This commemorative month is a reflection of the political moment, so how do we revamp it?
We are in Black History Month in the Britain, and it appears it’s time for a re-evaluation. As time has passed, an celebration that started out as a festivity and recollection of heritage, traditions and links between international African diaspora communities, has taken on a commercial tone, broadening to incorporate functions where individuals of African heritage are remunerated to address white audiences about implicit prejudice and “allyship”. The demonstrations for racial justice in the 2020s generated a rise in the enterprise of displaying cultural sensitivity. Yet, that phase is now over. The wave has crested, resulting in a somewhat empty inheritance of what promoting consciousness is for.
The Origins of Black History Month
First commemorated in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was created in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with seven days of celebration and reflection in the February's second week. Black History Month evolved from this campaign and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the North America in February, but also in autumn in the UK, Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands.
The observance has developed since its inception, placing less emphasis on the narratives of the slave trade across the Atlantic and struggles for equality, and more on notable African descendants in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, and extensively acknowledging the contribution Black people have made to influence the nation. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with talks and cultural events. But the method the observance is celebrated is a reflection of the contemporary political context. How it progresses is a valuable example in how appropriation leads to erosion: the reshaping of Black History Month has hindered the objective of it, which is to address systemic and institutional racism.
A Troubling Time
Little demonstrates how crucial it is to rethink Black History Month as much as the particular moment in which it takes place this year. In the UK, a revitalized conservative movement in the form of the Reform party is leading the polls. In the summer we saw the largest far-right rally in British history. a prominent political figure, the person of color at the helm of the Tory party, is a staunch adversary of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a situation where a elected representative gains confidence to say that the absence of Caucasian individuals in certain urban areas is a source of worry. At the same time, far-right parties are expanding in the European continent as a whole.
In the United States, a massive attack against DEI and affirmative action has been brought, repeatedly with positive outcomes, to the highest courts of the country. A campaign to remove the history of people of color and legacy from the records is ongoing. One of the former president's first executive orders targeted the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the renowned cultural organization, alleging that they of a coordinated and broad attempt to alter the country's historical narrative” by representing the nation “as inherently racist”.
Against this backdrop, the month represents how minimally it can be impactful if it is limited to either routine organizational acknowledgments, or depoliticized festivities of contributions in the past, rather than challenging the conditions of the contemporary world. It also reveals how its short period means that it is detached from the wider consistent effort that is required. An academic expert, a professor at University of Greenwich, expressed it perfectly when she expressed apprehension about the fleeting superficial actions of the celebration. “The issue with taking a tokenistic approach”, she stated, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month turns into a transient display rather than a catalyst for change.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Determining how to adjust, modify and expand initiatives 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, believing they are inadequate for current needs, or are relics of an time that has been ineffective.
Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and heritage of racial movements – local anti-racism groups, DEI programs, and certainly, even commercial engagements – form an foundation that a significant effort has been invested in. It is there not just to decay as the situation evolves (and in fact, deteriorates), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a fresh vibrant Black History Month appear as? Firstly, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is spread out across all seasons (as some institutions are already beginning to do), elements of its material (particularly around notable African descendants) included in academic syllabi. It would also be a era that does not avoid political issues, and provides room for individuals, particularly youth, to air their fears and experiences. What purpose serves mere awareness of the history when it ignores the present reality of far-right rallies in the urban areas? Establishments who celebrate it should not be comforted with the non-confrontational words of hidden discrimination and awareness of “microaggressions”, but confronted with the threats that face all if anti-racism is not treated with importance. To summarize, Black History Month should be made current, urgent, and reactive. Perhaps an entire name rebrand is in order – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.