This commemorative month serves as a mirror of the political moment, so in what ways can we modernize it?
It's Black History Month in the United Kingdom, and it appears it’s time for a reassessment. As time has passed, an observance that began as a celebration and reminder of history, culture and the connections between international African diaspora communities, has developed a business-like atmosphere, growing to encompass gatherings where individuals of African heritage are paid to address white audiences about “unconscious bias” and supportive partnership. The demonstrations for racial justice in the 2020s sparked an increase in the business of showcasing anti-racist commitment. But even that moment has passed. The wave has reached its height, resulting in a somewhat empty inheritance of what increasing understanding is for.
The Background of Black History Observance
Originally observed in the America and its northern neighbor, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as an observance of African American heritage by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with a week of celebration and reflection in the February's second week. Black History Month evolved from this campaign and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the US and Canada in February, but also in autumn in the UK, Deutschland, Éire and the Netherlands.
The observance has evolved since its inception, focusing less on the accounts of the slave trade across the Atlantic and civil rights battles, and more on notable African descendants in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, and extensively acknowledging the input Black people have made to mold society. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with talks and cultural events. But the way the observance is celebrated is a indication of the political moment. How it develops is a instructive case in how appropriation leads to erosion: the transformation of Black History Month has stymied the purpose of it, which is to address embedded and established prejudice.
A Disconcerting Period
Few things illustrate how critical it is to rethink Black History Month as much as the particular moment in which it occurs this year. In the Britain, a revitalized conservative movement in the guise of the Reform political group is ahead in surveys. In the summer we witnessed the biggest extreme right demonstration in British history. the Conservative leader, the Black leader of the Tory party, is a firm opponent of the racial justice movement, and we are in a place where a member of parliament gains confidence to state that “not seeing any white faces” in specific city neighborhoods is a reason for concern. At the same time, ultra-nationalist movements are expanding in the EU as a complete entity.
In the America, a significant offensive against DEI and affirmative action has been carried, often successfully, to the top legal institutions of the state. A campaign to erase African American heritage and narrative from the archives is in progress. One of Donald Trump's initial presidential directives aimed at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the Smithsonian Institution, alleging that they of a “concerted and widespread effort to rewrite our Nation’s history” by portraying America “as naturally discriminatory”.
Against this backdrop, the month illustrates how little it can be impactful if it is confined to either obligatory business commemorations, or politically neutered celebrations of historical achievements, rather than challenging the realities of the present. It also shows how its limited duration means that it is detached from the broader ongoing work that is required. Denise Miller, a prof at University of Greenwich, put it best when she expressed apprehension about the fleeting superficial actions of the observance. “The difficulty with adopting a symbolic stance”, she commented, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month becomes a fleeting performance rather than a catalyst for change.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Establishing how to alter, change and broaden efforts for fair treatment and appreciation in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a treacherous thing. There is a inclination to just discontinue things like Black History Month completely, thinking they are simply not fit for purpose, or are relics of an period that has failed to deliver.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and heritage of activism for racial justice – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and indeed, including corporate presentations – represent an framework that a significant effort has been invested in. It is there not merely to decline as the politics moves on (and in fact, deteriorates), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month look like? To begin with, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is distributed across all seasons (as some institutions are already commencing), parts of its content (particularly around historic Black characters) incorporated into educational programs. It would also be a period that does not shy away from politics, and provides room for individuals, particularly young people, to share their anxieties and narratives. What use is mere awareness of the past when it ignores the current situation of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the street? Establishments who mark it should not be comforted with the non-confrontational words of “unconscious bias” and awareness of subtle slights, but challenged by the threats that impact society if anti-racism is not taken seriously. In short, Black History Month should be made up-to-date, pressing, and responsive. Perhaps an total re-identification is in order – Black History is Now Month.
