Black History Month serves as a mirror of the political moment, so what steps can we take to refresh it?
It's Black History Month in the UK, and it seems it’s time for a re-evaluation. Over the years, an event that began as a celebration and reminder of the past, cultural identity and bonds between Black populations worldwide, has developed a corporate feel, growing to encompass functions where Black people are compensated to address predominantly white listeners about hidden biases and active solidarity. The demonstrations for racial justice in the 2020s sparked an increase in the industry of showcasing anti-racist commitment. But even that moment has passed. The surge has peaked, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what raising awareness is for.
The History of Black History Month
Initially celebrated in the US and Canada, Black History Month was created in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by Black scholar Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of celebration and reflection in the second week of February. Black History Month grew out of this movement and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the United States and Canada in winter, but also in the tenth month in the United Kingdom, Germany, Éire and the Holland.
The observance has transformed since that time, focusing less on the narratives of transatlantic enslavement 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 schools where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with discussions and heritage festivities. But the way the observance is commemorated is a reflection of the contemporary political context. How it develops is a valuable example in how appropriation leads to erosion: the transformation 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 better than the specific period in which it takes place this year. In the UK, a reemerging right-wing in the form of the Reform political group is ahead in surveys. In the summer we saw the biggest extreme right demonstration in the history of Britain. the Conservative leader, the person of color at the helm 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 state that “not seeing any white faces” in parts of a city is a cause for alarm. At the same time, ultra-nationalist movements are expanding in Europe as a complete entity.
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 erase African American heritage and experience from the records is in progress. One of the former president's early administrative commands focused on the museum of African American legacy, and the renowned cultural organization, alleging that they of a coordinated and broad attempt to change the national past” by portraying America “as inherently racist”.
In this context, the observance symbolises how minimally it can be influential if it is confined to either obligatory business commemorations, or stripped of political content commemorations of contributions in the past, rather than addressing the situation of the current era. It also reveals how its limited duration means that it is detached from the broader ongoing work that is required. Denise Miller, a professor at an educational institution, expressed it perfectly when she voiced worries about the short-term symbolic gestures of the celebration. “The issue with taking a tokenistic approach”, she wrote, “is that it often means that Black History Month evolves into a brief show rather than a agent of progress.”
Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning
Figuring out how to adjust, modify and expand actions for fair treatment and appreciation in such moments of dejection and worry is a treacherous thing. There is a inclination to just eliminate events including Black History Month entirely, assuming they are simply not fit for purpose, or are vestiges of an era that has been ineffective.
Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and legacy of activism for racial justice – local anti-racism groups, DEI programs, and certainly, even commercial engagements – form an infrastructure that a considerable labor has gone into. It is there not only to deteriorate as the political landscape shifts (and in fact, regresses), but to be a dynamic entity.
So what would a contemporary active Black History Month appear as? To begin with, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is distributed across all seasons (as certain organizations are already starting to implement), elements of its material (particularly around prominent figures of color) incorporated into school curriculums. It would also be a time that does not evade governmental matters, and allows opportunity for citizens, particularly the younger generation, to share their anxieties and narratives. What purpose serves basic knowledge of the bygone era when it doesn’t reckon with the contemporary truth of extreme conservative demonstrations in the urban areas? Establishments who celebrate it should not be reassured with the non-confrontational words of “unconscious bias” and awareness of “microaggressions”, but challenged by the dangers that face all if fight against prejudice is not approached earnestly. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made up-to-date, pressing, and reactive. Perhaps an entire name rebrand is required – Contemporary Black History Month.
