This commemorative month acts as a gauge of the prevailing political atmosphere, so in what ways can we modernize it?
It's Black History Month in the United Kingdom, and it appears it’s time for a re-evaluation. As time has passed, an observance that began as a celebration and reminder of heritage, traditions and links between global Black communities, has adopted a business-like atmosphere, growing to encompass events where Black people are paid to talk to predominantly white listeners about implicit prejudice and active solidarity. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade created a surge in the industry of displaying cultural sensitivity. Yet, that phase is now over. The tide has reached its height, producing a diluted aftermath of what raising awareness is for.
The Origins of Black History Celebration
Originally observed in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was established in 1962 as an observance of African American heritage by historian of African descent Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of commemoration and observance in the middle of February. Black History Month evolved from this movement and was officially launched in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the United States and Canada in the second month, but also in the tenth month in the Britain, Deutschland, Éire and the Holland.
The month has developed since its inception, placing less emphasis on the accounts of the slave trade across the Atlantic and civil rights battles, and more on notable African descendants in politics, culture, and activism, and widely honoring the contribution 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 manner the observance is celebrated is a indication of the contemporary political context. How it progresses is a instructive case in how assimilation leads to weakening: the restructuring of Black History Month has hindered the objective of it, which is to confront systemic and institutional racism.
A Disconcerting Period
Hardly anything shows how important it is to rethink Black History Month as much as the current time in which it falls this year. In the UK, a reemerging right-wing in the guise of the Reform party is leading the polls. In the warmer months we saw the most significant ultra-conservative gathering in the history of Britain. Kemi Badenoch, the African descendant in charge of the Tory party, is a strong critic of the racial justice movement, and we are in a situation where a legislator feels empowered to say that the absence of Caucasian individuals in parts of a city is a source of worry. Simultaneously, extreme conservative groups are growing in Europe as a complete entity.
In the America, a significant offensive against DEI and affirmative action has been taken, repeatedly with positive outcomes, to the top legal institutions of the country. A drive to scrub the history of people of color and legacy from the historical documents is under way. One of the political figure's early administrative commands aimed at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the Smithsonian Institution, claiming they of a organized and extensive campaign to alter the country's historical narrative” by representing the nation “as naturally discriminatory”.
Against this backdrop, the celebration symbolises how little it can be impactful if it is confined to either routine organizational acknowledgments, or depoliticized festivities of historical achievements, rather than challenging the conditions of the present. It also demonstrates how its restricted time span means that it is disconnected from the wider consistent effort that is required. Denise Miller, a professor at University of Greenwich, expressed it perfectly when she expressed apprehension about the fleeting superficial actions of the celebration. “The problem with taking a tokenistic approach”, she wrote, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month becomes a brief show rather than a agent of progress.”
Reevaluating, Not Abandoning
Determining how to adapt, revise and extend efforts for racial equality and recognition in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a treacherous thing. There is a urge to just discontinue events including Black History Month altogether, believing they are simply not fit for purpose, or are relics of an era that has failed to deliver.
Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and heritage of campaigns for equality – local anti-racism groups, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and certainly, even commercial engagements – represent an infrastructure that a lot of work has been invested in. It is there not just to decay as the situation evolves (and in fact, regresses), but to be a living breathing thing.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month look like? Well, first, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is spread out through the year (as various establishments are already starting to implement), elements of its material (particularly around notable African descendants) incorporated into school curriculums. It would also be a time that does not evade politics, and leaves space for people, particularly the younger generation, to air their fears and experiences. What value has mere awareness of the past when it fails to address the present reality of far-right rallies in the street? Establishments who observe it should not be reassured with the non-confrontational words of implicit prejudice and awareness of minor insults, but challenged by the risks that impact society if opposition to discrimination is not taken seriously. To summarize, Black History Month should be made current, urgent, and reactive. It could be that an total re-identification is in order – Black History is Now Month.
