This is Black History Month in the UK, and it seems it’s time for a rethink. As time has passed, an event that was initiated as a commemorative event of history, culture and the connections between international African diaspora communities, has adopted a commercial tone, broadening to incorporate events where individuals of African heritage are paid to address white audiences about implicit prejudice and active solidarity. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade sparked an increase in the industry of showcasing anti-racist commitment. However, that period has concluded. The surge has crested, producing a diluted aftermath of what promoting consciousness is for.
Initially celebrated in the US and Canada, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as a week dedicated to Negro history by African American historian Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of commemoration and observance in the second week of February. Black History Month evolved from this initiative and was officially launched in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the United States and Canada in winter, but also in autumn in the United Kingdom, the Federal Republic of Germany, Éire and the Holland.
The period has transformed since its inception, placing less emphasis on the accounts of transatlantic enslavement and fights for racial justice, and more on prominent Black figures in politics, culture, and activism, and widely honoring the contribution Black people have made to shape the country. It is in schools where Black History Month is most commonly celebrated, with talks and cultural events. But the method the observance is celebrated is a manifestation of the political moment. How it evolves is a good lesson in how co-option leads to weakening: the reshaping of Black History Month has hindered the purpose of it, which is to address systemic and institutional racism.
Little demonstrates how important it is to reconsider Black History Month more than the particular moment in which it takes place this year. In the Britain, a reemerging right-wing in the shape of the Reform organization is ahead in surveys. In the recent season we observed the most significant ultra-conservative gathering in British history. a prominent political figure, the African descendant in charge of the Conservative party, is a staunch adversary of the racial justice movement, and we are in a place where a member of parliament gains confidence to state that “not seeing any white faces” in parts of a city is a cause for alarm. At the same time, extreme conservative groups are expanding in the European continent as a entirety.
In the United States, a significant offensive against inclusion programs and preferential policies has been taken, often successfully, to the supreme judicial bodies of the country. A drive to remove the history of people of color and narrative from the historical documents is in progress. One of Donald Trump's first executive orders targeted the museum of African American legacy, and the prestigious establishment, claiming they of a organized and extensive campaign to rewrite our Nation’s history” by portraying America “as fundamentally prejudiced”.
Against this backdrop, the observance symbolises how insufficiently it can be impactful if it is restricted to either obligatory business commemorations, or stripped of political content commemorations of historical achievements, rather than challenging the situation of the contemporary world. It also reveals how its restricted time span means that it is separated from the more extensive continuous action that is necessary. An academic expert, a educator at a learning establishment, put it best when she expressed apprehension about the temporary “tokenism” of the month. “The difficulty with taking a tokenistic approach”, she stated, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month becomes a transient display rather than a agent of progress.”
Establishing how to alter, change and broaden initiatives for racial equality and recognition in such times of discouragement and concern is a challenging endeavor. There is a temptation to just discontinue observances such as Black History Month altogether, believing they are no longer suitable, or are remnants of an era that has not worked.
Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the whole broad system and heritage of campaigns for equality – community-based BLM initiatives, inclusion and equity efforts, and yes, even those talks to businesses – constitute an foundation that a considerable labor has been dedicated to. It is there not only to deteriorate as the political landscape shifts (and in fact, regresses), but to be a dynamic entity.
So what would a contemporary active Black History Month look like? Well, first, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is distributed across all seasons (as some institutions are already beginning to do), sections of its curriculum (particularly around prominent figures of color) incorporated into academic syllabi. It would also be a time that does not shy away from political issues, and provides room for citizens, particularly youth, to express their concerns and stories. What value has simple recognition of the bygone era when it fails to address the present reality of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the street? Institutions who mark it should not be pacified with the neutral terminology of implicit prejudice and awareness of “microaggressions”, but challenged by the threats that impact society if fight against prejudice is not taken seriously. To summarize, Black History Month should be made up-to-date, urgent, and adaptive. It could be that an complete renaming is required – Contemporary Black History Month.
A tech journalist with over a decade of experience covering emerging technologies and digital innovation across Europe.
