Black History Month is a reflection of the political moment, so what steps can we take to refresh it?
This is Black History Month in the United Kingdom, and it appears it’s time for a reassessment. As time has passed, an celebration that started out as a celebration and reminder of heritage, traditions and links between global Black communities, has developed a business-like atmosphere, broadening to incorporate events where individuals of African heritage are compensated to talk to Caucasian groups about hidden biases and supportive partnership. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade created a surge in the business of showcasing anti-racist commitment. But even that moment has passed. The tide has crested, producing a diluted aftermath of what raising awareness is for.
The Origins of Black History Month
Initially celebrated in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was created in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by historian of African descent Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of remembrance and recognition in the second week of February. Black History Month evolved 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, Éire and the Netherlands.
The period has transformed since those days, placing less emphasis on the accounts of transatlantic enslavement and civil rights battles, and more on notable African descendants in politics, culture, and activism, and extensively acknowledging the contribution Black people have made to shape the country. It is in schools where Black History Month is most commonly celebrated, with discussions and heritage festivities. But the manner the celebration is observed is a indication of the political moment. How it develops is a instructive case in how co-option leads to erosion: the reshaping of Black History Month has stymied the purpose of it, which is to address systemic and institutional racism.
A Troubling Time
Hardly anything shows how important it is to reevaluate Black History Month more than the specific period in which it occurs this year. In the Britain, a resurgent right in the shape of the Reform party is leading the polls. In the recent season we saw the biggest extreme right demonstration in British history. the Conservative leader, the Black leader of the right-wing political group, is a strong critic of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a position where a legislator feels emboldened to declare that “not seeing any white faces” in parts of a city is a cause for alarm. Meanwhile, ultra-nationalist movements are surging in the EU as a complete entity.
In the US, a significant offensive against inclusion programs and preferential policies has been taken, often successfully, to the supreme judicial bodies of the country. A effort to erase African American heritage and legacy from the records is in progress. One of the former president's initial presidential directives targeted the museum of African American legacy, and the prestigious establishment, accusing them of a coordinated and broad attempt to rewrite our Nation’s history” by portraying America “as fundamentally prejudiced”.
Against this backdrop, the month symbolises how minimally it can be impactful if it is restricted to either obligatory business commemorations, or depoliticized festivities of historical achievements, rather than addressing the situation of the current era. It also shows how its short period means that it is disconnected from the wider consistent effort that is required. An academic expert, a educator at University of Greenwich, put it best when she expressed apprehension about the temporary “tokenism” of the month. “The difficulty with embracing a superficial method”, she commented, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month becomes a transient display rather than a catalyst for change.”
Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning
Establishing how to adjust, modify and expand initiatives for fair treatment and appreciation in such times of discouragement and concern is a challenging endeavor. There is a inclination to just eliminate events including Black History Month altogether, believing they are simply not fit for purpose, or are vestiges of an time that has not worked.
But despite everything, Black History Month, and in fact the complete comprehensive structure and tradition of activism for racial justice – local anti-racism groups, DEI programs, and certainly, even commercial engagements – constitute an infrastructure that a significant effort has been invested in. It is there not just to decay as the political landscape shifts (and in fact, regresses), but to be a dynamic entity.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month look like? Firstly, it would be extended beyond a brief observance: something that is distributed through the year (as certain organizations are already starting to implement), parts of its content (particularly around prominent figures of color) included in educational programs. It would also be a time that does not avoid politics, and allows opportunity for citizens, particularly youth, to share their anxieties and narratives. What value has simple recognition of the past when it doesn’t reckon with the present reality of far-right rallies in the public spaces? Institutions who celebrate it should not be comforted with the passive language of implicit prejudice and sensitivity to minor insults, but confronted with the risks that face all if opposition to discrimination is not treated with importance. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made contemporary, pressing, and reactive. Perhaps an entire name rebrand is necessary – Contemporary Black History Month.
