🔗 Share this article

It's Black History Month in the UK, and it feels like it’s time for a reassessment. Over the years, an observance that started out as a commemorative event of history, culture and the connections between international African diaspora communities, has developed a commercial tone, growing to encompass functions where Black people are compensated to speak with predominantly white listeners about implicit prejudice and supportive partnership. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade created a surge in the enterprise of showcasing anti-racist commitment. Yet, that phase is now over. The wave has crested, producing a diluted aftermath of what increasing understanding is for.

The History of Black History Observance

Originally observed in the US and Canada, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history by Black scholar Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of remembrance and recognition in the middle of February. Black History Month developed from this campaign and was publicly established in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the North America in the second month, but also in the tenth month in the United Kingdom, Deutschland, the Republic of Ireland and the Holland.

The period has transformed since that time, focusing less on the narratives of colonial slavery and civil rights battles, and greater focus on notable African descendants in government, the arts, and social movements, and widely honoring the impact Black people have made to mold society. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most commonly celebrated, with talks and cultural events. But the manner the month is observed is a manifestation of the contemporary political context. How it evolves is a instructive case in how co-option leads to erosion: the restructuring of Black History Month has stymied the purpose of it, which is to address systemic and institutional racism.

---

A Jarring Moment

Few things illustrate how crucial it is to rethink Black History Month more than the specific period in which it takes place this year. In the UK, a revitalized conservative movement in the guise of the Reform organization is leading the polls. In the summer we witnessed the biggest extreme right demonstration in British history. the Conservative leader, the person of color at the helm of the Conservative party, is a firm opponent of the racial justice movement, and we are in a position where a member of parliament gains confidence to say that the absence of Caucasian individuals in specific city neighborhoods is a reason for concern. Simultaneously, ultra-nationalist movements are growing in the European continent as a whole.

In the United States, a significant offensive against inclusion programs and preferential policies has been carried, often successfully, to the highest courts of the state. A effort to remove the history of people of color and experience from the archives is ongoing. One of Donald Trump's early administrative commands focused on the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the renowned cultural organization, alleging that they of a organized and extensive campaign to alter the country's historical narrative” by portraying America “as inherently racist”.

In this context, the celebration represents how minimally it can be impactful if it is confined to either routine organizational acknowledgments, or depoliticized festivities of former accomplishments, rather than addressing the conditions of the contemporary world. It also shows how its limited duration means that it is disconnected from the wider consistent effort that is needed. Denise Miller, a prof at University of Greenwich, put it best when she expressed apprehension about the short-term symbolic gestures of the month. “The difficulty with embracing a superficial method”, she commented, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month evolves into a transient display rather than a catalyst for change.”

---

Reconsidering, Not Discarding

Establishing how to adjust, modify and expand actions for equal rights and acknowledgment in such periods of dismay and anxiety is a treacherous thing. There is a inclination to just discontinue things like Black History Month completely, thinking they are no longer suitable, or are vestiges of an period that has failed to deliver.

However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the complete comprehensive structure and legacy of racial movements – local anti-racism groups, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and yes, even those talks to businesses – constitute an foundation that a lot of work has gone into. It is there not just to decay as the politics moves on (and in fact, declines), but to be a living breathing thing.

So what would a fresh vibrant Black History Month seem? Well, first, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is spread out throughout the annual calendar (as some institutions are already commencing), elements of its material (particularly around notable African descendants) incorporated into academic syllabi. It would also be a period that does not avoid political issues, and provides room for individuals, particularly young people, to air their fears and experiences. What use is basic knowledge of the bygone era when it ignores the current situation of extreme conservative demonstrations in the urban areas? Establishments who celebrate it should not be pacified with the passive language of “unconscious bias” and alertness to subtle slights, but faced with the threats that impact society if opposition to discrimination is not treated with importance. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made current, pressing, and reactive. It could be that an entire name rebrand is required – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.