This commemorative month is a reflection of the prevailing political atmosphere, so in what ways can we modernize it?
We are in Black History Month in the Britain, and it seems it’s time for a reassessment. Over the years, an event that was initiated as a commemorative event of heritage, traditions and links between international African diaspora communities, has taken on a business-like atmosphere, growing to encompass gatherings where Black people are paid to talk to Caucasian groups about implicit prejudice and active solidarity. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests sparked an increase in the industry of demonstrating racial awareness. Yet, that phase is now over. The surge has reached its height, producing a diluted aftermath of what raising awareness is for.
The Origins of Black History Observance
First commemorated in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history by Black scholar Carter G. Woodson with a week of commemoration and observance in the middle of February. Black History Month grew out of this movement and was publicly established in 1970. Currently it is marked not only in the US and Canada in winter, but also in October in the UK, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Republic of Ireland and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The observance has transformed since that time, placing less emphasis on the histories of colonial slavery and civil rights battles, and more on prominent Black figures in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, and extensively acknowledging the input Black people have made to mold society. It is in schools where Black History Month is most commonly celebrated, with lectures and artistic activities. But the way the celebration is commemorated is a indication of the current political situation. How it develops is a good lesson in how appropriation leads to weakening: the transformation of Black History Month has impeded the objective of it, which is to tackle systemic and institutional racism.
A Troubling Time
Few things illustrate how crucial it is to rethink Black History Month as much as the specific period in which it takes place this year. In the United Kingdom, a reemerging right-wing in the form of the Reform organization is leading the polls. In the warmer months we witnessed the biggest extreme right demonstration in the history of Britain. Kemi Badenoch, the person of color at the helm of the Tory party, is a strong critic of anti-racism activism, and we are in a position where a member of parliament feels empowered to declare that “not seeing any white faces” in certain urban areas is a source of worry. At the same time, ultra-nationalist movements are surging in Europe as a whole.
In the United States, a colossal assault against inclusion programs and preferential policies has been brought, repeatedly with positive outcomes, to the top legal institutions of the state. A campaign to scrub African American heritage and experience from the archives is ongoing. One of the political figure's first executive orders aimed at the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the renowned cultural organization, accusing them of a organized and extensive campaign to rewrite our Nation’s history” by representing the nation “as naturally discriminatory”.
Against this backdrop, the observance represents how little it can be influential if it is restricted to either dutiful corporate observances, or stripped of political content festivities of contributions in the past, rather than challenging the realities of the current era. It also shows how its limited duration means that it is disconnected from the wider consistent effort that is needed. An academic expert, a professor at University of Greenwich, articulated it most accurately when she expressed apprehension about the fleeting superficial actions of the celebration. “The problem with adopting a symbolic stance”, she wrote, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month evolves into a transient display rather than a catalyst for change.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Establishing 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 inclination to just discontinue observances such as Black History Month entirely, believing they are no longer suitable, or are relics of an period that has not worked.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and heritage of campaigns for equality – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, DEI programs, and indeed, including corporate presentations – represent an foundation that a lot of work has gone into. It is there not just to decay as the politics moves on (and in fact, regresses), but to be a dynamic entity.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month seem? Well, first, it would be extended beyond a brief observance: something that is spread out throughout the annual calendar (as various establishments are already starting to implement), parts of its content (particularly around notable African descendants) included in school curriculums. It would also be a time that does not avoid political issues, and allows opportunity for people, particularly youth, to air their fears and experiences. What value has basic knowledge of the past when it doesn’t reckon with the present reality of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the urban areas? Institutions who celebrate it should not be pacified with the neutral terminology of “unconscious bias” and awareness of subtle slights, but challenged by the dangers that face all if fight against prejudice is not taken seriously. In short, Black History Month should be made contemporary, critical, and responsive. Perhaps an total re-identification is required – Contemporary Black History Month.
