This commemorative month acts as a gauge of the political moment, so in what ways can we modernize it?
It's Black History Month in the UK, and it appears it’s time for a reassessment. Throughout its history, an celebration that started out as a commemorative event of the past, cultural identity and bonds between global Black communities, has adopted a commercial tone, broadening to incorporate events where individuals of African heritage are remunerated to talk to Caucasian groups about implicit prejudice and supportive partnership. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests sparked an increase in the business of demonstrating racial awareness. Yet, that phase is now over. The wave has peaked, resulting in a somewhat empty inheritance of what promoting consciousness is for.
The History of Black History Celebration
Initially celebrated in the America and its northern neighbor, Black History Month was established in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by Black scholar Carter G. Woodson with seven days of commemoration and observance in the February's second week. Black History Month developed from this movement and was officially launched in 1970. Currently it is marked not only in the United States and Canada in winter, but also in autumn in the Britain, Deutschland, Éire and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The observance has transformed since its inception, placing less emphasis on the narratives of transatlantic enslavement and fights for racial justice, and greater focus on prominent Black figures in government, the arts, and social movements, and widely honoring the contribution Black people have made to shape the country. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with talks and cultural events. But the manner the celebration is observed is a reflection of the political moment. How it progresses is a valuable example in how co-option leads to dismantling: the restructuring of Black History Month has impeded the point of it, which is to confront structural and organizational discrimination.
A Troubling Time
Few things illustrate how crucial it is to rethink Black History Month as much as the specific period in which it takes place this year. In the UK, a resurgent right in the shape of the Reform political group is ahead in surveys. In the summer we observed the biggest extreme right demonstration in British history. the Conservative leader, the Black leader of the right-wing political group, is a strong critic of the racial justice movement, and we are in a place where a legislator feels empowered to declare that “not seeing any white faces” in parts of a city is a source of worry. At the same time, extreme conservative groups are surging in the EU as a whole.
In the United States, a colossal assault against DEI and affirmative action has been carried, often successfully, to the top legal institutions of the nation. A effort to scrub the history of people of color and narrative from the archives is ongoing. One of the former president's first executive orders focused on the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the prestigious establishment, accusing them of a coordinated and broad attempt to change the national past” by representing the nation “as inherently racist”.
Against this backdrop, the month symbolises how insufficiently it can be effective if it is restricted to either dutiful corporate observances, or politically neutered festivities of historical achievements, rather than addressing the realities of the contemporary world. It also demonstrates how its limited duration means that it is disconnected from the wider consistent effort that is necessary. A university professor, a professor at an educational institution, expressed it perfectly when she raised concerns about the temporary “tokenism” of the celebration. “The difficulty with adopting a symbolic stance”, she stated, “is that it often means that Black History Month evolves into a transient display rather than a catalyst for change.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Establishing how to adjust, modify and expand actions for fair treatment and appreciation in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a challenging endeavor. There is a temptation to just discontinue observances such as Black History Month altogether, assuming they are inadequate for current needs, or are vestiges of an period that has been ineffective.
But despite everything, Black History Month, and in fact the complete comprehensive structure and tradition of activism for racial justice – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, DEI programs, and certainly, even commercial engagements – form an infrastructure that a considerable labor has been invested in. It is there not merely to decline as the situation evolves (and in fact, declines), 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 dispersed through the year (as certain organizations are already commencing), parts of its content (particularly around prominent figures of color) incorporated into school curriculums. It would also be a period that does not shy away from politics, and allows opportunity for individuals, particularly the younger generation, to express their concerns and stories. What purpose serves mere awareness of the past when it ignores the current situation of extreme conservative demonstrations in the urban areas? Organizations who observe it should not be comforted with the passive language of “unconscious bias” and sensitivity to minor insults, but faced with the threats that impact society if anti-racism is not approached earnestly. In short, Black History Month should be made contemporary, critical, and responsive. It could be that an complete renaming is in order – Contemporary Black History Month.
