The annual Black History observance acts as a gauge of the current political climate, so what steps can we take to refresh it?
We are in Black History Month in the United Kingdom, and it appears it’s time for a rethink. Throughout its history, an observance that started out as a commemorative event of heritage, traditions and links between Black populations worldwide, has adopted a business-like atmosphere, broadening to incorporate gatherings where African descendants are paid to talk to white audiences about implicit prejudice and active solidarity. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests generated a rise in the business of demonstrating racial awareness. But even that moment has passed. The wave has crested, producing a diluted aftermath of what promoting consciousness is for.
The History of Black History Observance
First commemorated 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 commemoration and observance in the second week of February. Black History Month grew out of this initiative and was officially launched in 1970. Currently it is marked not only in the United States and Canada in February, but also in October in the UK, the Federal Republic of Germany, Ireland and the Holland.
The observance has transformed since that time, giving reduced attention to the narratives of colonial slavery and civil rights battles, and more on notable African descendants in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, 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 talks and cultural events. But the way the month is commemorated is a manifestation of the current political situation. How it develops is a valuable example in how assimilation leads to weakening: the reshaping of Black History Month has stymied the objective of it, which is to tackle embedded and established prejudice.
A Troubling Time
Little demonstrates how crucial it is to rethink Black History Month more than the current time in which it falls this year. In the UK, a resurgent right in the shape of the Reform political group is ahead in surveys. In the recent season we witnessed the biggest extreme right demonstration in the UK's past. Kemi Badenoch, the person of color at the helm of the Conservative party, is a firm opponent of anti-racism activism, and we are in a place where a legislator feels empowered to state that “not seeing any white faces” in parts of a city is a cause for alarm. Simultaneously, far-right parties are growing in the EU as a whole.
In the United States, a massive attack against DEI and affirmative action has been brought, repeatedly with positive outcomes, to the top legal institutions of the country. A campaign to erase the history of people of color and legacy from the records is under way. One of the former president's initial presidential directives targeted the museum of African American legacy, and the prestigious establishment, claiming they of a coordinated and broad attempt to rewrite our Nation’s history” by depicting the United States “as inherently racist”.
Given these circumstances, the celebration represents how little it can be impactful if it is restricted to either dutiful corporate observances, or politically neutered commemorations of former accomplishments, rather than addressing the conditions of the present. It also shows how its short period means that it is disconnected from the more extensive continuous action that is necessary. An academic expert, a educator at an educational institution, articulated it most accurately when she voiced worries about the fleeting superficial actions of the celebration. “The difficulty with embracing a superficial method”, she commented, “is that it often means that Black History Month becomes a fleeting performance rather than a catalyst for change.”
Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning
Determining how to adapt, revise and extend actions for fair treatment and appreciation in such times of discouragement and concern is a challenging endeavor. There is a urge to just discontinue observances such as Black History Month altogether, thinking they are inadequate for current needs, or are remnants of an era that has been ineffective.
Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the whole broad system and heritage of campaigns for equality – community-based BLM initiatives, inclusion and equity efforts, and yes, even those talks to businesses – form an foundation that a lot of work has gone into. It is there not merely to decline as the situation evolves (and in fact, declines), but to be a dynamic entity.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month seem? Firstly, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is spread out throughout the annual calendar (as certain organizations are already beginning to do), parts of its content (particularly around prominent figures of color) integrated into school curriculums. It would also be a era that does not evade governmental matters, and allows opportunity for individuals, particularly young people, to express their concerns and stories. What purpose serves basic knowledge of the bygone era when it fails to address the contemporary truth of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the street? Organizations who celebrate it should not be comforted with the non-confrontational words of hidden discrimination and awareness of minor insults, but challenged by the risks that face all if anti-racism is not taken seriously. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made up-to-date, critical, and adaptive. Perhaps an entire name rebrand is required – Contemporary Black History Month.
