The annual Black History observance is a reflection of the political moment, so how do we revamp it?
We are in Black History Month in the UK, and it seems it’s time for a reassessment. As time has passed, an celebration that began as a celebration and reminder of history, culture and the connections between global Black communities, has adopted a commercial tone, expanding to include events where Black people are compensated to speak with predominantly white listeners about hidden biases and active solidarity. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests created a surge in the industry of demonstrating racial awareness. But even that moment has passed. The surge has reached its height, producing a diluted aftermath of what raising awareness is for.
The Background of Black History Month
Initially celebrated in the US and Canada, Black History Month was established in 1962 as an observance of African American heritage by historian of African descent Carter G. Woodson with seven days of celebration and reflection in the second week of February. Black History Month developed from this initiative and was publicly established in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the US and Canada in the second month, but also in autumn in the United Kingdom, Deutschland, the Republic of Ireland and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The month has evolved since that time, placing less emphasis on the narratives of colonial slavery and fights for racial justice, and more on influential individuals of color in government, the arts, and social movements, and widely honoring the input Black people have made to shape the country. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with talks and cultural events. But the way the observance is celebrated is a manifestation of the contemporary political context. How it progresses is a instructive case in how co-option leads to weakening: the reshaping of Black History Month has hindered the point of it, which is to tackle embedded and established prejudice.
A Troubling Time
Little demonstrates how critical it is to rethink Black History Month more than the specific period in which it takes place this year. In the UK, a revitalized conservative movement in the shape of the Reform political group is top in opinion ratings. In the recent season we witnessed the biggest extreme right demonstration in British history. 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 place where a elected representative gains confidence to say that the absence of Caucasian individuals in parts of a city is a source of worry. Simultaneously, far-right parties are surging in the EU as a entirety.
In the America, a significant offensive against DEI and affirmative action has been taken, often successfully, to the highest courts of the nation. A effort to scrub the history of people of color and narrative from the historical documents is in progress. One of the former president's initial presidential directives aimed at the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the Smithsonian Institution, accusing them of a coordinated and broad attempt to alter the country's historical narrative” by representing the nation “as naturally discriminatory”.
In this context, the observance represents how insufficiently it can be impactful if it is restricted to either routine organizational acknowledgments, or depoliticized festivities of contributions in the past, rather than confronting the situation of the present. It also reveals how its limited duration means that it is separated from the wider consistent effort that is needed. Denise Miller, a educator at a learning establishment, put it best when she expressed apprehension about the short-term symbolic gestures of the observance. “The issue with embracing a superficial method”, she stated, “is that it often means that Black History Month becomes a brief show rather than a driver of transformation.”
Reevaluating, Not Abandoning
Establishing how to alter, change and broaden efforts for equal rights and acknowledgment in such times of discouragement and concern is a challenging endeavor. There is a inclination to just do away with things like Black History Month completely, believing they are inadequate for current needs, or are vestiges of an period that has not worked.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the whole broad system and heritage of racial movements – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and indeed, including corporate presentations – constitute 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, regresses), but to be a living breathing thing.
So what would a contemporary active Black History Month look like? To begin with, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is spread out across all seasons (as some institutions are already starting to implement), parts of its content (particularly around prominent figures of color) incorporated into school curriculums. It would also be a era that does not shy away from governmental matters, and leaves space for individuals, particularly the younger generation, to express their concerns and stories. What use is simple recognition of the bygone era when it doesn’t reckon with the current situation of extreme conservative demonstrations in the urban areas? Organizations who observe it should not be comforted with the neutral terminology of hidden discrimination and awareness of subtle slights, but faced with the risks that face all if anti-racism is not treated with importance. In short, Black History Month should be made contemporary, urgent, and responsive. It could be that an entire name rebrand is required – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.
