The annual Black History observance is a reflection of the current political climate, so what steps can we take to refresh it?
We are in Black History Month in the UK, and it appears it’s time for a rethink. As time has passed, an celebration that was initiated as a festivity and recollection of history, culture and the connections between international African diaspora communities, has adopted a business-like atmosphere, broadening to incorporate events where African descendants are remunerated to speak with Caucasian groups about hidden biases and active solidarity. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests created a surge in the industry of demonstrating racial awareness. But even that moment has passed. The tide has reached its height, producing a diluted aftermath of what raising awareness is for.
The Origins of Black History Observance
Originally observed in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was established in 1962 as an observance of African American heritage by historian of African descent Carter G. Woodson with seven days of remembrance and recognition in the February's second week. Black History Month developed from this initiative and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the North America in the second month, but also in the tenth month in the UK, the Federal Republic of Germany, Ireland and the Holland.
The period has evolved since those days, placing less emphasis on the accounts of colonial slavery and struggles for equality, and increasingly on influential individuals of color in government, the arts, and social movements, and broadly celebrating the contribution 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 celebration is commemorated is a manifestation of the contemporary political context. How it evolves is a valuable example in how assimilation leads to dismantling: the reshaping of Black History Month has impeded the objective of it, which is to address systemic and institutional racism.
A Disconcerting Period
Little demonstrates how important it is to reevaluate Black History Month more than the specific period in which it falls this year. In the UK, a resurgent right in the form of the Reform organization is leading the polls. In the recent season we saw the most significant ultra-conservative gathering in the UK's past. a prominent political figure, the Black leader of the right-wing political group, is a firm opponent of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a position where a legislator feels emboldened to declare that a lack of white people in certain urban areas is a reason for concern. Simultaneously, ultra-nationalist movements are expanding in the European continent as a whole.
In the America, a significant offensive against DEI and affirmative action has been brought, frequently with success, to the supreme judicial bodies of the state. A campaign to scrub the history of people of color and narrative from the records is ongoing. One of Donald Trump's initial presidential directives targeted the museum of African American legacy, and the Smithsonian Institution, accusing them of a “concerted and widespread effort to alter the country's historical narrative” by portraying America “as inherently racist”.
Against this backdrop, the celebration represents how insufficiently it can be impactful if it is confined to either dutiful corporate observances, or depoliticized festivities of former accomplishments, rather than addressing the situation of the contemporary world. It also demonstrates how its limited duration means that it is detached from the wider consistent effort that is needed. An academic expert, a prof at University of Greenwich, expressed it perfectly when she voiced worries about the temporary “tokenism” of the celebration. “The difficulty with adopting a symbolic stance”, she commented, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month turns into a brief show rather than a catalyst for change.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Establishing how to adjust, modify and expand initiatives for equal rights and acknowledgment in such moments of dejection and worry is a treacherous thing. There is a temptation to just do away with events including Black History Month altogether, assuming they are no longer suitable, or are remnants of an era that has been ineffective.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the complete comprehensive structure and heritage of racial movements – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, DEI programs, and certainly, even commercial engagements – represent an framework that a considerable labor has been invested in. It is there not merely to decline as the situation evolves (and in fact, declines), but to be a dynamic entity.
So what would a fresh vibrant Black History Month appear as? Well, first, it would be extended beyond a brief observance: something that is distributed across all seasons (as certain organizations are already starting to implement), parts of its content (particularly around historic Black characters) incorporated into school curriculums. It would also be a era that does not shy away from governmental matters, and allows opportunity for citizens, particularly the younger generation, to express their concerns and stories. What value has simple recognition of the past when it doesn’t reckon with the present reality of far-right rallies in the public spaces? Institutions who mark it should not be comforted with the passive language of hidden discrimination and alertness to minor insults, but confronted with the dangers that affect everyone if fight against prejudice is not approached earnestly. To summarize, Black History Month should be made current, urgent, and reactive. Perhaps an complete renaming is in order – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.
