The annual Black History observance is a reflection of the political moment, so in what ways can we modernize it?
We are in Black History Month in the UK, and it seems it’s time for a reassessment. Over the years, an observance that was initiated as a commemorative event of the past, cultural identity and bonds between global Black communities, has developed a commercial tone, broadening to incorporate functions where African descendants are compensated to address white audiences about hidden biases and supportive partnership. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests sparked an increase in the industry of demonstrating racial awareness. However, that period has concluded. The tide has peaked, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what raising awareness is for.
The Background of Black History Celebration
First commemorated in the America and its northern neighbor, Black History Month was established in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with a week of celebration and reflection in the February's second week. Black History Month developed from this initiative and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Currently it is marked not only in the United States and Canada in February, but also in October in the United Kingdom, Germany, Éire and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The period has evolved since that time, placing less emphasis on the accounts of the slave trade across the Atlantic and civil rights battles, and more on prominent Black figures in politics, culture, and activism, and extensively acknowledging the impact Black people have made to mold society. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most frequently marked, with lectures and artistic activities. But the manner the celebration is commemorated is a reflection of the current political situation. How it progresses is a valuable example in how assimilation leads to erosion: the reshaping of Black History Month has hindered the objective of it, which is to confront structural and organizational discrimination.
A Troubling Time
Hardly anything shows how important it is to rethink Black History Month more than the specific period in which it falls this year. In the United Kingdom, a revitalized conservative movement in the form of the Reform political group is leading the polls. In the recent season we saw the most significant ultra-conservative gathering in the history of Britain. Kemi Badenoch, the Black leader of the Tory party, is a firm opponent of the racial justice movement, and we are in a situation where a legislator gains confidence to state that “not seeing any white faces” in certain urban areas is a cause for alarm. Meanwhile, extreme conservative groups are surging in Europe as a complete entity.
In the America, a significant offensive against inclusion programs and preferential policies has been carried, frequently with success, to the supreme judicial bodies of the country. A drive to erase Black history and legacy from the records is under way. One of the former president's early administrative commands targeted the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the prestigious establishment, accusing them of a organized and extensive campaign to change the national past” by portraying America “as naturally discriminatory”.
Given these circumstances, the celebration represents how little it can be effective if it is restricted to either dutiful corporate observances, or politically neutered celebrations of former accomplishments, rather than addressing the situation of the present. It also demonstrates how its short period means that it is disconnected from the more extensive continuous action that is necessary. Denise Miller, a professor at University of Greenwich, expressed it perfectly when she expressed apprehension about the temporary “tokenism” of the month. “The difficulty with embracing a superficial method”, she stated, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month turns into a transient display rather than a agent of progress.”
Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning
Establishing how to alter, change and broaden initiatives for equal rights and acknowledgment in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a treacherous thing. There is a inclination to just do away with things like Black History Month altogether, assuming they are simply not fit for purpose, or are relics of an period that has failed to deliver.
Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the whole broad system and tradition of activism for racial justice – local anti-racism groups, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and yes, even those talks to businesses – constitute an infrastructure that a considerable labor has gone into. It is there not just to decay as the situation evolves (and in fact, regresses), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a fresh vibrant Black History Month look like? Well, first, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is dispersed throughout the annual calendar (as certain organizations are already commencing), sections of its curriculum (particularly around historic Black characters) incorporated into academic syllabi. It would also be a time that does not evade politics, and leaves space for individuals, particularly the younger generation, to share their anxieties and narratives. What use is mere awareness of the bygone era when it doesn’t reckon with the current situation of far-right rallies in the street? Organizations who celebrate it should not be pacified with the non-confrontational words of “unconscious bias” and awareness of subtle slights, but confronted with the risks that impact society if anti-racism is not approached earnestly. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made up-to-date, critical, and responsive. Maybe an complete renaming is necessary – Contemporary Black History Month.
