Dalit History Month
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2024}}
{{short description|Annual celebration of Dalit history}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox holiday
| holiday_name = Dalit History Month
| type = Global
| image = DalitHistoryMonth April15Editathon 05.jpg
| imagesize = 200px
| caption = B. R. Ambedkar portrait at one of the earliest Dalit History Month events
| nickname =
| observedby = Ambedkarites, Dalits, Anti-caste communities, and others
| litcolor = Different shades of Blue
| longtype = Cultural, Political
| significance = Celebration of Dalit history, leaders, movements, and milestones.
| begins =
| ends =
| date = April
| frequency = Annual
| duration = 1 month
| celebrations = Talks, Lectures, Rallies, Social Media Lives, Public discourses
| month = April
| startedby = The 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.{{cite news | title=The new 140-character war on India's caste system | newspaper=Washington Post | date=2016-05-11 | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/the-new-140-character-war-on-indias-caste-system/2016/05/11/df3f38e8-299a-43b8-a313-fcce84055301_story.html | access-date=2019-12-08}}{{Cite web|url=https://feminisminindia.com/2017/04/27/dalit-history-month/|title=Writing Our Own Histories – Why We Need Dalit History Month|last=Harad|first=Tejas|date=2017-04-26|website=Feminism In India|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-08}}{{cite web | url=https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/dalit-history-month-2023-siddhesh-gautam-ambedkarite/article66671271.ece | title=Dalit History Month 2023 {{!}} 30 days to build bridges | publisher=The Hindu | work=Sideesh Gautam | date=31 March 2023 | accessdate=2 April 2023}}{{cite web | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/books/features/dalit-history-month-10-dalit-literature-you-should-read-to-educate-yourself/photostory/99306054.cms?from=mdr | title=Dalit History Month: 10 Dalit literature you should read to educate yourself | work=The Times of India | date=8 April 2023 | accessdate=27 December 2023}}{{cite web | title=Dalit History Month and its significance | website=Westminster.ac.uk| date=20 April 2023 | url=https://blog.westminster.ac.uk/difference/dalit-history-month-and-its-significance/ | access-date=27 December 2023}} It is celebrated in April all over the world by Ambedkarites, followers of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/books/celebrating-the-dalit-history-month/article23527323.ece|title=Celebrating Dalit History Month|last=Krishnan|first=Mini|date=2018-04-13|work=The Hindu|access-date=2019-12-08|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}{{Cite web|url=http://m.himalmag.com/the-roots-of-dalit-rage-ambedkar/|title=The roots of Dalit rage|last=Says|first=Rohit|website=Himal Southasian|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-08|archive-date=8 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191208150324/https://m.himalmag.com/the-roots-of-dalit-rage-ambedkar/|url-status=dead}} Discussions,{{Cite web |title=caste can no longer be ignored: US conference will discuss dalit culture's resistance
|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/caste-can-no-longer-be-ignored-us-conference-will-discuss-dalit-cultures-resistance-80701|website=The News Minute|date=4 May 2018|access-date=2019-12-08}} storytelling,{{Cite web|url=https://scroll.in/magazine/875331/resistance-and-resilience-dalit-history-month-2018-showcases-neglected-histories-and-untold-stories|title=Resistance and resilience: Dalit History Month 2018 showcases neglected histories and untold stories|last=Chari|first=Mridula|website=Scroll.in|date=15 April 2018 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-08}} history projects,{{cite web | title=Dalit history threatens the powerful. That is why they want to erase, destroy and jail it | website=ThePrint | date=2018-04-01 | url=https://theprint.in/opinion/dalit-history-month/dalit-history-threatens-powerful-erase-destroy-jail-it/46177/ | access-date=2019-12-08}} special publications in media,{{cite web | title=The Dalit History Month series | website=The News Minute | date=2016-04-01 | url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/dalit-history-month-series-41033 | access-date=2019-12-08}} and art works{{Cite web|url=https://www.firstpost.com/living/ambedkar-jayanti-2017-heres-a-look-at-dalit-history-month-to-explore-forgotten-narratives-3383696.html|title=Ambedkar Jayanti 2017: Here's a look at Dalit History Month to explore forgotten narratives|website=Firstpost|date=14 April 2017|access-date=2019-12-08}} are organized during this month.