This commemorative month is a reflection of the prevailing political atmosphere, so how do we revamp it?
It's Black History Month in the UK, and it seems it’s time for a reassessment. As time has passed, an observance that began as a festivity and recollection of the past, cultural identity and bonds between international African diaspora communities, has developed a commercial tone, expanding to include functions where African descendants are paid to speak with white audiences about hidden biases and supportive partnership. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade generated a rise in the industry of demonstrating racial awareness. Yet, that phase is now over. The tide has reached its height, producing a diluted aftermath of what raising awareness is for.
The Background of Black History Month
Initially celebrated in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by historian of African descent Carter G. Woodson with seven days of commemoration and observance 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 Britain, Deutschland, Ireland and the Netherlands.
The observance has transformed since that time, placing less emphasis on the accounts of transatlantic enslavement and struggles for equality, and increasingly on prominent Black figures in government, the arts, and social movements, and broadly celebrating the contribution Black people have made to shape the country. It is in schools where Black History Month is most commonly celebrated, with discussions and heritage festivities. But the way the month is celebrated is a manifestation of the current political situation. How it progresses is a good lesson in how co-option leads to dismantling: the transformation of Black History Month has hindered the point of it, which is to tackle systemic and institutional racism.
A Jarring Moment
Few things illustrate how important it is to rethink Black History Month as much as the specific period in which it occurs this year. In the UK, a reemerging right-wing in the form of the Reform organization is leading the polls. In the warmer months we saw the biggest extreme right demonstration in the history of Britain. a prominent political figure, the Black leader of the right-wing political group, is a staunch adversary of anti-racism activism, and we are in a position where a member of parliament feels empowered to declare that the absence of Caucasian individuals in specific city neighborhoods is a reason for concern. Meanwhile, far-right parties are growing in Europe as a entirety.
In the United States, a significant offensive against DEI and affirmative action has been carried, frequently with success, to the highest courts of the state. A campaign to scrub the history of people of color and legacy from the archives is in progress. One of the political figure's initial presidential directives targeted the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the renowned cultural organization, accusing them of a coordinated and broad attempt to alter the country's historical narrative” by depicting the United States “as fundamentally prejudiced”.
In this context, the month illustrates how insufficiently it can be effective if it is limited to either obligatory business commemorations, or politically neutered commemorations of former accomplishments, rather than confronting the conditions of the present. It also shows how its restricted time span means that it is separated from the broader ongoing work that is required. Denise Miller, a educator at University of Greenwich, expressed it perfectly when she expressed apprehension about the short-term symbolic gestures of the celebration. “The difficulty with adopting a symbolic stance”, 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
Establishing how to adjust, modify and expand actions for fair treatment and appreciation in such moments of dejection and worry is a difficult task. There is a temptation to just discontinue events including Black History Month completely, believing they are inadequate for current needs, or are vestiges of an period 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 – local anti-racism groups, DEI programs, and certainly, even commercial engagements – form an infrastructure that a significant effort has been dedicated to. It is there not just to decay as the political landscape shifts (and in fact, deteriorates), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month seem? Firstly, it would be extended beyond a brief observance: something that is distributed across all seasons (as some institutions are already beginning to do), elements of its material (particularly around historic Black characters) integrated into academic syllabi. It would also be a era that does not avoid political issues, and leaves space for people, particularly the younger generation, to express their concerns and stories. What purpose serves mere awareness of the history when it doesn’t reckon with the contemporary truth of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the urban areas? Organizations who observe it should not be comforted with the passive language of “unconscious bias” and alertness to minor insults, but challenged by the threats that impact society if fight against prejudice is not approached earnestly. In short, Black History Month should be made current, critical, and adaptive. It could be that an entire name rebrand is required – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.
