Dalit Indians and African-Americans: Two continents, one fight

Dalit residents – who are considered the lowest ranking individuals in the Indian caste system, caused an uprising against police forces after a man was killed in the midst of the 200th-anniversary celebration of a battle won against British opposition during the colonial period. The disturbance was documented as having occurred on January 2^nd and caused a disruption in traffic, damage to city property, and 100 arrests.

Dalit means oppressed in Sanskrit and comprises 16.6 percent of the Indian population. Interestingly, the Dalit have been documented as having emigrated to the United States, Caribbean, and United Kingdom.  The parallels of the struggles of African-Americans in society and the plight of Scheduled Castes, Harijan, or Adi Dravida – which are additional terms the Dalit are identified as are readily apparent as they were inspired to form the Dalit Panther Party.

Though not frequently reported, the African Diaspora is dwelling even in the unlikeliest of surroundings. With each passing day, more knowledge is gained as to the existence of African ancestry and populations worldwide.

The videos below document the lives of the Dalits: