While Indians fought for their political independence in their home country, African Americans struggled for personal freedom in the US where they were brought over as captured slaves.  In the march of time, the powerful tend to snatch away the rights of others: the survival rights, the human rights and the rights of equity.  Lawful immigrants face indignity and discrimination for work and opportunities.  The planet’s air and water call out to claim their rights in order to sustain life on earth. 

The India Poetry Reading as an event at Harvard University was commenced in 1997, the 27^th annual event will be hosted this Sunday, May 21 at Tsai Auditorium, CGIS S010, 1730 Cambridge Steet, Cambridge from 2 PM to 5 PM.  The topic for this year’s event is “My Rights”, स्वाधिकार .  There will be recitations and poems in various Indian languages followed by a tribute event to Ruth Edmonds Hill, the black activist who passed away last month.  Ruth Hill and her husband Hugh Morgan Hill “Brother Blue” were affectionate supporters of the India Poetry Reading event and participated in every session till Brother passed away in 2009.  Ruth Hill continued her association through our Folk Literature festivals.

The tribute to Ruth Hill event will consist of reminiscences, storytelling and music.  Ruth served as the African American oral historian of Harvard University and captured the life and living in the rural America for decades.   Brother Blue was an iconic institution in Cambridge with his street performances and public service.  Artists from Story Space, an association of storytellers will present stories and skits relating to the lives on Brother Blue and Ruth Hill.

The event is free and is sponsored by the Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute at Harvard University and India Discovery Center.   A reception for all attendees will be offered at 5 PM.  All are invited to attend.  Please contact Bijoy Misra at misra.bijoy@gmail.com if you have memories of Ruth Hill to share.  Please visit https://mittalsouthasiainstitute.harvard.edu/events/ for more details.

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