Dalit History Month

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

Dalit History Month
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
Date1 April
FrequencyAnnual
Started byThe Dalit History Month Collective

History

Inspired by Black History Month, a group of Dalit women launched the Dalit History Month project in April 2015.[13] The Dalit History Month collective originally included Thenmozhi Soundararajan, Christina Dhanaraj, Maari Zwick-Maitreyi, Sanghapali Aruna, Asha Kowtal, and Manisha Devi.[14][15] Sanghapali Aruna and Thenmozhi Soundararajan came up with idea during discussions at Color of Violence conference in Chicago.[16][17] Dalit History Month is now community-led.

Significance

Dalits are discriminated against because of their caste, despite such discrimination being illegal in India.[18][19][20] Ignorance and absence of Dalits in Indian history by mainstream authors is discussed during Dalit History Month.[21] Issues faced by Dalits are pondered upon by citizens.[22]

In 2022, Canada's British Columbia province has recognised April as Dalit History Month.[23][24]

See also

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