Black History Month serves as a mirror of the prevailing political atmosphere, so how do we revamp it?
This is Black History Month in the UK, and it appears it’s time for a re-evaluation. Throughout its history, an event that began as a celebration and reminder of heritage, traditions and links between Black populations worldwide, has adopted a commercial tone, growing to encompass events where Black people are remunerated to speak with white audiences about implicit prejudice and supportive partnership. The demonstrations for racial justice in the 2020s generated a rise in the industry of displaying cultural sensitivity. But even that moment has passed. The tide has crested, resulting in a somewhat empty inheritance of what promoting consciousness is for.
The History of Black History Month
Initially celebrated in the US and Canada, Black History Month was established in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by historian of African descent Carter G. Woodson with seven days of remembrance and recognition in the second week of February. Black History Month developed from this initiative and was publicly established in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the US and Canada in February, but also in October in the UK, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Republic of Ireland and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The month has developed since that time, placing less emphasis on the histories of colonial slavery and fights for racial justice, and greater focus on notable African descendants in government, the arts, and social movements, and broadly celebrating the input Black people have made to mold society. It is in schools where Black History Month is most frequently marked, with talks and cultural events. But the manner the celebration is celebrated is a reflection of the current political situation. How it progresses is a good lesson in how assimilation leads to weakening: the restructuring of Black History Month has stymied the objective of it, which is to confront structural and organizational discrimination.
A Disconcerting Period
Little demonstrates how crucial it is to rethink Black History Month more than the current time in which it occurs this year. In the United Kingdom, a reemerging right-wing in the form of the Reform organization is top in opinion ratings. In the summer we witnessed the most significant ultra-conservative gathering in the history of Britain. the Conservative leader, the person of color at the helm of the Tory party, is a strong critic of the racial justice movement, and we are in a place where a member of parliament feels emboldened to say that the absence of Caucasian individuals in specific city neighborhoods is a reason for concern. Meanwhile, far-right parties are expanding in the European continent as a entirety.
In the United States, a significant offensive against DEI and affirmative action has been taken, repeatedly with positive outcomes, to the top legal institutions of the nation. A campaign to scrub African American heritage and experience from the historical documents is under way. One of the political figure's first executive orders targeted the museum of African American legacy, and the prestigious establishment, accusing them of a organized and extensive campaign to rewrite our Nation’s history” by portraying America “as naturally discriminatory”.
Against this backdrop, the observance represents how insufficiently it can be impactful if it is restricted to either dutiful corporate observances, or depoliticized celebrations of former accomplishments, rather than confronting the conditions of the contemporary world. It also reveals how its limited duration means that it is disconnected from the more extensive continuous action that is needed. A university professor, a prof at University of Greenwich, articulated it most accurately when she raised concerns about the temporary “tokenism” of the celebration. “The issue with taking a tokenistic approach”, she wrote, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month turns into a fleeting performance rather than a driver of transformation.”
Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning
Determining how to adjust, modify and expand initiatives for equal rights and acknowledgment in such times of discouragement and concern is a challenging endeavor. There is a temptation to just discontinue observances such as Black History Month completely, thinking they are simply not fit for purpose, or are remnants of an period that has failed to deliver.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and heritage of activism for racial justice – community-based BLM initiatives, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and certainly, even commercial engagements – represent an foundation that a considerable labor has been dedicated to. It is there not just to decay as the political landscape shifts (and in fact, regresses), but to be a dynamic entity.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month seem? Firstly, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is distributed through the year (as some institutions are already starting to implement), parts of its content (particularly around prominent figures of color) integrated into educational programs. It would also be a time that does not evade governmental matters, and leaves space for citizens, particularly youth, to air their fears and experiences. What value has simple recognition of the history when it doesn’t reckon with the present reality of extreme conservative demonstrations in the public spaces? Organizations who observe it should not be reassured with the non-confrontational words of hidden discrimination and sensitivity to subtle slights, but faced with the risks that face all if opposition to discrimination is not treated with importance. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made contemporary, urgent, and responsive. It could be that an entire name rebrand is in order – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.
