This commemorative month acts as a gauge of the political moment, so in what ways can we modernize it?
It's Black History Month in the United Kingdom, and it seems it’s time for a reassessment. Over the years, an event that was initiated as a festivity and recollection of heritage, traditions and links between international African diaspora communities, has taken on a commercial tone, expanding to include functions where African descendants are remunerated to talk to predominantly white listeners about hidden biases and supportive partnership. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests sparked an increase in the enterprise of showcasing anti-racist commitment. However, that period has concluded. The tide has crested, producing a diluted aftermath of what increasing understanding is for.
The Origins of Black History Observance
Originally observed in the US and Canada, Black History Month was created in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history by historian of African descent Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of celebration and reflection in the February's second week. Black History Month evolved from this movement and was officially launched in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the US and Canada in February, but also in October in the Britain, the Federal Republic of Germany, Éire and the Holland.
The observance has transformed since that time, focusing less on the histories of colonial slavery and civil rights battles, and increasingly on notable African descendants in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, and broadly celebrating the impact Black people have made to influence the nation. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most commonly celebrated, with talks and cultural events. But the way the month is observed is a indication of the current political situation. How it evolves is a valuable example in how appropriation leads to weakening: the reshaping of Black History Month has impeded the objective of it, which is to confront embedded and established prejudice.
A Troubling Time
Hardly anything shows how important it is to reevaluate Black History Month better than the specific period in which it falls this year. In the United Kingdom, a reemerging right-wing in the guise of the Reform political group is top in opinion ratings. In the warmer months we witnessed the largest far-right rally in British history. a prominent political figure, the person of color at the helm of the right-wing political group, is a firm opponent of anti-racism activism, and we are in a position where a legislator feels empowered to declare that “not seeing any white faces” in parts of a city is a source of worry. At the same time, far-right parties are surging in the EU as a entirety.
In the America, a significant offensive against inclusion programs and preferential policies has been carried, often successfully, to the supreme judicial bodies of the state. A campaign to remove Black history and legacy from the archives is under way. One of the political figure's initial presidential directives aimed at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the renowned cultural organization, claiming they of a “concerted and widespread effort to change the national past” by portraying America “as naturally discriminatory”.
In this context, the month represents how little it can be impactful if it is restricted to either routine organizational acknowledgments, or depoliticized celebrations of historical achievements, rather than challenging the conditions of the current era. It also shows how its limited duration means that it is separated from the wider consistent effort that is necessary. A university professor, a professor at a learning establishment, expressed it perfectly when she voiced worries about the temporary “tokenism” of the celebration. “The issue with embracing a superficial method”, she stated, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month evolves into a fleeting performance rather than a catalyst for change.”
Reevaluating, Not Abandoning
Establishing how to adapt, revise and extend initiatives for fair treatment and appreciation in such times of discouragement and concern is a difficult task. There is a urge to just discontinue things like Black History Month altogether, thinking they are no longer suitable, or are relics of an time that has not worked.
But despite everything, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and heritage of activism for racial justice – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and certainly, even commercial engagements – represent an infrastructure that a considerable labor has been invested in. 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 contemporary active Black History Month appear as? Firstly, it would be extended beyond a brief observance: something that is dispersed throughout the annual calendar (as some institutions are already commencing), parts of its content (particularly around prominent figures of color) included in educational programs. It would also be a time that does not avoid political issues, and provides room for people, particularly youth, to express their concerns and stories. What purpose serves simple recognition of the history when it fails to address the present reality of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the street? Organizations who observe it should not be comforted with the passive language of “unconscious bias” and awareness of minor insults, but confronted with the dangers that face all if anti-racism is not approached earnestly. To summarize, Black History Month should be made current, critical, and reactive. Maybe an total re-identification is in order – Black History is Now Month.
