Black History Month serves as a mirror of the current political climate, so in what ways can we modernize it?
We are in Black History Month in the Britain, and it seems it’s time for a rethink. As time has passed, an event that was initiated as a celebration and reminder of heritage, traditions and links between international African diaspora communities, has adopted a commercial tone, broadening to incorporate gatherings where Black people are compensated to address predominantly white listeners about hidden biases and “allyship”. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade created a surge in the industry of displaying cultural sensitivity. But even that moment has passed. The tide has crested, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what raising awareness is for.
The Origins of Black History Observance
First commemorated in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with a week of celebration and reflection in the middle of February. Black History Month evolved from this campaign and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the United States and Canada in winter, but also in autumn in the Britain, Deutschland, Éire and the Netherlands.
The month has developed since its inception, placing less emphasis on the narratives of colonial slavery and fights for racial justice, and increasingly on notable African descendants in government, the arts, and social movements, and extensively acknowledging the impact Black people have made to influence the nation. It is in schools where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with discussions and heritage festivities. But the method the month is commemorated is a manifestation of the current political situation. How it progresses is a good lesson in how co-option leads to weakening: the restructuring of Black History Month has stymied the purpose of it, which is to tackle structural and organizational discrimination.
A Jarring Moment
Little demonstrates how crucial it is to reconsider Black History Month more than the particular moment in which it takes place this year. In the Britain, a resurgent right in the shape of the Reform organization is leading the polls. In the recent season we saw the biggest extreme right demonstration in the history of Britain. Kemi Badenoch, the person of color at the helm of the Conservative party, is a strong critic of anti-racism activism, and we are in a situation where a legislator gains confidence to declare that “not seeing any white faces” in parts of a city is a cause for alarm. Meanwhile, extreme conservative groups are growing in Europe as a whole.
In the US, a massive attack against DEI and affirmative action has been brought, frequently with success, to the highest courts of the country. A drive to scrub Black history and legacy from the historical documents is under way. One of the political figure's initial presidential directives targeted the museum of African American legacy, and the Smithsonian Institution, accusing them of a organized and extensive campaign to change the national past” by depicting the United States “as fundamentally prejudiced”.
In this context, the observance represents how minimally it can be impactful if it is limited to either obligatory business commemorations, or politically neutered festivities of historical achievements, rather than challenging the situation of the contemporary world. It also reveals how its short period means that it is disconnected from the more extensive continuous action that is required. Denise Miller, a educator at University of Greenwich, articulated it most accurately when she voiced worries about the fleeting superficial actions of the observance. “The issue with taking a tokenistic approach”, she commented, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month becomes a fleeting performance rather than a driver of transformation.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Determining how to alter, change and broaden efforts 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, believing they are simply not fit for purpose, or are remnants of an era that has failed to deliver.
But despite everything, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and heritage of activism for racial justice – local anti-racism groups, DEI programs, and indeed, including corporate presentations – form an framework that a considerable labor has gone into. It is there not merely to decline as the situation evolves (and in fact, deteriorates), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a contemporary active Black History Month look like? Firstly, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is spread out throughout the annual calendar (as some institutions are already commencing), sections of its curriculum (particularly around notable African descendants) integrated into academic syllabi. It would also be a era that does not evade governmental matters, and allows opportunity for individuals, particularly young people, to share their anxieties and narratives. What purpose serves mere awareness of the past when it fails to address the current situation of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the public spaces? Institutions who observe it should not be pacified with the neutral terminology of implicit prejudice and sensitivity to minor insults, but confronted with the threats that impact society if opposition to discrimination is not approached earnestly. In short, Black History Month should be made current, pressing, and adaptive. It could be that an complete renaming is in order – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.
