Black History Month acts as a gauge of the political moment, so what steps can we take to refresh 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 observance that began as a festivity and recollection of history, culture and the connections between international African diaspora communities, has taken on a corporate feel, expanding to include gatherings where African descendants are compensated to address white audiences about implicit prejudice and supportive partnership. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade generated a rise in the business of showcasing anti-racist commitment. Yet, that phase is now over. The tide has reached its height, producing a diluted aftermath of what raising awareness is for.
The History of Black History Observance
Originally observed in the US and Canada, Black History Month was established in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with a week of commemoration and observance in the February's second week. Black History Month grew out of this campaign and was officially launched in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the North America in the second month, but also in the tenth month in the UK, the Federal Republic of Germany, Éire and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The month has evolved since those days, placing less emphasis on the narratives of transatlantic enslavement and struggles for equality, and more on prominent Black figures in politics, culture, and activism, and broadly celebrating the contribution Black people have made to influence the nation. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most frequently marked, with lectures and artistic activities. But the way the observance is commemorated is a manifestation of the contemporary political context. How it progresses is a good lesson in how appropriation leads to dismantling: the transformation of Black History Month has stymied the objective of it, which is to address structural and organizational discrimination.
A Jarring Moment
Little demonstrates how crucial it is to reevaluate Black History Month better than the particular moment in which it falls this year. In the Britain, a reemerging right-wing in the form of the Reform party is ahead in surveys. In the recent season we observed the most significant ultra-conservative gathering in the UK's past. a prominent political figure, the person of color at the helm of the Conservative party, is a staunch adversary of the racial justice movement, and we are in a situation where a legislator feels empowered to declare that a lack of white people in certain urban areas is a source of worry. Simultaneously, far-right parties are surging in Europe as a whole.
In the United States, a significant offensive against DEI and affirmative action has been taken, often successfully, to the top legal institutions of the nation. A effort to remove African American heritage and narrative from the archives is in progress. One of Donald Trump's first executive orders focused on 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 portraying America “as naturally discriminatory”.
Given these circumstances, the observance illustrates how minimally it can be effective if it is restricted to either dutiful corporate observances, or politically neutered festivities of contributions in the past, rather than confronting the realities of the present. It also demonstrates how its limited duration means that it is separated from the wider consistent effort that is needed. An academic expert, a professor at University of Greenwich, expressed it perfectly when she expressed apprehension about the temporary “tokenism” of the celebration. “The problem with adopting a symbolic stance”, she commented, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month evolves into a brief show rather than a catalyst for change.”
Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning
Figuring out how to adapt, revise and extend initiatives for fair treatment and appreciation in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a treacherous thing. There is a inclination to just do away with observances such as Black History Month altogether, believing they are simply not fit for purpose, or are remnants of an time that has not worked.
Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the whole broad system and legacy of racial movements – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, DEI programs, and indeed, including corporate presentations – constitute an framework that a significant effort has been dedicated to. It is there not merely to decline as the political landscape shifts (and in fact, declines), but to be a living breathing thing.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month look like? To begin with, it would be extended beyond a brief observance: something that is dispersed through the year (as some institutions are already commencing), elements of its material (particularly around prominent figures of color) incorporated into educational programs. It would also be a era that does not shy away from governmental matters, and provides room for citizens, particularly youth, to share their anxieties and narratives. What purpose serves basic knowledge of the bygone era when it fails to address the contemporary truth of extreme conservative demonstrations in the urban areas? Organizations who observe it should not be comforted with the passive language of “unconscious bias” and alertness to “microaggressions”, but faced with the dangers that impact society if anti-racism is not approached earnestly. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made contemporary, pressing, and responsive. Maybe an entire name rebrand is required – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.
