This commemorative month is a reflection of the prevailing political atmosphere, so how do we revamp it?
We are in Black History Month in the UK, and it seems it’s time for a re-evaluation. As time has passed, an observance that started out as a celebration and reminder of history, culture and the connections between global Black communities, has developed a commercial tone, broadening to incorporate functions where African descendants are compensated to address white audiences about “unconscious bias” and supportive partnership. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade sparked an increase in the business of demonstrating racial awareness. However, that period has concluded. The tide has peaked, resulting in a somewhat empty inheritance of what increasing understanding is for.
The Origins of Black History Month
First commemorated in the America and its northern neighbor, Black History Month was established in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with seven days of remembrance and recognition in the middle of February. Black History Month evolved from this initiative and was officially launched in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the United States and Canada in winter, but also in the tenth month in the UK, Deutschland, Éire and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The month has developed since those days, placing less emphasis on the narratives of the slave trade across the Atlantic and struggles for equality, and greater focus on prominent Black figures in politics, culture, and activism, and widely honoring the contribution Black people have made to influence the nation. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with talks and cultural events. But the manner the month is observed is a manifestation of the contemporary political context. How it evolves is a instructive case in how assimilation leads to dismantling: the reshaping of Black History Month has impeded the purpose of it, which is to tackle systemic and institutional racism.
A Jarring Moment
Hardly anything shows how important it is to reconsider Black History Month as much as the current time in which it falls this year. In the Britain, a resurgent right in the guise of the Reform political group is top in opinion ratings. In the recent season we saw the most significant ultra-conservative gathering in the history of Britain. the Conservative leader, the African descendant in charge of the right-wing political group, is a firm opponent of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a place where a member of parliament gains confidence to declare that “not seeing any white faces” in specific city neighborhoods is a cause for alarm. Meanwhile, far-right parties are surging in the EU as a complete entity.
In the US, a massive attack against DEI and affirmative action has been carried, often successfully, to the top legal institutions of the nation. A effort to remove the history of people of color and legacy from the historical documents is under way. One of Donald Trump's early administrative commands aimed at the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the Smithsonian Institution, alleging that they of a “concerted and widespread effort to alter the country's historical narrative” by depicting the United States “as naturally discriminatory”.
Against this backdrop, the observance symbolises how minimally it can be influential if it is restricted to either obligatory business commemorations, or politically neutered commemorations of former accomplishments, rather than challenging the situation of the contemporary world. It also demonstrates how its limited duration means that it is detached from the wider consistent effort that is needed. A university professor, a prof at University of Greenwich, articulated it most accurately when she expressed apprehension about the short-term symbolic gestures of the month. “The difficulty with adopting a symbolic stance”, she commented, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month becomes a fleeting performance rather than a driver of transformation.”
Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning
Figuring out how to alter, change and broaden actions for fair treatment and appreciation in such moments of dejection and worry is a difficult task. There is a urge to just do away with observances such as Black History Month entirely, believing they are simply not fit for purpose, or are relics of an time that has failed to deliver.
Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and tradition of activism for racial justice – community-based BLM initiatives, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and indeed, including corporate presentations – form an infrastructure that a lot of work has been invested in. It is there not merely to decline as the politics moves on (and in fact, declines), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a fresh vibrant Black History Month look like? Well, first, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is dispersed throughout the annual calendar (as various establishments are already commencing), parts of its content (particularly around notable African descendants) included in educational programs. It would also be a time that does not avoid politics, and allows opportunity for individuals, particularly the younger generation, to air their fears and experiences. What purpose serves basic knowledge of the bygone era when it doesn’t reckon with the present reality of extreme conservative demonstrations in the street? Institutions who mark it should not be reassured with the non-confrontational words of “unconscious bias” and sensitivity to subtle slights, but faced with the risks that impact society if fight against prejudice is not approached earnestly. In short, Black History Month should be made current, urgent, and responsive. Maybe an entire name rebrand is in order – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.
