Dalit History Month

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Dalit History Month
DalitHistoryMonth April15Editathon 05.jpg
B. R. Ambedkar portrait at one of the earliest Dalit History Month events
Observed byAmbedkarites, Dalits, Anti-caste communities, and others
Liturgical colorDifferent shades of Blue
TypeCultural, Political
SignificanceCelebration of Dalit history, leaders, movements, and milestones.
CelebrationsTalks, Lectures, Rallies, Social Media Lives, Public discourses
Date April
FrequencyAnnual
Started byThe Dalit History Month Collective

Dalit History Month is an annual observance as a way of remembering important people and events in the history of the Dalits or Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] It is celebrated in April all over the world by Ambedkarites, followers of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. [6] [7] Discussions, [8] storytelling, [9] history projects, [10] special publications in media, [11] and art works [12] are organized during this month. [13] [14] The Canadian Province of British Columbia recognized April as Dalit History Month. [15]

Contents

History

Inspired by Black History Month, a group of Dalit women launched the Dalit History Month project in April 2015. [16] The Dalit History Month collective originally included Thenmozhi Soundararajan, Christina Dhanuja, Maari Zwick-Maitreyi, Sanghapali Aruna, Asha Kowtal, and Manisha Devi. [17] [18] Sanghapali Aruna and Thenmozhi Soundararajan came up with the idea during discussions at the Color of Violence conference in Chicago. [19] [20] Dalit History Month is now community-led.[ citation needed ]

Significance

Dalits are discriminated against because of their caste, despite such discrimination being illegal in India. [21] [22] [23] Ignorance and absence of Dalits in Indian history by mainstream authors is discussed during Dalit History Month. [24] Citizens engage in discussions and reflections on the issues faced by Dalits during this observance. [25] The observance honors figures such as Babasaheb Ambedkar; one of the architects of modern India, whose birth anniversary falls in April—alongside Ramabai Ambedkar, Buddha, Savitribai Phule, Jyotiba Phule, Periyar, Kanshi Ram, freedom fighters Birsa Munda and Uda Devi, Phoolan Devi, Babytai Kamble, Shahuji Maharaj, Fatima Sheikh, Grace Banu, and many others. [3] [26] [27]

In 2022, Canada's British Columbia province has recognised April as Dalit History Month. [28] [29]

In March 2024, the city of Burlington in Ontario Province, Canada, declared April as Dalit History Month [30] and 14 April as Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Day of Equity. [31]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">B. R. Ambedkar</span> Indian jurist, economist, politician and social reformer (1891–1956)

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was an Indian economist, jurist, social reformer and political leader who chaired the committee that drafted the Constitution of India based on the debates of the Constituent Assembly of India and the first draft of Sir Benegal Narsing Rau. Ambedkar served as Law and Justice minister in the first cabinet of Jawaharlal Nehru. He later renounced Hinduism, converted to Buddhism and inspired the Dalit Buddhist movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bahujan Samaj Party</span> Indian political party

The Bahujan Samaj Party is a political party in India that was formed to represent Bahujans, referring to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes (OBC), along with minorities. According to Kanshi Ram, when he founded the party in 1984, the Bahujans comprised 85 percent of India's population, but were divided into 6,000 different castes. The party claims to be inspired by the philosophy of B. R. Ambedkar, Jyotiba Phule, Narayana Guru, Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj, and Gautama Buddha.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jyotirao Phule</span> Indian Social Activist and Reformer

Jyotirao Phule, also known as Jyotiba Phule, was an Indian social activist, businessman, anti-caste social reformer and writer from Maharashtra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dalit</span> Marginalized castes in India and other South Asian countries

Dalit is a term used for untouchables and outcasts, who represented the lowest stratum of the castes in the Indian subcontinent. They are also called Harijans. Dalits were excluded from the fourfold varna of the caste hierarchy and were seen as forming a fifth varna, also known by the name of Panchama. Several scholars have drawn parallels between Dalits and the Burakumin of Japan, the Baekjeong of Korea and the peasant class of the medieval European feudal system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Savitribai Phule</span> Indian social reformer (1831–1898)

