The annual Black History observance is a reflection of the current political climate, so in what ways can we modernize it?

It's Black History Month in the United Kingdom, and it seems it’s time for a reassessment. Over the years, an event that began as a festivity and recollection of the past, cultural identity and bonds between international African diaspora communities, has taken on a commercial tone, expanding to include gatherings where individuals of African heritage are paid to talk to predominantly white listeners about implicit prejudice and active solidarity. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests generated a rise in the industry of showcasing anti-racist commitment. Yet, that phase is now over. The tide has crested, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what raising awareness is for.

The Background of Black History Observance

First commemorated in the America and its northern neighbor, Black History Month was established in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with a week of commemoration and observance in the second week of February. Black History Month grew out of this movement and was officially launched in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the US and Canada in the second month, but also in autumn in the United Kingdom, Deutschland, Éire and the Holland.

The month has transformed since that time, giving reduced attention to the histories of colonial slavery and struggles for equality, and greater focus 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 schools where Black History Month is most frequently marked, with discussions and heritage festivities. But the way the celebration is commemorated is a reflection of the contemporary political context. How it progresses is a good lesson in how assimilation leads to weakening: the restructuring of Black History Month has stymied the purpose of it, which is to tackle embedded and established prejudice.

A Jarring Moment

Little demonstrates how important it is to reconsider Black History Month better than the current time in which it occurs this year. In the Britain, a revitalized conservative movement in the shape of the Reform party is leading the polls. In the summer we observed the biggest extreme right demonstration in the history of Britain. a prominent political figure, the African descendant in charge of the right-wing political group, is a strong critic of the racial justice movement, and we are in a place where a legislator gains confidence to declare that “not seeing any white faces” in certain urban areas is a reason for concern. At the same time, far-right parties are surging in Europe as a entirety.

In the United States, a significant offensive against DEI and affirmative action has been carried, frequently with success, to the highest courts of the country. A drive to scrub the history of people of color and narrative from the historical documents is ongoing. One of the former president's first executive orders aimed at the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the renowned cultural organization, accusing them of a “concerted and widespread effort to rewrite our Nation’s history” by depicting the United States “as inherently racist”.

In this context, the observance symbolises how minimally it can be effective if it is limited to either obligatory business commemorations, or politically neutered commemorations of historical achievements, rather than challenging the conditions of the current era. It also demonstrates how its short period means that it is separated from the more extensive continuous action that is necessary. An academic expert, a prof at a learning establishment, articulated it most accurately when she voiced worries about the fleeting superficial actions of the month. “The problem with taking a tokenistic approach”, she stated, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month becomes a brief show rather than a driver of transformation.”

Rethinking, But Not Jettisoning

Establishing how to alter, change and broaden initiatives for equal rights and acknowledgment in such times of discouragement and concern is a difficult task. There is a temptation to just eliminate things like Black History Month entirely, believing they are inadequate for current needs, or are vestiges of an era that has failed to deliver.

Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the complete comprehensive structure 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 infrastructure that a considerable labor has been dedicated to. It is there not only to deteriorate as the political landscape shifts (and in fact, declines), but to be a vital organism.

So what would a contemporary active Black History Month appear as? Well, first, it would be extended beyond a brief observance: something that is spread out across all seasons (as some institutions are already beginning to do), sections of its curriculum (particularly around notable African descendants) integrated into school curriculums. It would also be a era that does not avoid political issues, and leaves space for people, particularly the younger generation, to share their anxieties and narratives. What use is basic knowledge of the bygone era when it doesn’t reckon with the contemporary truth of far-right rallies in the street? Establishments who celebrate it should not be reassured with the non-confrontational words of implicit prejudice and sensitivity to subtle slights, but challenged by the risks that affect everyone if opposition to discrimination is not treated with importance. In short, Black History Month should be made up-to-date, critical, and reactive. Perhaps an total re-identification is required – Contemporary Black History Month.