This commemorative month serves as a mirror of the prevailing political atmosphere, so in what ways can we modernize it?
This is Black History Month in the UK, and it feels like it’s time for a rethink. As time has passed, an observance that was initiated as a commemorative event of the past, cultural identity and bonds between global Black communities, has developed a corporate feel, growing to encompass gatherings where African descendants are compensated to speak with white audiences about hidden biases and active solidarity. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests generated a rise in the business of showcasing anti-racist commitment. However, that period has concluded. The wave has peaked, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what raising awareness is for.
The Origins of Black History Celebration
First commemorated in the US and Canada, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with seven days of celebration and reflection in the middle of February. Black History Month developed from this initiative and was publicly established in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the North America in winter, but also in autumn in the UK, Germany, the Republic of Ireland and the Holland.
The month has developed since that time, placing less emphasis on the accounts of transatlantic enslavement and civil rights battles, and greater focus on notable African descendants in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, and extensively acknowledging the contribution Black people have made to shape the country. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most commonly celebrated, with lectures and artistic activities. But the way the celebration is observed is a manifestation of the political moment. How it develops is a instructive case in how co-option leads to weakening: the restructuring of Black History Month has stymied the point of it, which is to address structural and organizational discrimination.
A Disconcerting Period
Few things illustrate how critical it is to reevaluate Black History Month more than the specific period in which it falls this year. In the Britain, a revitalized conservative movement in the guise of the Reform political group is leading the polls. In the summer we witnessed the largest far-right rally in British history. the Conservative leader, the Black leader of the right-wing political group, is a firm opponent of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a place where a member of parliament gains confidence to say that the absence of Caucasian individuals in certain urban areas is a reason for concern. Simultaneously, extreme conservative groups are growing in the EU as a complete entity.
In the US, a massive attack against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been brought, often successfully, to the top legal institutions of the nation. A drive to erase African American heritage and legacy from the historical documents is ongoing. One of the former president's initial presidential directives targeted the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the Smithsonian Institution, accusing them of a organized and extensive campaign to rewrite our Nation’s history” by portraying America “as fundamentally prejudiced”.
In this context, the observance symbolises how minimally it can be effective if it is confined to either routine organizational acknowledgments, or depoliticized festivities of historical achievements, rather than addressing the situation of the current era. It also demonstrates how its limited duration means that it is disconnected from the more extensive continuous action that is required. A university professor, a professor at University of Greenwich, articulated it most accurately when she voiced worries about the short-term symbolic gestures of the celebration. “The problem with taking a tokenistic approach”, she wrote, “is that it often means that Black History Month turns into a transient display rather than a catalyst for change.”
Reevaluating, Not Abandoning
Establishing how to adjust, modify and expand efforts for equal rights and acknowledgment in such moments of dejection and worry is a treacherous thing. There is a inclination to just do away with observances such as Black History Month entirely, thinking they are simply not fit for purpose, or are vestiges of an era that has not worked.
Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and heritage of racial movements – community-based BLM initiatives, DEI programs, and yes, even those talks to businesses – form an foundation that a lot of work has been dedicated to. It is there not only to deteriorate as the situation evolves (and in fact, deteriorates), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month seem? To begin with, it would be extended beyond a brief observance: something that is spread out across all seasons (as various establishments are already starting to implement), sections of its curriculum (particularly around notable African descendants) integrated into educational programs. It would also be a time that does not avoid politics, and leaves space for individuals, particularly young people, to express their concerns and stories. What purpose serves mere awareness of the bygone era when it fails to address the contemporary truth of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the public spaces? Institutions who mark it should not be reassured with the passive language of implicit prejudice and awareness of subtle slights, but faced with the dangers that face all if fight against prejudice is not treated with importance. To summarize, Black History Month should be made contemporary, critical, and adaptive. Maybe an total re-identification is in order – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.
