Black History Month acts as a gauge of the current political climate, so what steps can we take to refresh it?
We are in Black History Month in the UK, and it seems it’s time for a re-evaluation. Throughout its history, an event that began as a festivity and recollection of heritage, traditions and links between international African diaspora communities, has taken on a corporate feel, growing to encompass gatherings where individuals of African heritage are paid to address predominantly white listeners about implicit prejudice and “allyship”. 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 wave has crested, resulting in a somewhat empty inheritance of what promoting consciousness is for.
The Background of Black History Observance
First commemorated in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as an observance of African American heritage by Black scholar Carter G. Woodson with seven days of celebration and reflection in the second week of February. Black History Month developed from this campaign and was officially launched in 1970. Currently it is marked not only in the United States and Canada in the second month, but also in October in the UK, the Federal Republic of Germany, Éire and the Netherlands.
The month has developed since that time, giving reduced attention to the narratives of the slave trade across the Atlantic and fights for racial justice, and more on prominent Black figures in politics, culture, and activism, and widely honoring the impact Black people have made to shape the country. It is in schools where Black History Month is most frequently marked, with discussions and heritage festivities. But the method the month is celebrated is a manifestation of the contemporary political context. How it evolves is a good lesson in how assimilation leads to erosion: the transformation of Black History Month has hindered the point of it, which is to confront structural and organizational discrimination.
A Troubling Time
Little demonstrates how crucial it is to rethink Black History Month as much as the particular moment in which it takes place this year. In the Britain, a reemerging right-wing in the shape of the Reform organization is leading the polls. In the warmer months we saw the largest far-right rally in British history. the Conservative leader, the African descendant in charge of the Conservative party, is a firm opponent of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a situation where a member of parliament gains confidence to say that “not seeing any white faces” in certain urban areas is a reason for concern. Meanwhile, ultra-nationalist movements are growing in the EU as a whole.
In the United States, a colossal assault against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been brought, frequently with success, to the top legal institutions of the country. A effort to scrub Black history and narrative from the historical documents is ongoing. One of the former president's early administrative commands aimed at the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the renowned cultural organization, alleging that they of a “concerted and widespread effort to alter the country's historical narrative” by representing the nation “as fundamentally prejudiced”.
In this context, the month illustrates how minimally it can be effective if it is confined to either dutiful corporate observances, or politically neutered celebrations of contributions in the past, rather than addressing the conditions of the present. It also shows how its short period means that it is separated from the broader ongoing work that is needed. Denise Miller, a prof at an educational institution, expressed it perfectly when she expressed apprehension about the short-term symbolic gestures of the celebration. “The problem with taking a tokenistic approach”, she commented, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month turns into a transient display rather than a catalyst for change.”
Reevaluating, Not Abandoning
Figuring out how to adapt, revise and extend actions for racial equality and recognition in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a treacherous thing. There is a temptation to just eliminate things like Black History Month entirely, assuming they are inadequate for current needs, or are remnants of an time that has been ineffective.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the whole broad system and legacy of activism for racial justice – local anti-racism groups, DEI programs, and indeed, including corporate presentations – form an foundation that a considerable labor has been invested in. It is there not merely to decline as the political landscape shifts (and in fact, deteriorates), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month appear as? To begin with, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is distributed through the year (as various establishments are already starting to implement), parts of its content (particularly around prominent figures of color) incorporated into academic syllabi. It would also be a period that does not evade political issues, and leaves space for people, particularly youth, to share their anxieties and narratives. What use is basic knowledge of the history when it ignores the present reality of far-right rallies in the urban areas? Establishments who observe it should not be pacified with the non-confrontational words of hidden discrimination and awareness of minor insults, but challenged by the dangers that affect everyone if fight against prejudice is not approached earnestly. In short, Black History Month should be made current, critical, and adaptive. Maybe an total re-identification is in order – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.
