The annual Black History observance is a reflection of the prevailing political atmosphere, so how do we revamp it?
This is Black History Month in the UK, and it feels like it’s time for a re-evaluation. Throughout its history, an observance that started out as a celebration and reminder of history, culture and the connections between Black populations worldwide, has developed a business-like atmosphere, broadening to incorporate functions where African descendants 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 showcasing anti-racist commitment. Yet, that phase is now over. The wave has crested, producing a diluted aftermath of what promoting consciousness is for.
The Background of Black History Observance
First commemorated in the US and Canada, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of remembrance and recognition in the middle of February. Black History Month evolved from this initiative and was publicly established in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the North America in winter, but also in October in the Britain, Deutschland, Ireland and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The observance has transformed since its inception, placing less emphasis on the accounts of the slave trade across the Atlantic and struggles for equality, and increasingly on prominent Black figures in government, the arts, and social movements, and widely honoring the impact Black people have made to mold society. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most commonly celebrated, with lectures and artistic activities. But the method the celebration is celebrated is a manifestation of the contemporary political context. How it evolves is a instructive case in how assimilation leads to dismantling: the transformation of Black History Month has hindered the objective of it, which is to tackle structural and organizational discrimination.
A Troubling Time
Hardly anything shows how important it is to reevaluate Black History Month as much as the particular moment in which it occurs this year. In the United Kingdom, a revitalized conservative movement in the shape of the Reform party is leading the polls. In the warmer months we witnessed the largest far-right rally in British history. Kemi Badenoch, the Black leader of the right-wing political group, is a firm opponent of anti-racism activism, and we are in a place where a elected representative feels emboldened to declare that a lack of white people in specific city neighborhoods is a cause for alarm. Meanwhile, far-right parties are growing in the EU as a whole.
In the US, a significant offensive against inclusion programs and preferential policies has been brought, repeatedly with positive outcomes, to the supreme judicial bodies of the nation. A drive to remove African American heritage and experience from the records is under way. One of Donald Trump's first executive orders focused on the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the renowned cultural organization, alleging that they of a “concerted and widespread effort to change the national past” by portraying America “as fundamentally prejudiced”.
In this context, the month illustrates how insufficiently it can be influential if it is confined to either routine organizational acknowledgments, or politically neutered celebrations of historical achievements, rather than confronting the conditions of the current era. It also shows how its short period means that it is disconnected from the broader ongoing work that is needed. A university professor, a prof at an educational institution, articulated it most accurately when she expressed apprehension about the fleeting superficial actions of the month. “The difficulty with adopting a symbolic stance”, she commented, “is that it typically leads to that Black History Month turns into a fleeting performance rather than a catalyst for change.”
Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning
Establishing how to adjust, modify and expand efforts for racial equality and recognition in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a challenging endeavor. There is a urge to just eliminate observances such as Black History Month entirely, believing they are simply not fit for purpose, or are vestiges of an period that has failed to deliver.
However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the whole broad system and tradition of campaigns for equality – local anti-racism groups, inclusion and equity efforts, and yes, even those talks to businesses – constitute an infrastructure that a significant effort has gone into. It is there not merely to decline as the politics moves on (and in fact, regresses), but to be a living breathing thing.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month seem? To begin with, it would be extended beyond a brief observance: something that is distributed across all seasons (as various establishments are already starting to implement), parts of its content (particularly around historic Black characters) included in school curriculums. It would also be a time that does not avoid political issues, and allows opportunity for people, particularly youth, to express their concerns and stories. What purpose serves basic knowledge of the bygone era when it fails to address the present reality of extreme conservative demonstrations in the urban areas? Institutions who celebrate it should not be reassured with the passive language of “unconscious bias” and sensitivity to subtle slights, but confronted with the risks that face all if anti-racism is not taken seriously. To summarize, Black History Month should be made current, pressing, and reactive. Maybe an entire name rebrand is in order – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.
