Black History Month acts as a gauge of the political moment, so what steps can we take to refresh it?

This is Black History Month in the UK, and it appears it’s time for a rethink. As time has passed, an event that started out as a commemorative event of history, culture and the connections between global Black communities, has developed a corporate feel, expanding to include functions where Black people are compensated to speak with Caucasian groups about hidden biases and active solidarity. The demonstrations for racial justice in the 2020s sparked an increase in the business of demonstrating racial awareness. Yet, that phase is now over. The wave has reached its height, resulting in a somewhat empty inheritance of what promoting consciousness is for.

The Origins of Black History Celebration

Initially celebrated in the America and its northern neighbor, Black History Month was established in 1962 as an observance of African American heritage 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 officially launched in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the United States and Canada in February, but also in October in the United Kingdom, the Federal Republic of Germany, Éire and the Netherlands.

The observance has evolved since its inception, focusing less on the narratives of transatlantic enslavement and struggles for equality, and more on prominent Black figures in politics, culture, and activism, and extensively acknowledging the contribution Black people have made to mold society. It is in learning environments where Black History Month is most regularly observed, with talks and cultural events. But the manner the celebration is observed is a manifestation of the contemporary political context. How it evolves is a good lesson in how appropriation leads to erosion: the transformation of Black History Month has hindered the purpose of it, which is to confront embedded and established prejudice.

A Troubling Time

Few things illustrate how important it is to reevaluate Black History Month as much as the current time in which it takes place this year. In the UK, a revitalized conservative movement in the shape of the Reform organization is leading the polls. In the summer we witnessed the largest far-right rally in the history of Britain. the Conservative leader, the Black leader of the Tory party, is a strong critic of anti-racism activism, and we are in a situation where a legislator feels empowered to say that a lack of white people in certain urban areas is a source of worry. Simultaneously, ultra-nationalist movements are expanding in Europe as a entirety.

In the US, a massive attack against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been carried, frequently with success, to the top legal institutions of the nation. A campaign to remove African American heritage and legacy from the archives is ongoing. One of Donald Trump's early administrative commands focused on the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the Smithsonian Institution, accusing them of a organized and extensive campaign to change the national past” by representing the nation “as fundamentally prejudiced”.

Given these circumstances, the month represents how minimally it can be impactful if it is limited to either dutiful corporate observances, or politically neutered commemorations of former accomplishments, rather than addressing the realities of the present. It also demonstrates how its short period means that it is disconnected from the more extensive continuous action that is required. Denise Miller, a professor at an educational institution, articulated it most accurately when she voiced worries about the short-term symbolic gestures of the month. “The issue with embracing a superficial method”, she wrote, “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 alter, change and broaden efforts for racial equality and recognition in such moments of dejection and worry is a difficult task. There is a temptation to just do away with events including Black History Month completely, thinking they are simply not fit for purpose, or are relics of an period that has been ineffective.

Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the complete comprehensive structure and heritage of racial movements – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, DEI programs, and certainly, even commercial engagements – form an framework that a lot of work has been invested in. It is there not just to decay as the situation evolves (and in fact, regresses), but to be a dynamic entity.

So what would a fresh vibrant Black History Month look like? Well, first, it would be not just one concentrated month: something that is distributed throughout the annual calendar (as some institutions are already starting to implement), parts of its content (particularly around historic Black characters) included in educational programs. It would also be a period that does not avoid governmental matters, and leaves space for citizens, particularly youth, to share their anxieties and narratives. What use is simple recognition of the past when it fails to address the contemporary truth of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the urban areas? Organizations who celebrate it should not be pacified with the non-confrontational words of “unconscious bias” and awareness of “microaggressions”, but faced with the risks that impact society if opposition to discrimination is not approached earnestly. To summarize, Black History Month should be made current, urgent, and reactive. It could be that an complete renaming is in order – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.