Black History Month acts as a gauge of the current political climate, so how do we revamp it?
It's Black History Month in the UK, and it feels like it’s time for a reassessment. As time has passed, an event that began as a commemorative event of history, culture and the connections between international African diaspora communities, has adopted a commercial tone, expanding to include events where Black people are paid to talk to predominantly white listeners about “unconscious bias” and active solidarity. The demonstrations for racial justice in the 2020s generated a rise in the industry of demonstrating racial awareness. But even that moment has passed. The wave has crested, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what promoting consciousness is for.
The Origins of Black History Observance
Originally observed in the America and its northern neighbor, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history 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 campaign and was publicly established in 1970. Currently it is marked not only in the US and Canada in the second month, but also in autumn in the United Kingdom, Deutschland, the Republic of Ireland and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The period has developed since that time, placing less emphasis on the histories of the slave trade across the Atlantic and struggles for equality, and increasingly on influential individuals of color in politics, culture, and activism, and broadly celebrating the input Black people have made to mold society. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most frequently marked, with lectures and artistic activities. But the way the celebration is commemorated is a indication of the political moment. How it develops is a valuable example in how co-option leads to erosion: the transformation of Black History Month has stymied the purpose of it, which is to address structural and organizational discrimination.
A Jarring Moment
Few things illustrate how important it is to reevaluate Black History Month more than the current time in which it occurs this year. In the UK, a revitalized conservative movement in the form of the Reform organization is ahead in surveys. In the recent season we observed the largest far-right rally in the history of Britain. a prominent political figure, the African descendant in charge of the Conservative party, is a staunch adversary of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a situation where a member of parliament gains confidence to declare that the absence of Caucasian individuals in specific city neighborhoods is a source of worry. Simultaneously, far-right parties are growing in the European continent as a complete entity.
In the America, a colossal assault against DEI and affirmative action has been brought, often successfully, to the highest courts of the country. A effort to scrub African American heritage and legacy from the records is under way. One of the former president's initial presidential directives targeted the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the renowned cultural organization, alleging that they of a “concerted and widespread effort to change the national past” by depicting the United States “as inherently racist”.
Against this backdrop, the month illustrates how insufficiently it can be influential if it is restricted to either routine organizational acknowledgments, or stripped of political content festivities of historical achievements, rather than confronting the realities of the present. It also reveals how its limited duration means that it is detached from the wider consistent effort that is required. Denise Miller, a educator at a learning establishment, articulated it most accurately when she voiced worries about the fleeting superficial actions of the celebration. “The issue with adopting a symbolic stance”, she commented, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month turns into a fleeting performance rather than a catalyst for change.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Figuring out how to adjust, modify and expand efforts for fair treatment and appreciation in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a difficult task. There is a temptation to just discontinue events including Black History Month altogether, assuming they are simply not fit for purpose, or are relics of an time that has failed to deliver.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the complete comprehensive structure and tradition of activism for racial justice – local anti-racism groups, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and yes, even those talks to businesses – form an infrastructure that a considerable labor has been dedicated to. It is there not merely to decline as the political landscape shifts (and in fact, deteriorates), but to be a living breathing thing.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month seem? Firstly, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is spread out through the year (as some institutions are already commencing), sections of its curriculum (particularly around notable African descendants) incorporated into educational programs. It would also be a era that does not evade governmental matters, and allows opportunity for citizens, particularly young people, to express their concerns and stories. What use is basic knowledge of the bygone era when it fails to address the current situation of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the urban areas? Organizations who celebrate it should not be reassured with the neutral terminology of hidden discrimination and awareness of subtle slights, but challenged by the threats that face all if anti-racism is not taken seriously. In short, Black History Month should be made contemporary, pressing, and reactive. Perhaps an entire name rebrand is necessary – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.
