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We are in Black History Month in the UK, and it appears it’s time for a reassessment. As time has passed, an event that started out as a celebration and reminder of history, culture and the connections between Black populations worldwide, has developed a business-like atmosphere, growing to encompass functions where individuals of African heritage are paid to talk to Caucasian groups about hidden biases and active solidarity. The anti-racism rallies of the last decade sparked an increase in the enterprise of showcasing anti-racist commitment. However, that period has concluded. The surge has peaked, producing a diluted aftermath of what raising awareness is for.

The History of Black History Month

Initially celebrated in the United States and Canada, Black History Month was created in 1962 as “Negro History Week” by historian of African descent Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of commemoration and observance in the February's second week. Black History Month evolved from this campaign and was officially launched in 1970. Now it is celebrated not only in the North America in the second month, but also in the tenth month in the Britain, Germany, Ireland and the Holland.

The period has transformed since those days, focusing less on the histories of colonial slavery and struggles for equality, and more on prominent Black figures in politics, culture, and activism, and widely honoring the contribution Black people have made to influence the nation. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most frequently marked, with talks and cultural events. But the method the month is celebrated is a indication of the contemporary political context. How it evolves is a valuable example in how co-option leads to weakening: the transformation of Black History Month has hindered the point of it, which is to address structural and organizational discrimination.

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A Jarring Moment

Hardly anything shows how important it is to rethink Black History Month better than the specific period in which it occurs this year. In the UK, a resurgent right in the form of the Reform organization is leading the polls. In the summer we witnessed the biggest extreme right demonstration in the UK's past. Kemi Badenoch, the Black leader of the right-wing political group, is a firm opponent of anti-racism activism, and we are in a position where a elected representative feels empowered to state that “not seeing any white faces” in specific city neighborhoods is a reason for concern. Meanwhile, far-right parties are growing in the European continent as a whole.

In the United States, a colossal assault against diversity initiatives and positive discrimination has been carried, often successfully, to the highest courts of the country. A campaign to remove the history of people of color and narrative from the historical documents is ongoing. One of Donald Trump's first executive orders focused on the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the renowned cultural organization, accusing them of a “concerted and widespread effort to alter the country's historical narrative” by depicting the United States “as inherently racist”.

Against this backdrop, the celebration illustrates how little it can be impactful if it is restricted to either routine organizational acknowledgments, or politically neutered commemorations of contributions in the past, rather than challenging the realities of the contemporary world. It also demonstrates how its restricted time span means that it is disconnected from the more extensive continuous action that is needed. Denise Miller, a educator at an educational institution, put it best when she raised concerns about the short-term symbolic gestures of the month. “The problem with taking a tokenistic approach”, she wrote, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month becomes a transient display rather than a catalyst for change.”

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Reconsidering, Not Discarding

Determining how to alter, change and broaden actions for racial equality and recognition in such times of discouragement and concern is a challenging endeavor. There is a inclination to just eliminate events including Black History Month altogether, believing they are simply not fit for purpose, or are relics of an time that has been ineffective.

However, regardless of the situation, Black History Month, and in fact the entire extended network and legacy of activism for racial justice – grassroots Black Lives Matter organisations, DEI programs, and indeed, including corporate presentations – constitute an framework that a lot of work has been dedicated to. It is there not merely to decline as the situation evolves (and in fact, regresses), but to be a living breathing thing.

So what would a contemporary active Black History Month look like? To begin with, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is dispersed throughout the annual calendar (as certain organizations are already beginning to do), sections of its curriculum (particularly around notable African descendants) incorporated into educational programs. It would also be a period that does not evade politics, and allows opportunity for citizens, particularly youth, to express their concerns and stories. What value has basic knowledge of the bygone era when it doesn’t reckon with the current situation of extreme conservative demonstrations in the public spaces? Organizations who observe it should not be comforted with the neutral terminology of hidden discrimination and sensitivity to subtle slights, but faced with the risks that affect everyone if opposition to discrimination is not treated with importance. To summarize, Black History Month should be made contemporary, urgent, and responsive. Perhaps an entire name rebrand is in order – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.