Black History Month is a reflection of the current political climate, so in what ways can we modernize it?
This is Black History Month in the United Kingdom, and it seems it’s time for a rethink. As time has passed, an celebration that began as a festivity and recollection of the past, cultural identity and bonds between international African diaspora communities, has developed a commercial tone, expanding to include events where Black people are compensated to speak with predominantly white listeners about implicit prejudice and “allyship”. The demonstrations for racial justice in the 2020s created a surge in the enterprise of demonstrating racial awareness. Yet, that phase is now over. The surge has peaked, producing a diluted aftermath of what raising awareness is for.
The Background of Black History Celebration
Originally observed in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was established in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by Black scholar Carter G. Woodson with a week of remembrance and recognition in the second week of February. Black History Month grew out of this initiative and was officially launched in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the North America in February, but also in the tenth month in the UK, Germany, Éire and the Netherlands.
The observance has evolved since its inception, placing less emphasis on the narratives of the slave trade across the Atlantic and struggles for equality, and more on prominent Black figures in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, and widely honoring the impact Black people have made to shape the country. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with discussions and heritage festivities. But the way the observance is observed is a manifestation of the contemporary political context. How it progresses is a good lesson in how co-option leads to erosion: the transformation of Black History Month has impeded the purpose of it, which is to confront embedded and established prejudice.
A Troubling Time
Few things illustrate how critical it is to reconsider Black History Month better than the specific period in which it falls this year. In the UK, a reemerging right-wing in the form of the Reform political group is leading the polls. In the summer we witnessed the biggest extreme right demonstration in the history of Britain. Kemi Badenoch, the person of color at the helm of the right-wing political group, is a firm opponent of anti-racism activism, and we are in a position where a legislator feels emboldened to declare that the absence of Caucasian individuals in certain urban areas is a cause for alarm. Meanwhile, extreme conservative groups are surging in the European continent as a complete entity.
In the America, a significant offensive against DEI and affirmative action has been carried, often successfully, to the top legal institutions of the country. A drive to scrub Black history and narrative from the records is under way. One of Donald Trump's early administrative commands aimed at the museum of African American legacy, and the Smithsonian Institution, accusing them of a organized and extensive campaign to alter the country's historical narrative” by representing the nation “as fundamentally prejudiced”.
Against this backdrop, the month represents how little it can be effective if it is confined to either obligatory business commemorations, or stripped of political content commemorations of historical achievements, rather than challenging the conditions of the present. It also shows how its restricted time span means that it is disconnected from the more extensive continuous action that is needed. A university professor, a prof at an educational institution, articulated it most accurately when she raised concerns about the fleeting superficial actions of the observance. “The problem with adopting a symbolic stance”, she stated, “is that it often means that Black History Month becomes a transient display rather than a driver of transformation.”
Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning
Determining how to adjust, modify and expand efforts for fair treatment and appreciation in such times of discouragement and concern is a challenging endeavor. There is a urge to just discontinue observances such as Black History Month entirely, believing they are no longer suitable, or are vestiges of an period that has failed to deliver.
But despite everything, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and heritage of campaigns for equality – local anti-racism groups, DEI programs, and indeed, including corporate presentations – constitute an framework that a significant effort has been invested in. It is there not just to decay as the situation evolves (and in fact, regresses), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month look like? Well, first, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is dispersed through the year (as certain organizations are already commencing), parts of its content (particularly around prominent figures of color) integrated into educational programs. It would also be a time that does not shy away from political issues, and leaves space for individuals, particularly the younger generation, to share their anxieties and narratives. What purpose serves basic knowledge of the history when it ignores the current situation of extreme conservative demonstrations in the public spaces? Institutions who observe it should not be comforted with the neutral terminology of hidden discrimination and alertness to subtle slights, but confronted with the dangers that impact society if fight against prejudice is not taken seriously. To summarize, Black History Month should be made current, pressing, and responsive. It could be that an total re-identification is necessary – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.
