Black History Month is a reflection of the prevailing political atmosphere, so in what ways can we modernize it?
We are in Black History Month in the UK, and it seems it’s time for a reassessment. Throughout its history, an event that was initiated as a commemorative event of history, culture and the connections between Black populations worldwide, has developed a business-like atmosphere, broadening to incorporate functions where African descendants are paid to speak with predominantly white listeners about implicit prejudice and “allyship”. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests generated a rise in the industry of demonstrating racial awareness. But even that moment has passed. The surge has reached its height, producing a diluted aftermath of what promoting consciousness is for.
The History of Black History Observance
First commemorated in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by Black scholar Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of celebration and reflection in the middle of February. Black History Month evolved from this movement and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Currently it is marked not only in the North America in the second month, but also in October in the United Kingdom, the Federal Republic of Germany, Éire and the Netherlands.
The period has transformed since those days, focusing less on the histories of colonial slavery and fights for racial justice, and increasingly on notable African descendants in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, and widely honoring the impact Black people have made to influence the nation. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most frequently marked, with discussions and heritage festivities. But the method the celebration is commemorated is a manifestation of the contemporary political context. How it progresses is a instructive case in how assimilation leads to erosion: the restructuring of Black History Month has stymied the purpose of it, which is to confront systemic and institutional racism.
A Disconcerting Period
Hardly anything shows how critical it is to rethink Black History Month more than the particular moment in which it falls this year. In the UK, a revitalized conservative movement in the guise of the Reform political group is top in opinion ratings. In the recent season we witnessed the most significant ultra-conservative gathering in British history. Kemi Badenoch, the Black leader of the Tory party, is a strong critic of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a situation where a elected representative feels empowered to declare that the absence of Caucasian individuals in parts of a city is a source of worry. At the same time, ultra-nationalist movements are surging in Europe as a entirety.
In the United States, a massive attack against DEI and affirmative action has been brought, frequently with success, to the highest courts of the country. A effort to scrub African American heritage and narrative from the historical documents is in progress. One of Donald Trump's early administrative commands focused on the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the prestigious establishment, claiming they of a “concerted and widespread effort to rewrite our Nation’s history” by representing the nation “as inherently racist”.
In this context, the month illustrates how insufficiently it can be effective if it is confined to either obligatory business commemorations, or politically neutered celebrations of historical achievements, rather than confronting the situation of the contemporary world. It also demonstrates how its restricted time span means that it is detached from the wider consistent effort that is required. An academic expert, a prof at a learning establishment, articulated it most accurately when she expressed apprehension about the fleeting superficial actions of the month. “The problem with embracing a superficial method”, she stated, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month becomes a transient display rather than a catalyst for change.”
Reevaluating, Not Abandoning
Figuring out how to alter, change and broaden efforts for fair treatment and appreciation in such moments of dejection and worry is a challenging endeavor. There is a temptation to just eliminate events including Black History Month altogether, assuming they are no longer suitable, or are relics of an time that has been ineffective.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the whole broad system and heritage of racial movements – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, inclusion and equity efforts, and indeed, including corporate presentations – form an infrastructure that a significant effort has been dedicated to. It is there not just to decay as the situation evolves (and in fact, regresses), but to be a dynamic entity.
So what would a fresh vibrant Black History Month seem? Firstly, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is distributed through the year (as various establishments are already starting to implement), parts of its content (particularly around historic Black characters) integrated into school curriculums. It would also be a era that does not shy away from politics, and leaves space for individuals, particularly the younger generation, to air their fears and experiences. What use is basic knowledge of the history when it ignores the contemporary truth of extreme conservative demonstrations in the public spaces? Organizations who celebrate it should not be reassured with the non-confrontational words of implicit prejudice and alertness to minor insults, but challenged by the threats that face all if opposition to discrimination is not taken seriously. To summarize, Black History Month should be made current, urgent, and responsive. Maybe an complete renaming is necessary – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.