Black History Month is a reflection of the political moment, so how do we revamp it?
It's Black History Month in the UK, and it appears it’s time for a re-evaluation. Over the years, an observance that started out as a commemorative event of heritage, traditions and links between global Black communities, has adopted a commercial tone, growing to encompass functions where individuals of African heritage are remunerated to talk to white audiences about hidden biases and active solidarity. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade sparked an increase in the industry of displaying cultural sensitivity. Yet, that phase is now over. The surge has peaked, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what raising awareness is for.
The History of Black History Observance
First commemorated in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was created in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by historian of African descent Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of remembrance and recognition in the second week of February. Black History Month evolved from this initiative and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Currently it is marked not only in the North America in February, but also in the tenth month in the UK, Germany, Ireland and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The observance has developed since those days, giving reduced attention to the narratives of transatlantic enslavement and civil rights battles, and increasingly on notable African descendants in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, and extensively acknowledging the impact Black people have made to influence the nation. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most frequently marked, with talks and cultural events. But the method the observance is observed is a indication of the political moment. How it evolves is a good lesson in how co-option leads to erosion: the restructuring of Black History Month has impeded the purpose of it, which is to tackle structural and organizational discrimination.
A Jarring Moment
Few things illustrate how important it is to reconsider Black History Month more than the particular moment in which it takes place this year. In the United Kingdom, a resurgent right in the guise of the Reform party is leading the polls. In the recent season we saw the most significant ultra-conservative gathering in the history of Britain. Kemi Badenoch, the person of color at the helm of the Tory party, is a strong critic of the racial justice movement, and we are in a situation where a legislator gains confidence to state that “not seeing any white faces” in specific city neighborhoods is a cause for alarm. Simultaneously, ultra-nationalist movements are growing in Europe as a complete entity.
In the America, a massive attack against inclusion programs and preferential policies has been taken, frequently with success, to the supreme judicial bodies of the country. A campaign to remove Black history and legacy from the archives is ongoing. One of the former president's initial presidential directives focused on the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the renowned cultural organization, alleging that they of a “concerted and widespread effort to rewrite our Nation’s history” by portraying America “as inherently racist”.
In this context, the celebration illustrates how minimally it can be influential if it is restricted to either obligatory business commemorations, or politically neutered celebrations of contributions in the past, rather than addressing the conditions of the contemporary world. It also shows how its limited duration means that it is detached from the broader ongoing work that is needed. Denise Miller, a professor at a learning establishment, put it best when she voiced worries about the short-term symbolic gestures of the month. “The problem with adopting a symbolic stance”, she wrote, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month evolves into a transient display rather than a driver of transformation.”
Reevaluating, Not Abandoning
Establishing how to adapt, revise and extend efforts for equal rights and acknowledgment in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a difficult task. There is a inclination to just eliminate observances such as Black History Month altogether, thinking they are inadequate for current needs, or are vestiges of an time that has not worked.
Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the whole broad system and heritage of activism for racial justice – community-based BLM initiatives, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and yes, even those talks to businesses – represent an foundation that a considerable labor has been dedicated to. It is there not merely to decline as the political landscape shifts (and in fact, regresses), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month look like? Firstly, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is dispersed throughout the annual calendar (as various establishments are already commencing), parts of its content (particularly around prominent figures of color) integrated into academic syllabi. It would also be a time that does not shy away from politics, and allows opportunity for citizens, particularly youth, to air their fears and experiences. What use is basic knowledge of the bygone era when it ignores the present reality of far-right rallies in the urban areas? Institutions who mark it should not be pacified with the passive language of “unconscious bias” and alertness to minor insults, but confronted with the risks that affect everyone if opposition to discrimination is not approached earnestly. In short, Black History Month should be made contemporary, pressing, and adaptive. Perhaps an entire name rebrand is necessary – Black History is Now Month.
