The annual Black History observance is a reflection of the prevailing political atmosphere, so in what ways can we modernize it?
It's Black History Month in the Britain, and it feels like it’s time for a reassessment. As time has passed, an event that was initiated as a festivity and recollection of heritage, traditions and links between Black populations worldwide, has developed a commercial tone, expanding to include gatherings where individuals of African heritage are compensated to address predominantly white listeners about hidden biases and supportive partnership. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade sparked an increase in the enterprise of showcasing anti-racist commitment. Yet, that phase is now over. The surge has peaked, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what increasing understanding is for.
The History of Black History Celebration
Originally observed in the US and Canada, Black History Month was established in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history 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 publicly established in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the United States and Canada in the second month, but also in October in the United Kingdom, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Republic of Ireland and the Netherlands.
The month has transformed since its inception, placing less emphasis on the narratives of colonial slavery and civil rights battles, and increasingly on notable African descendants in politics, culture, and activism, and broadly celebrating the input Black people have made to shape the country. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with lectures and artistic activities. But the method the month is celebrated is a reflection of the current political situation. How it evolves is a valuable example in how appropriation leads to dismantling: the restructuring of Black History Month has hindered the objective of it, which is to address systemic and institutional racism.
A Troubling Time
Hardly anything shows how important it is to rethink Black History Month better than the current time in which it falls this year. In the United Kingdom, a reemerging right-wing in the form of the Reform organization is ahead in surveys. In the summer we witnessed the most significant ultra-conservative gathering in the history of Britain. a prominent political figure, the person of color at the helm of the Tory party, is a firm opponent of anti-racism activism, and we are in a place where a member of parliament 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 complete entity.
In the United States, a colossal assault against inclusion programs and preferential policies has been carried, repeatedly with positive outcomes, to the top legal institutions of the nation. A campaign to remove the history of people of color and experience from the archives is under way. One of Donald Trump's initial presidential directives aimed at the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the renowned cultural organization, accusing them of a “concerted and widespread effort to alter the country's historical narrative” by portraying America “as fundamentally prejudiced”.
In this context, the month illustrates how little it can be effective if it is limited to either dutiful corporate observances, or politically neutered commemorations of historical achievements, rather than addressing the situation of the current era. It also shows how its limited duration means that it is detached from the wider consistent effort that is necessary. An academic expert, a educator at a learning establishment, put it best when she expressed apprehension about the temporary “tokenism” of the celebration. “The difficulty with adopting a symbolic stance”, she wrote, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month turns into a fleeting performance rather than a catalyst for change.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Determining how to adjust, modify and expand actions for equal rights and acknowledgment in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a difficult task. There is a urge to just eliminate events including Black History Month entirely, believing they are no longer suitable, or are relics of an time that has not worked.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the whole broad system and legacy of activism for racial justice – community-based BLM initiatives, DEI programs, and indeed, including corporate presentations – constitute an infrastructure that a lot of work has gone into. It is there not just to decay as the politics moves on (and in fact, deteriorates), but to be a living breathing thing.
So what would a fresh vibrant Black History Month appear as? Firstly, it would be extended beyond a brief observance: something that is spread out throughout the annual calendar (as various establishments are already beginning to do), elements of its material (particularly around notable African descendants) included in academic syllabi. It would also be a period that does not avoid political issues, and leaves space for people, particularly the younger generation, to air their fears and experiences. What value has simple recognition of the history when it ignores the present reality of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the urban areas? Institutions who mark it should not be comforted with the non-confrontational words of hidden discrimination and sensitivity to “microaggressions”, but challenged by the threats that affect everyone if anti-racism is not approached earnestly. To summarize, Black History Month should be made contemporary, critical, and adaptive. It could be that an complete renaming is required – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.
