Activism During Black History Month: From Performative to Purposeful

Black History Month has been celebrated annually during the month of February since 1976. Designed to acknowledge and honor the accomplishments of Black Americans throughout history, this event started as a single week and was initially was implemented to coordinate teaching of African American history in public schools (Woodson, 1926). However, ninety-six years on from that first week, Black History Month has expanded its reach beyond the educational sphere and into community events, politics, and, of course, the workplace. And rightfully so – as of 2016, Black Americans accounted for nearly 1 out of 8 people in the labor force (Rolen & Toossi, 2018).

Acknowledging and highlighting the impact that Black workers have made on the American economy and workplace is critical, however, many organizations struggle to do so in a way that is both meaningful and purposeful. Many efforts, regardless of intent, have a tendency to come across as performative activism. In other words, the perception that organizational activism is done to increase social capital (or check a DE&I box) versus a true desire to contribute to Black activism and wellbeing.

This perception of performative activism is not surprising, particularly when diving into the relationships that Black employees have with their employers and the lack of trust that exists. McKinsey’s 2021 Race in the Workplace survey highlighted a substantial trust deficit between Black employees and their employers. Only slightly more than half (55%) of Black survey respondents felt that there was mutual trust and respect between employees of different backgrounds at work (as compared to 82% of White respondents), and only half (50%) felt they had equal opportunity to be successful (as compared to 67% of White respondents). Given these statistics, it is easy to understand why Black employees may perceive the once-a-year focus on their demographic as being pandering or insincere.

So where does this leave us? In a world of social media and quick judgements, it can be difficult to find the seemingly exact right post that is both sensitive and brand-aligned. As we discussed internally at CMA how to best contribute to Black History Month, we came up with the following guidelines to help steer our ship out of the performative space and into the purposeful space.

FROM CREATING WORK TO CREATING SPACE

A common mistake when thinking about Black History Month is assigning ownership of the event to Black Americans. This month is not a gesture toward Black Americans nor it their responsibility to take ownership – rather, this month is designed to educate all Americans on the beauty, joy, and tenacity of their Black peers. That being said, it is tempting for organizations to delegate the celebration and acknowledgment of Black History Month to their Black employees. While this is likely done in effort to create space for Black voices, what it can end up doing is creating work for Black employees. The execution of Black History Month does not need to exist solely with Black hands – but it does need to understand the Black experience. Consider shifting your perspective from Black employees as content creators to content contributors.

FROM WHITE OPPRESSION TO BLACK EXCELLENCE

Another common mistake is focusing on the Black experience as it relates to the White experience. Historically, Black figures are spoken of in terms of their relationship to White oppression. Common Black History Month staples (such as Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, etc.) exist within the space due to their important work on issues such as slavery and social justice. Even Jackie Robinson is recognized during this month not for his power as an athlete, but for being the first African American baseball player in the MLB.

Should your organization choose to highlight key Black industry players, we encourage you to think beyond Black Trauma and instead work to highlight Black Triumph. As they say in the improv world, ask yourself, Yes…and?

Yes, Jackie Robinson was Black.

Yes, he worked against white oppression.

Yes, AND he won the inaugural Rookie of the Year. AND he was an All-Star for six consecutive seasons. AND he won the National League Most Valuable Player Award. AND he played in six World Series – winning with the Dodgers in 1955.

FROM CELEBRATING LEGACY TO CREATING LEGENDS

Black Americans have an incredible legacy – despite a largely unequitable workplace culture that has persisted across decades. As we continue to fight to close the gap in the experience of Black and White workers, we simultaneously are opening up more and more opportunities for Black Excellence to shine. While it is important to celebrate the legacy of the Black Americans that came before us, it is also the responsibility of ourselves and our organizations to contribute to the creation of new legends.

Black workers still face additional barriers above and beyond those of White workers. At CMA, we want to use our expertise this month to help remove some of these barriers. As such, our content this month will address four primary roadblocks of Black Excellence at work:

1. A trust deficit among Black employees toward their employers
2. The double “broken rung” for Black employees, which includes lower odds of advancement and higher attrition for entry-level jobs
3. Low Black worker representation at the executive level
4. A lack of manager support and allyship for Black employees

We selected these four areas because they exist within the space where we have expertise. We feel we can thoughtfully contribute to these conversations in such a way that elevates our contribution to Black History Month beyond discussion and into intervention. As you consider your own contribution, we encourage you to think of it within the space of your own expertise. How can you use your knowledge, skills, and abilities to help positively contribute to the Black experience at work and be a helping hand in creating new Black Legends for future generations?

For many, this requires a shift in mindset:

From acknowledgement to action.

From encouragement to enablement.

From performative to purposeful.