The annual Black History observance acts as a gauge of the prevailing political atmosphere, so in what ways can we modernize it?
This is Black History Month in the UK, and it seems it’s time for a re-evaluation. Over the years, an celebration that started out as a commemorative event of history, culture and the connections between international African diaspora communities, has developed a commercial tone, broadening to incorporate gatherings where Black people are paid to talk to Caucasian groups about “unconscious bias” and “allyship”. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade generated a rise in the enterprise of displaying cultural sensitivity. But even that moment has passed. The wave has reached its height, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what promoting consciousness is for.
The Origins of Black History Month
Initially celebrated in the US and Canada, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history by Black scholar Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of commemoration and observance in the February's second week. Black History Month evolved from this movement and was officially launched in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the North America in the second month, but also in October in the UK, Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands.
The period has transformed since that time, placing less emphasis on the narratives of colonial slavery and struggles for equality, and more on notable African descendants in politics, culture, and activism, and broadly celebrating the input Black people have made to mold society. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most commonly celebrated, with talks and cultural events. But the way the observance is commemorated is a indication of the contemporary political context. How it progresses is a valuable example in how co-option leads to weakening: the restructuring of Black History Month has stymied the objective of it, which is to address systemic and institutional racism.
A Disconcerting Period
Little demonstrates how important it is to rethink Black History Month more than the current time in which it takes place this year. In the UK, a revitalized conservative movement in the form of the Reform party is top in opinion ratings. In the summer we observed the largest far-right rally in the UK's past. a prominent political figure, the African descendant in charge of the Conservative party, is a strong critic of anti-racism activism, and we are in a place where a member of parliament feels empowered to state that “not seeing any white faces” in specific city neighborhoods is a cause for alarm. Simultaneously, ultra-nationalist movements are surging in the European continent as a entirety.
In the United States, a significant offensive against DEI and affirmative action has been taken, often successfully, to the supreme judicial bodies of the nation. A campaign to erase Black history and experience from the records is ongoing. One of the former president's early administrative commands aimed at the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the Smithsonian Institution, accusing them of a “concerted and widespread effort to change the national past” by depicting the United States “as naturally discriminatory”.
In this context, the celebration represents how insufficiently it can be effective if it is restricted to either routine organizational acknowledgments, or depoliticized festivities of historical achievements, rather than addressing the conditions of the present. It also shows how its short period means that it is disconnected from the more extensive continuous action that is necessary. A university professor, a prof at an educational institution, articulated it most accurately when she expressed apprehension about the short-term symbolic gestures of the month. “The difficulty with taking a tokenistic approach”, she wrote, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month evolves into a transient display rather than a catalyst for change.”
Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning
Figuring out how to adjust, modify and expand actions for racial equality and recognition in such moments of dejection and worry is a challenging endeavor. There is a urge to just discontinue observances such as Black History Month entirely, assuming they are inadequate for current needs, or are remnants of an time that has been ineffective.
Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the complete comprehensive structure and heritage of campaigns for equality – community-based BLM initiatives, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and certainly, even commercial engagements – represent an framework that a lot of work has been dedicated to. It is there not only to deteriorate as the situation evolves (and in fact, declines), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month look like? Firstly, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is spread out through the year (as certain organizations are already commencing), sections of its curriculum (particularly around prominent figures of color) integrated into academic syllabi. It would also be a time that does not evade politics, and leaves space for individuals, particularly young people, to express their concerns and stories. What purpose serves simple recognition of the bygone era when it fails to address the contemporary truth of extreme conservative demonstrations in the street? Organizations who mark it should not be pacified with the passive language of hidden discrimination and sensitivity to “microaggressions”, but challenged by the threats that impact society if fight against prejudice is not approached earnestly. In short, Black History Month should be made contemporary, pressing, and reactive. Maybe an complete renaming is in order – Contemporary Black History Month.
