Black History Month serves as a mirror of the prevailing political atmosphere, so in what ways can we modernize it?
We are in Black History Month in the UK, and it feels like it’s time for a rethink. Throughout its history, an celebration that started out as a festivity and recollection of heritage, traditions and links between Black populations worldwide, has taken on a commercial tone, expanding to include gatherings where individuals of African heritage are compensated to speak with predominantly white listeners about hidden biases and “allyship”. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests sparked an increase in the industry of showcasing anti-racist commitment. But even that moment has passed. The tide has reached its height, producing a diluted aftermath of what raising awareness is for.
The History of Black History Celebration
Originally observed in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was created in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history by Black scholar Carter G. Woodson with seven days of remembrance and recognition in the middle of February. Black History Month developed from this initiative and was officially launched in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the US and Canada in the second month, but also in autumn in the Britain, Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands.
The period has evolved since those days, placing less emphasis on the narratives of transatlantic enslavement and civil rights battles, and more on notable African descendants in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, and broadly celebrating the contribution Black people have made to influence the nation. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with lectures and artistic activities. But the method the month is commemorated is a reflection of the contemporary political context. How it evolves is a instructive case in how assimilation leads to erosion: the restructuring of Black History Month has hindered the purpose of it, which is to confront systemic and institutional racism.
A Jarring Moment
Little demonstrates how crucial it is to reevaluate Black History Month more than the particular moment in which it takes place this year. In the United Kingdom, a resurgent right in the shape of the Reform party is top in opinion ratings. In the warmer months we saw the largest far-right rally in British history. Kemi Badenoch, the African descendant in charge of the Conservative party, is a strong critic of the racial justice movement, and we are in a position where a member of parliament feels empowered to say that a lack of white people in certain urban areas is a reason for concern. Simultaneously, ultra-nationalist movements are growing in the EU as a whole.
In the US, a massive attack against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been brought, frequently with success, to the highest courts of the nation. A drive to scrub Black history and experience from the records is under way. One of the former president's initial presidential directives targeted the museum of African American legacy, and the prestigious establishment, accusing them of a coordinated and broad attempt to change the national past” by depicting the United States “as naturally discriminatory”.
Given these circumstances, the celebration represents how insufficiently it can be effective if it is limited to either obligatory business commemorations, or depoliticized festivities of former accomplishments, rather than confronting the situation of the contemporary world. It also demonstrates how its short period means that it is separated from the broader ongoing work that is needed. A university professor, a educator at University of Greenwich, articulated it most accurately when she raised concerns about the temporary “tokenism” of the celebration. “The difficulty with embracing a superficial method”, she commented, “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 racial equality and recognition in such times of discouragement and concern is a difficult task. There is a temptation to just do away with observances such as Black History Month completely, assuming they are inadequate for current needs, or are remnants of an period that has been ineffective.
Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the complete comprehensive structure and legacy of activism for racial justice – community-based BLM initiatives, inclusion and equity efforts, and indeed, including corporate presentations – form an foundation that a significant effort has been invested in. It is there not only to deteriorate as the politics moves on (and in fact, regresses), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month seem? To begin with, it would be extended beyond a brief observance: something that is spread out through the year (as some institutions are already commencing), parts of its content (particularly around notable African descendants) included in school curriculums. It would also be a era that does not shy away from governmental matters, and leaves space for people, particularly young people, to air their fears and experiences. What use is mere awareness of the bygone era when it ignores the present reality of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the public spaces? Establishments who celebrate it should not be pacified with the passive language of hidden discrimination and awareness of minor insults, but challenged by the dangers that face all if opposition to discrimination is not treated with importance. To summarize, Black History Month should be made current, pressing, and reactive. Maybe an complete renaming is required – Black History is Now Month.
