The annual Black History observance acts as a gauge of the prevailing political atmosphere, so in what ways can we modernize it?

This is Black History Month in the United Kingdom, and it seems it’s time for a rethink. Over the years, an observance that began as a commemorative event of history, culture and the connections between global Black communities, has adopted a business-like atmosphere, expanding to include gatherings where individuals of African heritage are paid to address Caucasian groups about implicit prejudice and “allyship”. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade created a surge in the enterprise of displaying cultural sensitivity. Yet, that phase is now over. The surge has reached its height, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what promoting consciousness is for.

The Background of Black History Month

First commemorated in the US and Canada, Black History Month was created in 1962 as an observance of African American heritage by historian of African descent Carter G. Woodson with seven days of celebration and reflection in the second week of February. Black History Month developed from this initiative and was formally inaugurated in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the North America in the second month, but also in autumn in the United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

The observance has developed since its inception, placing less emphasis on the accounts of the slave trade across the Atlantic and struggles for equality, and more on prominent Black figures in politics, culture, and activism, and broadly celebrating the contribution Black people have made to shape the country. It is in schools where Black History Month is most commonly celebrated, with discussions and heritage festivities. But the way the observance is observed is a manifestation of the current political situation. How it evolves is a valuable example in how appropriation leads to erosion: the transformation of Black History Month has impeded the point of it, which is to tackle embedded and established prejudice.

A Disconcerting Period

Hardly anything shows how critical it is to reevaluate Black History Month as much as the particular moment in which it occurs this year. In the UK, a reemerging right-wing in the shape of the Reform political group is leading the polls. In the summer we observed the largest far-right rally in British history. Kemi Badenoch, the Black leader of the right-wing political group, is a strong critic of the racial justice movement, and we are in a place where a member of parliament feels emboldened to say that “not seeing any white faces” in parts of a city is a source of worry. Simultaneously, extreme conservative groups are growing in Europe as a whole.

In the US, a colossal assault against DEI and affirmative action has been carried, frequently with success, to the supreme judicial bodies of the country. A campaign to scrub African American heritage and experience from the historical documents is ongoing. One of Donald Trump's initial presidential directives aimed at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the prestigious establishment, accusing them of a organized and extensive campaign to change the national past” by portraying America “as inherently racist”.

Given these circumstances, the month symbolises how minimally it can be influential if it is confined to either dutiful corporate observances, or politically neutered festivities of contributions in the past, rather than confronting the situation of the current era. It also shows how its restricted time span means that it is separated from the wider consistent effort that is needed. An academic expert, a prof at a learning establishment, expressed it perfectly when she raised concerns about the short-term symbolic gestures of the observance. “The difficulty with adopting a symbolic stance”, she stated, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month turns into a fleeting performance rather than a agent of progress.”

Reevaluating, Not Abandoning

Determining how to adapt, revise and extend initiatives for fair treatment and appreciation in such moments of dejection and worry is a treacherous thing. There is a urge to just discontinue observances such as Black History Month completely, thinking they are inadequate for current needs, or are remnants of an era that has not worked.

But despite everything, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and tradition of campaigns for equality – community-based BLM initiatives, DEI programs, and yes, even those talks to businesses – form an foundation that a lot of work has been invested in. It is there not merely to decline 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 more than a single focused period: something that is dispersed through the year (as various establishments are already starting to implement), parts of its content (particularly around notable African descendants) integrated into educational programs. It would also be a period that does not shy away from governmental matters, and allows opportunity for individuals, particularly young people, to air their fears and experiences. What purpose serves mere awareness of the past when it ignores the current situation of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the urban areas? Establishments who celebrate it should not be reassured with the passive language of implicit prejudice and alertness to minor insults, but faced with the risks that affect everyone if fight against prejudice is not taken seriously. To summarize, Black History Month should be made up-to-date, critical, and adaptive. It could be that an total re-identification is in order – Black History is Now Month.