Savitribai Phule was an Indian teacher, social reformer, and poet who was the first female teacher in India. Along with her husband, Jyotiba Phule, in Maharashtra, she played a vital role in improving women's rights in India. She is considered to be the pioneer of India's feminist movement. She strived to abolish discrimination and unfair treatment of people based on caste and gender. She and her husband were pioneers of women's education in India. They started their first school for girls in 1848 in Pune at Tatyasaheb Bhide's residence or Bhidewada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chamar</span> Dalit caste of the Indian subcontinent

Chamar is a community classified as a Scheduled Caste under modern India's system of affirmative action that originated from the group of trade persons who were involved in leather tanning and shoemaking. They are found throughout the Indian subcontinent, mainly in the northern states of India and in Pakistan and Nepal.

Social reformers are individuals who actively challenge and seek to change societal norms and structures that perpetuate inequality and injustice. Their work addresses systemic issues such as caste discrimination, gender bias, economic disparity, and access to education and healthcare. By advocating for the rights of marginalized communities, social reformers aim to dismantle oppressive practices and create a more just and equitable society.

Dalit literature is a genre of Indian writing that focuses on the lives, experiences, and struggles of the Dalit community over centuries, in relation to caste-based oppression and systemic discrimination. This literary genre encompasses various Indian languages such as Marathi, Bangla, Hindi, Kannada, Punjabi, Sindhi, Odia and Tamil and includes narrative-styles like poems, short stories, and autobiographies. The movement started gaining influence during the mid-twentieth-century in independent India and has since spread across various Indian languages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ambedkar Jayanti</span> Birth anniversary of B. R. Ambedkar, festival and holiday

Ambedkar Jayanti or Bhim Jayanti is observed on 14 April to commemorate the memory of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, an Indian jurist, economist, social reformer and the principal architect of constitution of India. The observance marks the birthday of Ambedkar, who was born on 14 April 1891. His birthday is also referred to as 'Equality Day' by many in India. In 2016, The Government of India declared 14 April as Rashtriya Samarasata Diwas to honor Ambedkar's legacy and contributions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prakash Yashwant Ambedkar</span> Indian politician and social activist

Yashwant Ambedkar, popularly known as Balasaheb Ambedkar, is an Indian politician, writer and lawyer. He is the president of political party called Vanchit Bahujan Agadi. He is a three-time Member of Parliament (MP). He was a member of the 12th and 13th Lok Sabha of India and twice represented the Lok Sabha constituency of Akola, Maharashtra. He has served in both houses of the Indian Parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thenmozhi Soundararajan</span> Indian American Dalit Rights Activist

Thenmozhi Soundararajan is an Indian American Dalit rights activist based in the United States of America. She is also a transmedia storyteller, songwriter, hip hop musician and technologist. She has been actively campaigning for the rights of the marginalized in the midst of structural casteism. She is the founder of Equality Labs, the largest Dalit civil rights organization in the United States. Soundararajan is known for her advocacy work against caste discrimination in the United States and India, and for her contributions to the field of media and technology justice. She has co-authored reports on hate speech and disinformation on social media, and has spoken out against caste-based harassment in the tech industry. Soundararajan's book "The Trauma of Caste" explores the intersection of caste, gender, and mental health, and advocates for the recognition and healing of caste soul wounds as a prerequisite for caste abolition. She has also been involved in art and storytelling projects, including the creation of the #DalitWomenFight movement and the curation of Dalit History Month.

Sanghapali Aruna, also known as Sanghapali Aruna Lohitakshi, is a human rights activist from India, best known for her work on Dalit women's rights. She is the Executive Director of Project Mukti.

