The annual Black History observance serves as a mirror of the political moment, so in what ways can we modernize it?
It's Black History Month in the UK, and it appears it’s time for a reassessment. Over the years, an event that started out as a celebration and reminder of history, culture and the connections between global Black communities, has adopted a commercial tone, growing to encompass events where Black people are compensated to address predominantly white listeners about “unconscious bias” and supportive partnership. The demonstrations for racial justice in the 2020s created a surge in the business of showcasing anti-racist commitment. Yet, that phase is now over. The tide has crested, resulting in a somewhat empty inheritance of what promoting consciousness is for.
The History of Black History Celebration
Originally observed in the America and its northern neighbor, Black History Month was established in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by historian of African descent Carter G. Woodson with seven days of celebration and reflection in the second week of February. Black History Month grew out of this initiative and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Currently it is marked not only in the United States and Canada in winter, but also in October in the Britain, the Federal Republic of Germany, Ireland and the Holland.
The period has transformed since those days, placing less emphasis on the narratives of the slave trade across the Atlantic and struggles for equality, and increasingly on prominent Black figures in politics, culture, and activism, and widely honoring the impact Black people have made to mold society. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with talks and cultural events. But the manner the month is commemorated is a manifestation of the political moment. How it evolves is a instructive case in how co-option leads to dismantling: the restructuring of Black History Month has impeded the purpose of it, which is to address structural and organizational discrimination.
A Troubling Time
Little demonstrates how crucial it is to rethink Black History Month as much as the specific period in which it occurs this year. In the Britain, a resurgent right in the guise of the Reform political group is ahead in surveys. In the summer we witnessed the biggest extreme right demonstration in British history. the Conservative leader, the person of color at the helm of the right-wing political group, is a strong critic of anti-racism activism, and we are in a situation where a legislator feels empowered to state that “not seeing any white faces” in parts of a city is a reason for concern. Meanwhile, extreme conservative groups are surging in the EU as a whole.
In the America, a massive attack against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been brought, repeatedly with positive outcomes, to the top legal institutions of the country. A campaign to erase Black history and experience from the historical documents is ongoing. One of the former president's first executive orders targeted the museum of African American legacy, and the renowned cultural organization, accusing them of a “concerted and widespread effort to change the national past” by portraying America “as fundamentally prejudiced”.
In this context, the observance represents how little it can be influential if it is limited to either routine organizational acknowledgments, or politically neutered commemorations of former accomplishments, rather than addressing the conditions of the present. It also shows how its short period means that it is disconnected from the more extensive continuous action that is required. An academic expert, a prof at an educational institution, put it best when she raised concerns about the temporary “tokenism” of the month. “The problem with adopting a symbolic stance”, she stated, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month becomes a brief show rather than a agent of progress.”
Reevaluating, Not Abandoning
Figuring out how to adapt, revise and extend initiatives for fair treatment and appreciation in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a challenging endeavor. There is a temptation to just discontinue events including Black History Month entirely, thinking they are inadequate for current needs, or are vestiges of an period that has failed to deliver.
Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the complete comprehensive structure and heritage of campaigns for equality – community-based BLM initiatives, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and yes, even those talks to businesses – 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, deteriorates), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a fresh vibrant Black History Month appear as? Firstly, it would be not just one concentrated month: 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) incorporated into educational programs. It would also be a period that does not avoid political issues, and leaves space for people, particularly the younger generation, to share their anxieties and narratives. What use is simple recognition of the past when it doesn’t reckon with the current situation of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the public spaces? Organizations who observe it should not be pacified with the neutral terminology of implicit prejudice and sensitivity to “microaggressions”, but challenged by the risks that face all if fight against prejudice is not approached earnestly. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made current, critical, and reactive. It could be that an entire name rebrand is required – Contemporary Black History Month.
