The annual Black History observance acts as a gauge of the current political climate, so in what ways can we modernize it?
We are in Black History Month in the UK, and it feels like it’s time for a reassessment. As time has passed, an event that was initiated as a festivity and recollection of history, culture and the connections between global Black communities, has developed a business-like atmosphere, broadening to incorporate events where Black people are compensated to speak with Caucasian groups about “unconscious bias” and supportive partnership. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade created a surge in the business of displaying cultural sensitivity. But even that moment has passed. The tide has crested, producing a diluted aftermath of what raising awareness is for.
The History of Black History Observance
Initially celebrated in the America and its northern neighbor, Black History Month was created in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of celebration and reflection in the middle of February. Black History Month grew out of this campaign 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, Deutschland, the Republic of Ireland and the Netherlands.
The observance has evolved since its inception, placing less emphasis on the accounts of transatlantic enslavement and fights for racial justice, and increasingly on influential individuals of color in politics, culture, and activism, and widely honoring the contribution Black people have made to mold society. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with discussions and heritage festivities. But the method the month is commemorated is a manifestation of the political moment. How it progresses is a valuable example in how appropriation leads to erosion: the transformation of Black History Month has impeded the purpose of it, which is to confront systemic and institutional racism.
A Troubling Time
Hardly anything shows how crucial it is to rethink Black History Month better than the current time in which it takes place this year. In the United Kingdom, a resurgent right in the shape of the Reform party is top in opinion ratings. In the recent season we saw the largest far-right rally in the history of Britain. a prominent political figure, the Black leader of the Tory party, is a firm opponent of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a place where a legislator gains confidence to state that “not seeing any white faces” in parts of a city is a reason for concern. At the same time, extreme conservative groups are growing in the EU as a whole.
In the United States, a colossal assault against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been brought, frequently with success, to the top legal institutions of the nation. A effort to scrub Black history and narrative from the archives is in progress. One of the former president's first executive orders targeted the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the prestigious establishment, accusing them of a “concerted and widespread effort to alter the country's historical narrative” by depicting the United States “as fundamentally prejudiced”.
Given these circumstances, the observance represents how little it can be impactful if it is limited to either dutiful corporate observances, or stripped of political content festivities of historical achievements, rather than challenging the situation of the contemporary world. It also reveals how its short period means that it is detached from the broader ongoing work that is necessary. An academic expert, a professor at University of Greenwich, articulated it most accurately when she raised concerns about the fleeting superficial actions of the observance. “The problem with taking a tokenistic approach”, she stated, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month evolves into a transient display rather than a driver of transformation.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Establishing how to adapt, revise and extend efforts for racial equality and recognition in such times of discouragement and concern is a treacherous thing. There is a temptation to just do away with things like Black History Month altogether, thinking they are inadequate for current needs, or are remnants of an era that has been ineffective.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and legacy of campaigns for equality – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, DEI programs, and certainly, even commercial engagements – form an framework that a significant effort has been invested in. It is there not merely to decline as the situation evolves (and in fact, declines), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month look like? To begin with, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is spread out through the year (as various establishments are already starting to implement), elements of its material (particularly around notable African descendants) incorporated into academic syllabi. It would also be a era that does not shy away from governmental matters, and provides room for citizens, particularly the younger generation, to share their anxieties and narratives. What value has mere awareness of the history when it ignores the present reality of far-right rallies in the public spaces? Establishments who celebrate it should not be comforted with the non-confrontational words of hidden discrimination and alertness to “microaggressions”, but challenged by the threats that impact society if fight against prejudice is not approached earnestly. In short, Black History Month should be made current, urgent, and adaptive. Maybe an total re-identification is in order – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.
