This commemorative month acts as a gauge of the prevailing political atmosphere, so how do we revamp it?
It's Black History Month in the United Kingdom, and it seems it’s time for a rethink. As time has passed, an celebration that began as a commemorative event of heritage, traditions and links between Black populations worldwide, has developed a corporate feel, broadening to incorporate events where Black people are paid to address white audiences about “unconscious bias” and “allyship”. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade generated a rise in the business of showcasing anti-racist commitment. Yet, that phase is now over. The surge has crested, resulting in a somewhat empty inheritance of what raising awareness is for.
The Origins of Black History Celebration
First commemorated in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was created in 1962 as an observance of African American heritage by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of remembrance and recognition in the February's second week. Black History Month grew out of this initiative and was officially launched in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the United States and Canada in winter, but also in autumn in the Britain, Deutschland, Ireland and the Holland.
The observance has transformed since its inception, placing less emphasis on the histories of transatlantic enslavement and civil rights battles, and greater focus on prominent Black figures in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, and extensively acknowledging the impact Black people have made to mold society. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most frequently marked, with discussions and heritage festivities. But the method the celebration is celebrated is a manifestation of the political moment. How it progresses is a instructive case in how assimilation leads to erosion: the restructuring of Black History Month has impeded the purpose of it, which is to tackle systemic and institutional racism.
A Disconcerting Period
Few things illustrate 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 shape of the Reform party is ahead in surveys. In the warmer months we witnessed the biggest extreme right demonstration in British history. a prominent political figure, the person of color at the helm of the Conservative party, is a firm opponent of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a place where a legislator feels empowered to declare that the absence of Caucasian individuals in parts of a city is a source of worry. At the same time, far-right parties are growing in the European continent as a complete entity.
In the US, a significant offensive against DEI and affirmative action has been taken, repeatedly with positive outcomes, to the supreme judicial bodies of the country. A drive to erase African American heritage and legacy from the records is under way. One of Donald Trump's first executive orders targeted the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the prestigious establishment, accusing them of a coordinated and broad attempt to alter the country's historical narrative” by portraying America “as naturally discriminatory”.
Given these circumstances, the month illustrates how minimally it can be influential if it is limited to either dutiful corporate observances, or depoliticized festivities of contributions in the past, rather than challenging the realities of the contemporary world. It also shows how its limited duration means that it is disconnected from the more extensive continuous action that is necessary. An academic expert, a prof at an educational institution, expressed it perfectly when she raised concerns about the fleeting superficial actions of the month. “The issue with embracing a superficial method”, she wrote, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month becomes a transient display rather than a agent of progress.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Figuring out how to adjust, modify and expand initiatives for fair treatment and appreciation in such times of discouragement and concern is a difficult task. There is a urge to just do away with events including Black History Month completely, assuming they are simply not fit for purpose, or are vestiges of an period that has not worked.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the complete comprehensive structure and tradition of activism for racial justice – local anti-racism groups, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and certainly, even commercial engagements – form an framework that a considerable labor has gone into. It is there not only to deteriorate as the politics moves on (and in fact, declines), but to be a dynamic entity.
So what would a contemporary active Black History Month look like? To begin with, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is dispersed across all seasons (as some institutions are already commencing), parts of its content (particularly around notable African descendants) included in educational programs. It would also be a era that does not avoid governmental matters, and allows opportunity for citizens, particularly youth, to air their fears and experiences. What use is basic knowledge of the past when it fails to address the present reality of far-right rallies in the street? Establishments who celebrate it should not be reassured with the neutral terminology of implicit prejudice and alertness to “microaggressions”, but faced with the threats that face all if fight against prejudice is not taken seriously. In short, Black History Month should be made current, urgent, and responsive. Perhaps an total re-identification is necessary – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.
