This is Black History Month in the UK, and it seems it’s time for a rethink. As time has passed, an observance that was initiated as a celebration and reminder of history, culture and the connections between global Black communities, has taken on a commercial tone, broadening to incorporate events where individuals of African heritage are compensated to address predominantly white listeners about “unconscious bias” and supportive partnership. The 2020s Black Lives Matter protests generated a rise in the enterprise of showcasing anti-racist commitment. Yet, that phase is now over. The tide has reached its height, producing a diluted aftermath of what raising awareness is for.
Initially celebrated in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was established in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of celebration and reflection in the middle of February. Black History Month evolved from this movement and was officially launched in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the North America in winter, but also in October in the Britain, Deutschland, Éire and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The month has developed since that time, focusing less on the accounts of colonial slavery and civil rights battles, and greater focus on notable African descendants in government, the arts, and social movements, and extensively acknowledging the input Black people have made to shape the country. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most frequently marked, with discussions and heritage festivities. But the manner the observance is observed is a reflection of the current political situation. How it progresses is a good lesson in how assimilation leads to dismantling: the transformation of Black History Month has stymied the point of it, which is to confront embedded and established prejudice.
Hardly anything shows how crucial it is to rethink Black History Month more than the particular moment in which it occurs this year. In the United Kingdom, a revitalized conservative movement in the guise of the Reform party is ahead in surveys. In the warmer months we observed the most significant ultra-conservative gathering in the history of Britain. a prominent political figure, the Black leader of the Conservative party, is a strong critic of the racial justice movement, and we are in a place where a member of parliament feels emboldened to declare that a lack of white people in parts of a city is a reason for concern. At the same time, extreme conservative groups are expanding in Europe as a entirety.
In the US, a colossal assault against DEI and affirmative action has been carried, often successfully, to the highest courts of the state. A campaign to erase the history of people of color and legacy from the archives is in progress. One of the former president's early administrative commands targeted the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the prestigious establishment, alleging that they of a coordinated and broad attempt to alter the country's historical narrative” by portraying America “as naturally discriminatory”.
Given these circumstances, the month symbolises how insufficiently it can be influential if it is restricted to either dutiful corporate observances, or politically neutered celebrations of historical achievements, rather than addressing the situation of the present. It also shows how its short period means that it is detached from the wider consistent effort that is required. Denise Miller, a prof at a learning establishment, put it best when she raised concerns about the fleeting superficial actions of the observance. “The problem with adopting a symbolic stance”, she commented, “is that it often means that Black History Month evolves into a transient display rather than a driver of transformation.”
Establishing how to adjust, modify and expand actions for fair treatment and appreciation in such times of discouragement and concern is a difficult task. There is a inclination to just eliminate things like Black History Month completely, believing they are inadequate for current needs, or are remnants of an time that has failed to deliver.
Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and tradition 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 been dedicated to. It is there not merely to decline as the politics moves on (and in fact, regresses), but to be a vital organism.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month look like? Well, first, it would be extended beyond a brief observance: something that is spread out throughout the annual calendar (as some institutions are already starting to implement), sections of its curriculum (particularly around prominent figures of color) included in academic syllabi. It would also be a period that does not shy away from governmental matters, and allows opportunity for individuals, particularly the younger generation, to express their concerns and stories. What purpose serves basic knowledge of the past when it ignores the present reality of far-right rallies in the public spaces? Organizations who celebrate it should not be pacified with the non-confrontational words of implicit prejudice and alertness to subtle slights, but challenged by the dangers that face all if anti-racism is not approached earnestly. In short, Black History Month should be made current, critical, and reactive. It could be that an complete renaming is necessary – Contemporary Black History Month.
A ceramic artist specializing in sustainable pottery, blending traditional techniques with contemporary aesthetics to create functional art.
