This commemorative month serves as a mirror of the political moment, so how do we revamp it?
This is Black History Month in the Britain, and it appears it’s time for a rethink. Throughout its history, an observance that started out as a commemorative event of the past, cultural identity and bonds between Black populations worldwide, has developed a commercial tone, growing to encompass events where Black people are compensated to address predominantly white listeners about implicit prejudice and active solidarity. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests sparked an increase in the industry of showcasing anti-racist commitment. But even that moment has passed. The tide has crested, producing a diluted aftermath of what raising awareness is for.
The Background of Black History Celebration
First commemorated in the US and Canada, Black History Month was established in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history by historian of African descent Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of remembrance and recognition in the second week of February. Black History Month grew out of this movement and was publicly established in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the North America in the second month, but also in autumn in the UK, Deutschland, Éire and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The month has developed since that time, focusing less on the narratives of the slave trade across the Atlantic and civil rights battles, and more on prominent Black figures in government, the arts, and social movements, and broadly celebrating the impact Black people have made to shape the country. It is in schools where Black History Month is most frequently marked, with talks and cultural events. But the way the celebration is observed is a indication of the contemporary political context. How it develops is a good lesson in how co-option leads to dismantling: the restructuring of Black History Month has hindered the point of it, which is to address structural and organizational discrimination.
A Disconcerting Period
Little demonstrates how crucial it is to reevaluate Black History Month more than the specific period in which it takes place this year. In the United Kingdom, a revitalized conservative movement in the shape of the Reform party is top in opinion ratings. In the warmer months we observed the most significant ultra-conservative gathering in British history. Kemi Badenoch, the African descendant in charge of the right-wing political group, is a firm opponent of anti-racism activism, and we are in a place where a member of parliament feels emboldened to say that the absence of Caucasian individuals in parts of a city is a reason for concern. Meanwhile, far-right parties are expanding in the EU as a whole.
In the US, a colossal assault against DEI and affirmative action has been brought, often successfully, to the supreme judicial bodies of the nation. A campaign to erase African American heritage and experience from the records is ongoing. One of the political figure's initial presidential directives targeted the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the renowned cultural organization, alleging that they of a organized and extensive campaign to rewrite our Nation’s history” by portraying America “as naturally discriminatory”.
In this context, the month represents how minimally it can be impactful if it is limited to either routine organizational acknowledgments, or politically neutered commemorations of contributions in the past, rather than confronting the situation of the present. It also demonstrates how its limited duration means that it is separated from the wider consistent effort that is necessary. An academic expert, a professor at University of Greenwich, expressed it perfectly when she voiced worries about the fleeting superficial actions of the observance. “The difficulty with adopting a symbolic stance”, she commented, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month turns into a brief show rather than a catalyst for change.”
Reevaluating, Not Abandoning
Establishing how to adapt, revise and extend efforts for racial equality and recognition in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a challenging endeavor. There is a urge to just discontinue things like Black History Month entirely, thinking they are inadequate for current needs, or are remnants 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 legacy of activism for racial justice – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and certainly, even commercial engagements – constitute an infrastructure that a lot of work has been dedicated to. It is there not merely to decline as the politics moves on (and in fact, regresses), but to be a dynamic entity.
So what would a fresh vibrant Black History Month seem? Well, first, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is distributed across all seasons (as certain organizations are already starting to implement), parts of its content (particularly around historic Black characters) included in academic syllabi. It would also be a time that does not evade governmental matters, and leaves space for people, particularly the younger generation, to express their concerns and stories. What use is simple recognition of the bygone era when it ignores the contemporary truth of far-right rallies in the urban areas? Organizations who celebrate it should not be reassured with the non-confrontational words of implicit prejudice and awareness of “microaggressions”, but faced with the dangers that affect everyone if anti-racism is not treated with importance. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made contemporary, pressing, and adaptive. Maybe an entire name rebrand is necessary – Contemporary Black History Month.
