This commemorative month serves as a mirror of the political moment, so in what ways can we modernize it?
It's Black History Month in the United Kingdom, and it feels like it’s time for a rethink. Over the years, an event that started out as a festivity and recollection of heritage, traditions and links between global Black communities, has taken on a commercial tone, growing to encompass gatherings where individuals of African heritage are compensated to talk to Caucasian groups about implicit prejudice and supportive partnership. The demonstrations for racial justice in the 2020s created a surge in the enterprise of showcasing anti-racist commitment. Yet, that phase is now over. The wave has peaked, resulting in a somewhat empty inheritance of what promoting consciousness is for.
The History of Black History Month
First commemorated in the America and its northern neighbor, Black History Month was created in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with seven days of remembrance and recognition in the second week of February. Black History Month evolved from this initiative and was officially launched in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the United States and Canada in winter, but also in autumn in the Britain, Germany, Éire and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The observance has transformed since that time, focusing less on the histories of colonial slavery and civil rights battles, and greater focus on influential individuals of color in politics, culture, and activism, and widely honoring the contribution Black people have made to influence the nation. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most frequently marked, with talks and cultural events. But the manner the month is observed is a manifestation of the political moment. How it develops is a good lesson in how assimilation leads to weakening: the restructuring of Black History Month has stymied the purpose of it, which is to confront structural and organizational discrimination.
A Jarring Moment
Few things illustrate how important it is to rethink Black History Month as much as the particular moment in which it occurs this year. In the UK, a resurgent right in the guise of the Reform party is top in opinion ratings. In the summer we saw the largest far-right rally in the UK's past. the Conservative leader, the Black leader of the Conservative party, is a firm opponent of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a situation where a member of parliament feels emboldened to state that “not seeing any white faces” in certain urban areas is a reason for concern. Meanwhile, extreme conservative groups are growing in the European continent as a entirety.
In the United States, a massive attack against inclusion programs and preferential policies has been carried, frequently with success, to the supreme judicial bodies of the country. A campaign to erase African American heritage and legacy from the archives is under way. One of Donald Trump's initial presidential directives aimed at the museum of African American legacy, and the renowned cultural organization, claiming they of a “concerted and widespread effort to rewrite our Nation’s history” by portraying America “as inherently racist”.
In this context, the celebration represents how little it can be influential if it is restricted to either dutiful corporate observances, or politically neutered commemorations of historical achievements, rather than confronting the conditions of the contemporary world. It also demonstrates how its limited duration means that it is disconnected from the wider consistent effort that is necessary. Denise Miller, a professor at University of Greenwich, put it best when she expressed apprehension about the temporary “tokenism” of the observance. “The difficulty with taking a tokenistic approach”, she stated, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month evolves into a fleeting performance rather than a driver of transformation.”
Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning
Determining how to adjust, modify and expand initiatives for fair treatment and appreciation in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a challenging endeavor. There is a urge to just eliminate observances such as Black History Month entirely, assuming they are no longer suitable, or are relics of an era that has not worked.
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, DEI programs, and yes, even those talks to businesses – form an foundation that a lot of work has been invested in. It is there not just to decay as the situation evolves (and in fact, declines), but to be a dynamic entity.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month appear as? Well, first, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is dispersed through the year (as certain organizations are already beginning to do), parts of its content (particularly around notable African descendants) integrated into academic syllabi. It would also be a time that does not avoid political issues, and leaves space for people, particularly young people, to air their fears and experiences. What use is simple recognition of the history when it fails to address the contemporary truth of far-right rallies in the urban areas? Organizations who celebrate it should not be pacified with the non-confrontational words of “unconscious bias” and alertness to subtle slights, but faced with the threats that face all if fight against prejudice is not approached earnestly. In short, Black History Month should be made up-to-date, critical, and responsive. Maybe an entire name rebrand is required – Black History is Now Month.