{{cite journal | url=https://www.questia.com/magazine/1G1-473149309/resisting-injustice-seeking-new-ways-to-speak | title=Resisting Injustice: Seeking New Ways to Speak! | author=Gnanadason, Aruna | journal=CrossCurrents | access-date=6 January 2020 | archive-date=11 January 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200111001715/https://www.questia.com/magazine/1G1-473149309/resisting-injustice-seeking-new-ways-to-speak | url-status=dead }}{{cite journal| title=New Media and the Dalit Counter-public Sphere | author=Arvind Kumar Thakur | journal=Television & New Media|publisher=SAGE Publications | year=2019| volume=21 | issue=4 | pages=360–375 | doi=10.1177/1527476419872133 | s2cid=203109605 }} The Canadian Province of British Columbia recognized April as Dalit History Month.{{cite web | title=Canada Province of British Columbia A Proclamation Proclamation |url=https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/proclamations/proclamations/DalitHistoryMth2024 | access-date=4 October 2024}}
History
Inspired by Black History Month, a group of Dalit women launched the Dalit History Month project in April 2015.{{Cite web |last=Chitnis |first=Rucha |date=2015-10-26 |title=Meet the Indian women trying to take down 'caste apartheid' |url=https://theworld.org/stories/2015-10-26/meet-indian-women-trying-take-down-caste-apartheid |access-date=2023-04-04 |website=Yes! Magazine |language=en}} The Dalit History Month collective originally included Thenmozhi Soundararajan, Christina Dhanuja, Maari Zwick-Maitreyi, Sanghapali Aruna, Asha Kowtal, and Manisha Mashaal .{{cite web |last=Mathew |first=Shannon |date=2016-12-06 |title=The Dalit History and the Dalit Present – An Interview with Christina Dhanaraj |url=https://theypfoundation.org/resources/interview-christina-dhanaraj/ |access-date=2023-04-04 |website=YP Foundation}}{{cite web | title=Watch - Sanghapali Aruna, 'The Woman Who Made Twitter's Legal Head Cry' | website=The Wire | date=2018-11-21 | url=https://thewire.in/video/watch-sanghapali-aruna-brahminical-patriarchy-twitter | access-date=2019-12-08}} Sanghapali Aruna and Thenmozhi Soundararajan came up with the idea during discussions at the Color of Violence conference in Chicago.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pri.org/stories/2015-10-26/meet-indian-women-trying-take-down-caste-apartheid|title=Meet the Indian women trying to take down 'caste apartheid'|website=Public Radio International|date=26 October 2015 |language=en|access-date=2019-12-08}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/dalitwomenfight-brings-fight-against-caste-based-violence-u-s-n454056|title=#DalitWomenFight Brings Fight Against Caste-Based Violence to U.S.|website=NBC News|date=6 November 2015 |language=en|access-date=2019-12-08}} Dalit History Month is now community-led.{{fact|date=August 2024}}
Significance
Dalits are discriminated against because of their caste, despite such discrimination being illegal in India.{{cite web | title=Dalit history month: In UP's Chitrakoot upper-caste sanitation workers outsource cleaning to lower-castes, paying them paltry sums as wages | website=Firstpost | date=2018-04-24 | url=https://www.firstpost.com/videos/india/dalit-history-month-in-chitrakoot-upper-caste-sanitation-workers-outsource-cleaning-to-lower-castes-paying-them-paltry-sums-as-wages-4443645.html | access-date=2019-12-08}}{{cite news | last=Slater | first=Joanna | title=A young Indian couple married for love. Then the bride's father hired assassins. | newspaper=Washington Post | date=2019-08-19 | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/a-young-indian-couple-married-for-love-then-the-brides-father-hired-assassins/2019/08/19/3d1ce9a0-a1d0-11e9-a767-d7ab84aef3e9_story.html | access-date=2019-12-08}}{{cite web | title=US to hold first ever Congressional briefing on caste discrimination in the country | website=The News Minute | date=2019-05-22 | url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/us-hold-first-ever-congressional-briefing-caste-discrimination-country-102200 | access-date=2019-12-08}} Ignorance and absence of Dalits in Indian history by mainstream authors is discussed during Dalit History Month.