Black History Month acts as a gauge of the political moment, so in what ways can we modernize it?
We are in Black History Month in the UK, and it seems it’s time for a re-evaluation. Over the years, an event that was initiated as a commemorative event of history, culture and the connections between global Black communities, has adopted a commercial tone, broadening to incorporate gatherings where individuals of African heritage are remunerated to address Caucasian groups about implicit prejudice and supportive partnership. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests sparked an increase in the industry of displaying cultural sensitivity. Yet, that phase is now over. The surge has peaked, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what increasing understanding is for.
The Origins of Black History Celebration
Originally observed in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was created in 1962 as an observance of African American heritage by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of celebration and reflection in the middle of February. Black History Month developed from this initiative and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the US and Canada in the second month, but also in the tenth month in the United Kingdom, Deutschland, Ireland and the Holland.
The observance has transformed since that time, giving reduced attention to the accounts of the slave trade across the Atlantic and civil rights battles, and greater focus on notable African descendants in government, the arts, and social movements, and widely honoring the contribution Black people have made to shape the country. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most frequently marked, with talks and cultural events. But the manner the observance is observed is a manifestation of the political moment. How it evolves is a instructive case in how co-option leads to erosion: the transformation of Black History Month has impeded the purpose of it, which is to confront structural and organizational discrimination.
A Troubling Time
Little demonstrates how critical it is to reconsider Black History Month as much as the particular moment in which it takes place this year. In the Britain, a reemerging right-wing in the form of the Reform political group is ahead in surveys. In the recent season we witnessed the biggest extreme right demonstration in the history of Britain. Kemi Badenoch, the African descendant in charge of the right-wing political group, is a strong critic of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a position where a elected representative gains confidence to state that “not seeing any white faces” in certain urban areas is a source of worry. Simultaneously, extreme conservative groups are growing in the European continent as a whole.
In the United States, a massive attack against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been taken, frequently with success, to the top legal institutions of the nation. A drive to remove Black history and legacy from the archives is in progress. One of Donald Trump's early administrative commands aimed at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the Smithsonian Institution, accusing them of a coordinated and broad attempt to alter the country's historical narrative” by representing the nation “as fundamentally prejudiced”.
Given these circumstances, the celebration illustrates how insufficiently it can be impactful if it is limited to either dutiful corporate observances, or depoliticized festivities of contributions in the past, rather than challenging the situation of the present. It also shows how its restricted time span means that it is disconnected from the wider consistent effort that is needed. A university professor, a educator at an educational institution, articulated it most accurately when she expressed apprehension about the temporary “tokenism” of the month. “The issue with embracing a superficial method”, she commented, “is that it often means that Black History Month evolves into a transient display rather than a agent of progress.”
Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning
Establishing how to adapt, revise and extend efforts for racial equality and recognition in such times of discouragement and concern is a treacherous thing. There is a temptation to just do away with events including Black History Month altogether, assuming they are no longer suitable, or are remnants of an period that has been ineffective.
But despite everything, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and legacy of activism for racial justice – community-based BLM initiatives, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and indeed, including corporate presentations – constitute an framework that a considerable labor has gone into. It is there not just to decay as the politics moves on (and in fact, regresses), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month appear as? Firstly, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is dispersed throughout the annual calendar (as certain organizations are already commencing), elements of its material (particularly around notable African descendants) integrated into educational programs. It would also be a period that does not evade politics, and allows opportunity for people, particularly the younger generation, to express their concerns and stories. What purpose serves mere awareness of the history when it ignores the contemporary truth of far-right rallies in the public spaces? Organizations who celebrate it should not be comforted with the neutral terminology of “unconscious bias” and awareness of minor insults, but confronted with the risks that impact society if anti-racism is not treated with importance. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made current, pressing, and responsive. Maybe an complete renaming is necessary – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.
