The annual Black History observance is a reflection of the political moment, so what steps can we take to refresh it?
This is Black History Month in the Britain, and it appears it’s time for a rethink. Over the years, an observance that started out as a commemorative event of heritage, traditions and links between Black populations worldwide, has adopted a corporate feel, growing to encompass gatherings where individuals of African heritage are paid to speak with predominantly white listeners about “unconscious bias” and supportive partnership. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests sparked an increase in the business of displaying cultural sensitivity. But even that moment has passed. The tide has reached its height, resulting in a somewhat empty inheritance of what raising awareness is for.
The History of Black History Observance
First commemorated in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was established in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by historian of African descent Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of remembrance and recognition in the February's second week. Black History Month evolved from this initiative and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the North America in February, but also in October in the United Kingdom, Germany, the Republic of Ireland and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The period has evolved since that time, placing less emphasis on the narratives of colonial slavery and civil rights battles, and greater focus on prominent Black figures in politics, culture, and activism, and widely honoring the input Black people have made to shape the country. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most commonly celebrated, with discussions and heritage festivities. But the method the month is celebrated is a manifestation of the political moment. How it develops is a good lesson in how appropriation leads to weakening: the transformation of Black History Month has hindered the point of it, which is to address systemic and institutional racism.
A Troubling Time
Few things illustrate how critical it is to reevaluate Black History Month as much as the specific period in which it takes place this year. In the UK, a resurgent right in the guise of the Reform party is ahead in surveys. In the summer we witnessed the biggest extreme right demonstration in British history. the Conservative leader, the African descendant in charge of the Tory party, is a staunch adversary of anti-racism activism, and we are in a position where a elected representative feels empowered to say that “not seeing any white faces” in parts of a city is a cause for alarm. At the same time, extreme conservative groups are expanding in Europe as a whole.
In the US, a colossal assault against DEI and affirmative action has been carried, often successfully, to the top legal institutions of the nation. A effort to erase African American heritage and narrative from the records is under way. One of the political figure's first executive orders focused on the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the Smithsonian Institution, alleging that they of a “concerted and widespread effort to change the national past” by depicting the United States “as naturally discriminatory”.
Given these circumstances, the month symbolises how minimally it can be effective if it is restricted to either dutiful corporate observances, or politically neutered celebrations of historical achievements, rather than addressing the situation of the current era. It also demonstrates how its restricted time span means that it is separated from the wider consistent effort that is necessary. Denise Miller, a professor at a learning establishment, expressed it perfectly when she voiced worries about the short-term symbolic gestures of the month. “The issue with embracing a superficial method”, she commented, “is that it often means that Black History Month turns into a fleeting performance rather than a agent of progress.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Determining how to alter, change and broaden actions for fair treatment and appreciation in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a difficult task. There is a urge to just do away with observances such as Black History Month completely, assuming they are simply not fit for purpose, or are remnants of an era that has failed to deliver.
Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and legacy of campaigns for equality – community-based BLM initiatives, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and indeed, including corporate presentations – constitute an framework that a considerable labor has been dedicated to. It is there not merely to decline as the politics moves on (and in fact, regresses), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month look like? Well, first, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is spread out through the year (as certain organizations are already beginning to do), elements of its material (particularly around historic Black characters) integrated into academic syllabi. It would also be a era that does not evade governmental matters, and leaves space for people, particularly young people, to share their anxieties and narratives. What purpose serves basic knowledge of the past when it ignores the contemporary truth of extreme conservative demonstrations in the urban areas? Establishments who mark it should not be pacified with the neutral terminology of hidden discrimination and alertness to minor insults, but confronted with the threats that affect everyone if anti-racism is not approached earnestly. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made current, pressing, and reactive. Perhaps an entire name rebrand is necessary – Contemporary Black History Month.
