gatherings where African descendants are paid to address white audiences about hidden biases and “allyship”. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade created a surge in the business of demonstrating racial awareness. But even that moment has passed. The tide has peaked, producing a diluted aftermath of what promoting consciousness is for.
The Background of Black History Celebration
First commemorated in the US and Canada, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of celebration and reflection in the second week of February. Black History Month developed from this campaign and was publicly established in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the North America in the second month, but also in October in the UK, Germany, the Republic of Ireland and the Netherlands.
The observance has evolved since those days, placing less emphasis on the narratives of the slave trade across the Atlantic and fights for racial justice, and increasingly on prominent Black figures in politics, culture, and activism, and widely honoring the input Black people have made to mold society. It is in schools where Black History Month is most commonly celebrated, with talks and cultural events. But the way the month is observed is a indication of the current political situation. How it evolves is a good lesson in how appropriation leads to dismantling: the restructuring of Black History Month has impeded the purpose of it, which is to address systemic and institutional racism.
A Troubling Time
Little demonstrates how critical it is to rethink Black History Month better than the current time in which it occurs this year. In the United Kingdom, a revitalized conservative movement in the shape of the Reform organization is top in opinion ratings. In the warmer months we saw the biggest extreme right demonstration in the history of Britain. Kemi Badenoch, the Black leader of the right-wing political group, is a strong critic of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a position where a member of parliament feels empowered to declare that the absence of Caucasian individuals in parts of a city is a reason for concern. Meanwhile, far-right parties are growing in Europe as a complete entity.
In the America, a massive attack against DEI and affirmative action has been brought, frequently with success, to the top legal institutions of the country. A effort to erase the history of people of color and legacy from the historical documents is under way. One of the former president's early administrative commands focused on the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the prestigious establishment, claiming they of a coordinated and broad attempt to rewrite our Nation’s history” by representing the nation “as fundamentally prejudiced”.
Against this backdrop, the month represents how little it can be effective if it is limited to either dutiful corporate observances, or stripped of political content celebrations of historical achievements, rather than addressing the conditions of the present. It also demonstrates how its short period means that it is detached from the wider consistent effort that is necessary. A university professor, a professor at an educational institution, articulated it most accurately when she raised concerns about the temporary “tokenism” of the celebration. “The issue with adopting a symbolic stance”, she commented, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month turns into a fleeting performance rather than a catalyst for change.”
Reevaluating, Not Abandoning
Figuring out how to alter, change and broaden actions for fair treatment and appreciation in such times of discouragement and concern is a difficult task. There is a inclination to just do away with events including Black History Month altogether, assuming they are inadequate for current needs, or are vestiges of an period that has failed to deliver.
But despite everything, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and heritage of campaigns for equality – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and indeed, including corporate presentations – form an infrastructure that a significant effort has been dedicated to. It is there not merely to decline as the situation evolves (and in fact, deteriorates), but to be a living breathing thing.
So what would a fresh vibrant Black History Month seem? Firstly, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is distributed throughout the annual calendar (as various establishments are already commencing), sections of its curriculum (particularly around prominent figures of color) incorporated into academic syllabi. It would also be a era that does not shy away from governmental matters, and allows opportunity for people, particularly young people, to air their fears and experiences. What value has basic knowledge of the history when it ignores the present reality of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the street? Institutions who celebrate it should not be reassured with the non-confrontational words of “unconscious bias” and alertness to “microaggressions”, but faced with the dangers that affect everyone if anti-racism is not approached earnestly. In short, Black History Month should be made current, pressing, and reactive. Perhaps an entire name rebrand is in order – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.
