Imperatives of the Present: Black Lives Matter and the Politics of Memory and Memorialization

Abstract

Black Lives Matter is having a profound impact on how individuals and communities view their repressive histories and their present environments. The movement has greatly influenced the questioning of everyday landscapes and the role of official memory in the erection, maintenance, or removal of monuments and memorials. In this column, I shed light on these phenomena, and highlight the tensions that exist between the acknowledgement and removal of racist or problematic memorials and statues and the protection of historical monuments and cultural heritage more generally. A human rights approach to memorialization would be a step in the right direction, while recognizing that the imperatives of the present shape memorialization efforts. It calls on those in the human rights field to continue pressing for critical reflection and debate around racism and memory landscapes, and to call out and expose racism in all of its forms in order to bring about social change.