This commemorative month serves as a mirror of the political moment, so in what ways can we modernize it?
We are in Black History Month in the United Kingdom, and it seems it’s time for a rethink. Over the years, an celebration that started out as a commemorative event of heritage, traditions and links between Black populations worldwide, has taken on a commercial tone, expanding to include gatherings where African descendants are paid to address Caucasian groups about “unconscious bias” and active solidarity. The demonstrations for racial justice in the 2020s created a surge in the industry of displaying cultural sensitivity. But even that moment has passed. The tide has reached its height, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what promoting consciousness is for.
The History of Black History Observance
First commemorated in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of remembrance and recognition in the second week of February. Black History Month evolved from this movement and was publicly established in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the US and Canada in the second month, but also in autumn in the Britain, Germany, Ireland and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The month has developed since those days, placing less emphasis on the narratives of colonial slavery and fights for racial justice, and more on notable African descendants in politics, culture, and activism, and broadly celebrating the contribution Black people have made to shape the country. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with lectures and artistic activities. But the way the observance is celebrated is a indication of the political moment. How it evolves is a valuable example in how co-option leads to erosion: the reshaping of Black History Month has impeded the point of it, which is to tackle embedded and established prejudice.
A Troubling Time
Few things illustrate how critical it is to rethink Black History Month better than the current time in which it falls this year. In the Britain, a revitalized conservative movement in the form of the Reform political group is ahead in surveys. In the summer we witnessed the most significant ultra-conservative gathering in the UK's past. Kemi Badenoch, the person of color at the helm of the right-wing political group, is a staunch adversary of the racial justice movement, and we are in a place where a elected representative gains confidence to state that “not seeing any white faces” in certain urban areas is a reason for concern. Simultaneously, ultra-nationalist movements are surging in Europe as a complete entity.
In the US, a significant offensive against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been carried, repeatedly with positive outcomes, to the supreme judicial bodies of the state. A effort to scrub Black history and legacy from the historical documents is in progress. One of the political figure's early administrative commands focused on the museum of African American legacy, and the renowned cultural organization, claiming they of a organized and extensive campaign to alter the country's historical narrative” by depicting the United States “as inherently racist”.
Against this backdrop, the celebration illustrates how minimally it can be effective if it is restricted to either obligatory business commemorations, or depoliticized festivities of former accomplishments, rather than challenging the situation of the contemporary world. It also reveals how its restricted time span means that it is detached from the more extensive continuous action that is required. A university professor, a prof at an educational institution, put it best when she expressed apprehension about the temporary “tokenism” of the celebration. “The difficulty with adopting a symbolic stance”, she stated, “is that it often means that Black History Month evolves into a brief show rather than a catalyst for change.”
Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning
Figuring out how to alter, change and broaden efforts for fair treatment and appreciation in such moments of dejection and worry is a treacherous thing. There is a temptation to just eliminate things like Black History Month altogether, assuming they are no longer suitable, or are vestiges of an time that has not worked.
But despite everything, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and legacy of activism for racial justice – local anti-racism groups, DEI programs, and certainly, even commercial engagements – form an infrastructure that a significant effort has been invested in. It is there not only to deteriorate as the politics moves on (and in fact, declines), but to be a living breathing thing.
So what would a contemporary active Black History Month look like? Firstly, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is distributed throughout the annual calendar (as various establishments are already commencing), parts of its content (particularly around notable African descendants) incorporated into school curriculums. It would also be a period that does not avoid governmental matters, and leaves space for citizens, particularly youth, to air their fears and experiences. What use is simple recognition of the history when it doesn’t reckon with the current situation of far-right rallies in the street? Establishments who mark it should not be comforted with the non-confrontational words of “unconscious bias” and alertness to “microaggressions”, but confronted with the threats that face all if fight against prejudice is not taken seriously. To summarize, Black History Month should be made current, critical, and adaptive. It could be that an entire name rebrand is in order – Contemporary Black History Month.
