Black History Month is a reflection of the current political climate, so how do we revamp it?

We are in Black History Month in the United Kingdom, and it appears it’s time for a rethink. Over the years, an celebration that started out as a festivity and recollection of the past, cultural identity and bonds between global Black communities, has developed a commercial tone, growing to encompass events where Black people are remunerated to address white audiences about hidden biases and “allyship”. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests generated a rise in the enterprise of displaying cultural sensitivity. But even that moment has passed. The tide has crested, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what raising awareness is for.

The Background of Black History Observance

Initially celebrated in the America and its northern neighbor, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by historian of African descent Carter G. Woodson with seven days of remembrance and recognition in the middle of February. Black History Month evolved from this campaign 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 Britain, the Federal Republic of Germany, Ireland and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

The observance has evolved since that time, giving reduced attention to the histories of colonial slavery and struggles for equality, and increasingly on notable African descendants in government, the arts, and social movements, and widely honoring the contribution Black people have made to influence the nation. It is in schools where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with talks and cultural events. But the method the celebration is commemorated is a indication of the political moment. How it evolves is a instructive case in how co-option leads to dismantling: the reshaping of Black History Month has impeded the objective of it, which is to tackle systemic and institutional racism.

A Jarring Moment

Hardly anything shows how crucial it is to rethink Black History Month as much as the specific period in which it falls this year. In the UK, a resurgent right in the shape of the Reform organization is ahead in surveys. In the warmer months we saw the biggest extreme right demonstration in the UK's past. Kemi Badenoch, the Black leader of the Tory party, is a firm opponent of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a situation where a legislator gains confidence to say that a lack of white people in parts of a city is a cause for alarm. At the same time, far-right parties are growing in the EU as a entirety.

In the United States, a colossal assault against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been brought, often successfully, to the top legal institutions of the state. A drive to remove Black history and experience from the archives is under way. One of Donald Trump's first executive orders aimed at the museum of African American legacy, and the prestigious establishment, claiming they of a organized and extensive campaign to alter the country's historical narrative” by representing the nation “as fundamentally prejudiced”.

In this context, the month illustrates how little it can be effective if it is limited to either obligatory business commemorations, or depoliticized celebrations of contributions in the past, rather than addressing the realities of the present. It also shows how its short period means that it is separated from the more extensive continuous action that is necessary. Denise Miller, a prof at an educational institution, articulated it most accurately when she voiced worries about the temporary “tokenism” of the observance. “The difficulty with embracing a superficial method”, she commented, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month becomes a fleeting performance rather than a driver of transformation.”

Reevaluating, Not Abandoning

Establishing how to adapt, revise and extend efforts for fair treatment and appreciation in such times of discouragement and concern is a difficult task. There is a urge to just discontinue observances such as Black History Month altogether, assuming they are simply not fit for purpose, or are vestiges of an era that has not worked.

Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the complete comprehensive structure and heritage of activism for racial justice – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, inclusion and equity efforts, and certainly, even commercial engagements – form an foundation that a significant effort has gone into. It is there not only to deteriorate as the politics moves on (and in fact, declines), but to be a living breathing thing.

So what would a new dynamic Black History Month seem? Well, first, it would be extended beyond a brief observance: something that is spread out across all seasons (as various establishments are already commencing), sections of its curriculum (particularly around prominent figures of color) included in academic syllabi. It would also be a time that does not avoid governmental matters, and provides room for individuals, particularly the younger generation, to express their concerns and stories. What use is simple recognition of the past when it doesn’t reckon with the contemporary truth of extreme conservative demonstrations in the public spaces? Institutions who mark it should not be pacified with the passive language of hidden discrimination and awareness of “microaggressions”, but challenged by the dangers that affect everyone if fight against prejudice is not treated with importance. In short, Black History Month should be made contemporary, critical, and adaptive. Perhaps an entire name rebrand is required – Contemporary Black History Month.