The annual Black History observance is a reflection of the current political climate, so how do we revamp it?
We are in Black History Month in the UK, and it feels like it’s time for a reassessment. Over the years, an observance that started out as a commemorative event of the past, cultural identity and bonds between Black populations worldwide, has taken on a corporate feel, broadening to incorporate gatherings where individuals of African heritage are paid to talk to white audiences about “unconscious bias” and supportive partnership. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade sparked an increase in the industry of demonstrating racial awareness. Yet, that phase is now over. The tide has crested, resulting in a somewhat empty inheritance of what increasing understanding is for.
The Origins of Black History Month
First commemorated in the America and its northern neighbor, Black History Month was established in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history by historian of African descent Carter G. Woodson with seven days of remembrance and recognition in the second week of February. Black History Month evolved from this initiative and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the North America in the second month, but also in autumn in the UK, the Federal Republic of Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands.
The observance has evolved since its inception, focusing less on the accounts of the slave trade across the Atlantic and struggles for equality, and more on influential individuals of color in politics, culture, and activism, and extensively acknowledging the impact Black people have made to mold society. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most frequently marked, with talks and cultural events. But the manner the celebration is observed is a indication of the contemporary political context. How it evolves is a good lesson in how appropriation leads to dismantling: the reshaping of Black History Month has hindered the purpose of it, which is to confront embedded and established prejudice.
A Jarring Moment
Little demonstrates how important it is to rethink Black History Month as much as the particular moment in which it falls this year. In the United Kingdom, a revitalized conservative movement in the guise of the Reform party is top in opinion ratings. In the recent season we observed the most significant ultra-conservative gathering in British history. Kemi Badenoch, the Black leader of the Tory party, is a firm opponent of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a place where a legislator feels emboldened to declare that the absence of Caucasian individuals in specific city neighborhoods is a reason for concern. At the same time, ultra-nationalist movements are growing in the EU as a entirety.
In the America, a massive attack against inclusion programs and preferential policies has been taken, repeatedly with positive outcomes, to the highest courts of the nation. A drive to remove African American heritage and narrative from the historical documents is ongoing. One of the former president's early administrative commands aimed at the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the prestigious establishment, accusing them of a coordinated and broad attempt to rewrite our Nation’s history” by representing the nation “as inherently racist”.
In this context, the celebration represents how little it can be impactful if it is restricted to either obligatory business commemorations, or depoliticized celebrations of historical achievements, rather than addressing the realities of the present. It also reveals how its short period means that it is detached from the more extensive continuous action that is required. A university professor, a educator at University of Greenwich, put it best when she raised concerns about the short-term symbolic gestures of the observance. “The issue with embracing a superficial method”, she stated, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month turns into a transient display rather than a driver of transformation.”
Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning
Figuring out how to alter, change and broaden efforts for equal rights and acknowledgment in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a treacherous thing. There is a temptation to just do away with events including Black History Month altogether, thinking they are inadequate for current needs, or are vestiges of an era that has been ineffective.
But despite everything, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and legacy of racial movements – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, inclusion and equity efforts, and yes, even those talks to businesses – represent an infrastructure that a significant effort has been dedicated to. It is there not just to decay as the political landscape shifts (and in fact, declines), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a contemporary active Black History Month seem? Well, first, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is spread out across all seasons (as various establishments are already beginning to do), sections of its curriculum (particularly around historic Black characters) incorporated into academic syllabi. It would also be a era that does not avoid politics, and leaves space for people, particularly the younger generation, to share their anxieties and narratives. What use is mere awareness of the history when it fails to address the contemporary truth of far-right rallies in the street? Institutions who observe it should not be reassured with the non-confrontational words of “unconscious bias” and awareness of minor insults, but confronted with the risks that impact society if opposition to discrimination is not taken seriously. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made contemporary, critical, and adaptive. Maybe an entire name rebrand is necessary – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.