Sumeet Samos is an Indian anti-caste scholar and rapper from Odisha, India. He writes and sings in English, Hindi and Odia. His first hip-hop single "Ladai Seekh Le" was released in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ambedkarism</span> Philosophy or ideology of B. R. Ambedkar

Ambedkarism is called as the teaching, ideology or philosophy of B.R. Ambedkar, an Indian economist, barrister, social reformer, and the first of Minister of Law and Justice in the first cabinet of Jawaharlal Nehru. Ambedkarism includes special focus on subjects such as fraternity, democracy, communal electorates, conversion out of Hinduism, political power, rule of law, Navayana, among others. An Ambedkarite is one who follows the philosophy of Ambedkar. Icons of Ambedkarite ideology also include Periyar, Jyotirao Phule and others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Somnath Waghmare</span> Documentary filmmaker and Dalit activist

Somnath Waghmare is an Indian documentary filmmaker based in the state of Maharashtra. His most prominent and most recent film, Battle of Bhima Koregaon, was critically received and screened in India and abroad. Till now, all his films have been documentary films and they have dealt with various social issues like the persecution of women and Dalit assertion in Maharashtra. He made his directorial debut with the short documentary feature I Am Not a Witch (2017). His upcoming films are Chaityabhoomi and Gail and Bharat.

Malvika Raj is an Indian artist and fashion designer. She works in the Madhubani style of art. As a Dalit, she has used art to express her experiences with caste-based discrimination in India, and uses traditional techniques to express themes relating to Dalit identity and the Buddhist religion.

Caste discrimination in the United States is a form of discrimination based on the social hierarchy which is determined by a person's birth. Though the use of the term caste is more prevalent in South Asia and Bali, in the United States, Indian Americans also use the term caste.

The Mooknayak is an online news website founded in 2021 that focuses on social justice for Dalits and marginalized communities. Its name, which means 'the leader of the voiceless' honors the Mooknayak newspaper founded by Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar in 1920 and reflects the work of its founder, Dalit journalist Meena Kotwal.

Equality Labs is a South-Asian Ambedkarite organisation co-founded by Thenmozhi Soundararajan, Aruna Sanghapali and Valli Karunakaran in 2015. The organisation focuses on addressing caste discrimination within the South Asian diaspora and has conducted significant research on the issue. They released a groundbreaking report in 2016, presenting the first-ever survey on caste and caste discrimination in the US. Equality Labs has actively advocated for marginalized communities, shedding light on pervasive caste discrimination experienced by Dalits and other marginalized groups, including on college campuses. Additionally, they have conducted research on hate speech and disinformation on platforms like Facebook India, calling for stronger content moderation policies to address targeted hate speech against marginalized communities.

<i>Mooknayak</i> Marathi newspaper

Mooknayak was a Marathi fortnightly-Newspaper founded by B. R. Ambedkar in 1920. The newspaper aimed to reveal the pain and rebellion of society. The first issue of Mooknayak was published on 31 January 1920. This paper was published from Mumbai. An educated youth of Mahar caste named Pandurang Nandram Bhatkar edited this Newspaper. Because Ambedkar was working as a professor in Sydenham College. Therefore, he could not work as an editor openly. So he appointed Gyandev Dhruvanath Gholap as the manager of Mooknayak. Ambedkar himself wrote the foreword in the first issue titled 'Manogat'. He also wrote articles in the next thirteen issues. Chhatrapati Rajarshi Shahu of Kolhapur had given financial assistance of Rs 2,500 for Mooknayak. Ambedkar published Mooknayak in the Marathi language, Because Marathi language was the common language or folk language of that time and B. R. Ambedkar's area of work was Maharashtra. Also at that time the Dalit people of Maharashtra were not very educated, they could only understand Marathi.