{{Cite web|url=https://scroll.in/article/720249/on-ambedkar-jayanti-dalit-history-month-rewrites-the-history-of-the-marginalised-community|title=On Ambedkar Jayanti, Dalit History Month rewrites the history of the marginalised community|last=Chari|first=Mridula|website=Scroll.in|date=14 April 2015 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-08}} Citizens engage in discussions and reflections on the issues faced by Dalits during this observance.{{Cite web|url=https://thewire.in/caste/dalit-history-month-education-is-a-distant-dream-for-some-children|title=Dalit History Month: Education Is a Distant Dream for Some Children|website=The Wire|access-date=2019-12-08}} 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.{{Cite web |last=Vanan |first=Mrudula |date=2023-04-30 |title=Dalit History Month: Reviving Buddha's Dhamma, an inheritance entrusted by Ambedkar |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/news/dalit-history-month-reviving-buddhas-dhamma-inheritance-entrusted-ambedkar-176575 |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=The News Minute |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Yengde |first=Suraj |title=Studying Dalit history in the 21st century |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2021/4/29/how-we-came-to-celebrate-dalit-history-month |access-date=2025-01-04 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}
In 2022, Canada's British Columbia province has recognised April as Dalit History Month.{{Cite web |date=2022-04-01 |title=Canada's British Columbia Declares April As Dalit History Month In Historic Move |url=https://www.indiatimes.com/trending/social-relevance/canada-british-columbia-proclaims-april-dalit-history-month-565870.html |access-date=2022-04-06 |website=IndiaTimes |language=en-IN}}{{cite web | url=https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/canada-british-colombia-recognises-dalit-history-month-april-1932193-2022-04-01 | title=Canada's British Columbia recognises April as Dalit History Month | publisher=India Today | date=1 April 2022 | accessdate=4 August 2022}}
In March 2024, the city of Burlington in Ontario Province, Canada, declared April as Dalit History Month{{Cite web |last=Singh |first=Pratikshit |date=2024-03-19 |title=TM Exclusive: Canadian City Honors Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Designates April as 'Dalit History Month' |url=https://en.themooknayak.com/dalit-news/canadian-city-honors-dr-br-ambedkar-designates-april-as-dalit-history-month |access-date=2024-04-02 |website=The Mooknayak English - Voice Of The Voiceless |language=en}} and 14 April as Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Day of Equity.{{Cite web |last=Singh |first=Pratikshit |date=2024-03-19 |title=TM Exclusive: Canadian City Honors Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Designates April as 'Dalit History Month' |url=https://en.themooknayak.com/dalit-news/canadian-city-honors-dr-br-ambedkar-designates-april-as-dalit-history-month |access-date=2024-04-02 |website=The Mooknayak English - Voice Of The Voiceless |language=en}}
Gallery
File:DalitHistoryMonth April15Editathon 05.jpg|B. R. Ambedkar portrait at Dalit History Month event
File:DalitHistoryMonth April15Editathon 07.jpg|Dalit History Month event poster
File:DalitHistoryMonth April15Editathon 17.jpg|Dalit History Month Editathon at UC Berkeley, April 15, 2017
File:DalitHistoryMonth April15Editathon 09.jpg|Dalit literature at a Dalit History Month event
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.dalithistory.com/ Dalit History Month website]
- [https://www.projectmukti.com/dalit-history-month-2 DALIT HISTORY MONTH at Project Mukti] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200707180440/https://www.projectmukti.com/dalit-history-month-2 |date=7 July 2020 }}
Category:Month-long observances in Canada
Category:South Asian Canadian culture
Category:Observances in the United States