Black History Month acts as a gauge of the prevailing political atmosphere, so in what ways can we modernize it?
It's Black History Month in the UK, and it feels like it’s time for a rethink. Over the years, an celebration that started out as a celebration and reminder of history, culture and the connections between global Black communities, has adopted a corporate feel, growing to encompass gatherings where individuals of African heritage are compensated to speak with predominantly white listeners about hidden biases and “allyship”. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade generated a rise in the business of demonstrating racial awareness. However, that period has concluded. The tide has crested, resulting in a somewhat empty inheritance of what promoting consciousness is for.
The Background of Black History Celebration
First commemorated in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as an observance of African American heritage by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of remembrance and recognition in the second week of February. Black History Month grew out of this initiative and was publicly established in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the North America in the second month, but also in autumn in the UK, Deutschland, the Republic of Ireland and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The period has transformed since those days, giving reduced attention to the histories of colonial slavery and struggles for equality, and greater focus on prominent Black figures in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, and extensively acknowledging the contribution Black people have made to shape the country. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most commonly celebrated, with talks and cultural events. But the method the observance is observed is a manifestation of the current political situation. How it evolves is a valuable example in how assimilation leads to dismantling: the reshaping of Black History Month has impeded the point of it, which is to address structural and organizational discrimination.
A Troubling Time
Little demonstrates how critical it is to rethink Black History Month more than the specific period in which it occurs this year. In the United Kingdom, a revitalized conservative movement in the form of the Reform political group is leading the polls. In the warmer months we observed the biggest extreme right demonstration in British history. Kemi Badenoch, the person of color at the helm of the right-wing political group, is a strong critic of the racial justice movement, and we are in a position where a member of parliament feels emboldened to declare that “not seeing any white faces” in parts of a city is a source of worry. Simultaneously, ultra-nationalist movements 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 Black history and experience from the records is ongoing. One of the former president's early administrative commands targeted the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the renowned cultural organization, claiming they of a “concerted and widespread effort to rewrite our Nation’s history” by representing the nation “as naturally discriminatory”.
Given these circumstances, the observance represents how little it can be impactful if it is confined to either dutiful corporate observances, or depoliticized celebrations of former accomplishments, rather than challenging the conditions of the contemporary world. It also demonstrates how its short period means that it is disconnected from the broader ongoing work that is necessary. A university professor, a educator at a learning establishment, 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 typically leads to that Black History Month becomes a transient display rather than a driver of transformation.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Establishing how to adjust, modify and expand actions for equal rights and acknowledgment in such times of discouragement and concern is a difficult task. There is a temptation to just discontinue events including Black History Month altogether, thinking they are simply not fit for purpose, or are vestiges of an time that has been ineffective.
But despite everything, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and heritage of activism for racial justice – local anti-racism groups, DEI programs, and certainly, even commercial engagements – form an foundation that a considerable labor has gone into. It is there not only to deteriorate as the politics moves on (and in fact, deteriorates), but to be a living breathing thing.
So what would a fresh vibrant Black History Month look like? Well, first, it would be extended beyond a brief observance: something that is distributed through the year (as certain organizations are already starting to implement), parts of its content (particularly around prominent figures of color) integrated into school curriculums. It would also be a period that does not shy away from politics, and leaves space for people, particularly youth, to express their concerns and stories. What purpose serves basic knowledge of the past when it fails to address the contemporary truth of far-right rallies in the urban areas? Establishments who celebrate it should not be reassured with the neutral terminology of implicit prejudice and alertness to subtle slights, but challenged by the threats that impact society if opposition to discrimination is not approached earnestly. In short, Black History Month should be made up-to-date, critical, and responsive. It could be that an complete renaming is required – Contemporary Black History Month.