References

  1. ↑ "The new 140-character war on India's caste system". Washington Post. 11 May 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  2. ↑ Harad, Tejas (26 April 2017). "Writing Our Own Histories – Why We Need Dalit History Month". Feminism In India. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  3. 1 2 "Dalit History Month 2023 | 30 days to build bridges". Sideesh Gautam. The Hindu. 31 March 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  4. ↑ "Dalit History Month: 10 Dalit literature you should read to educate yourself". The Times of India . 8 April 2023. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  5. ↑ "Dalit History Month and its significance". Westminster.ac.uk. 20 April 2023. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  6. ↑ Krishnan, Mini (13 April 2018). "Celebrating Dalit History Month". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  7. ↑ Says, Rohit. "The roots of Dalit rage". Himal Southasian. Archived from the original on 8 December 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  8. ↑ "caste can no longer be ignored: US conference will discuss dalit culture's resistance". The News Minute. 4 May 2018. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  9. ↑ Chari, Mridula (15 April 2018). "Resistance and resilience: Dalit History Month 2018 showcases neglected histories and untold stories". Scroll.in. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  10. ↑ "Dalit history threatens the powerful. That is why they want to erase, destroy and jail it". ThePrint. 1 April 2018. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  11. ↑ "The Dalit History Month series". The News Minute. 1 April 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  12. ↑ "Ambedkar Jayanti 2017: Here's a look at Dalit History Month to explore forgotten narratives". Firstpost. 14 April 2017. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  13. ↑ Gnanadason, Aruna. "Resisting Injustice: Seeking New Ways to Speak!". CrossCurrents . Archived from the original on 11 January 2020. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  14. ↑ Arvind Kumar Thakur (2019). "New Media and the Dalit Counter-public Sphere". Television & New Media . 21 (4). SAGE Publications: 360–375. doi:10.1177/1527476419872133. S2CID   203109605.
  15. ↑ "Canada Province of British Columbia A Proclamation Proclamation" . Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  16. ↑ Chitnis, Rucha (26 October 2015). "Meet the Indian women trying to take down 'caste apartheid'". Yes! Magazine. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  17. ↑ Mathew, Shannon (6 December 2016). "The Dalit History and the Dalit Present – An Interview with Christina Dhanaraj". YP Foundation. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  18. ↑ "Watch - Sanghapali Aruna, 'The Woman Who Made Twitter's Legal Head Cry'". The Wire. 21 November 2018. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  19. ↑ "Meet the Indian women trying to take down 'caste apartheid'". Public Radio International. 26 October 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  20. ↑ "#DalitWomenFight Brings Fight Against Caste-Based Violence to U.S." NBC News. 6 November 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  21. ↑ "Dalit history month: In UP's Chitrakoot upper-caste sanitation workers outsource cleaning to lower-castes, paying them paltry sums as wages". Firstpost. 24 April 2018. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  22. ↑ Slater, Joanna (19 August 2019). "A young Indian couple married for love. Then the bride's father hired assassins". Washington Post. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  23. ↑ "US to hold first ever Congressional briefing on caste discrimination in the country". The News Minute. 22 May 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  24. ↑ Chari, Mridula (14 April 2015). "On Ambedkar Jayanti, Dalit History Month rewrites the history of the marginalised community". Scroll.in. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  25. ↑ "Dalit History Month: Education Is a Distant Dream for Some Children". The Wire. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  26. ↑ Vanan, Mrudula (30 April 2023). "Dalit History Month: Reviving Buddha's Dhamma, an inheritance entrusted by Ambedkar". The News Minute. Retrieved 4 January 2025.
  27. ↑ Yengde, Suraj. "Studying Dalit history in the 21st century". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 4 January 2025.
  28. ↑ "Canada's British Columbia Declares April As Dalit History Month In Historic Move". IndiaTimes. 1 April 2022. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
  29. ↑ "Canada's British Columbia recognises April as Dalit History Month". India Today. 1 April 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  30. ↑ Singh, Pratikshit (19 March 2024). "TM Exclusive: Canadian City Honors Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Designates April as 'Dalit History Month'". The Mooknayak English - Voice Of The Voiceless. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  31. ↑ Singh, Pratikshit (19 March 2024). "TM Exclusive: Canadian City Honors Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Designates April as 'Dalit History Month'". The Mooknayak English - Voice Of The Voiceless. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
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