Ghadar Party

The Ghadar Party was an organisation founded by Punjabis, principally Sikhs, but also Hindus and Muslims, in the United States and Canada with the aim of securing India's independence from British rule. It was an revolutionary association of Indians with headquarters at San Francisco. Key members included,Bhai Parmanand, Sohan Singh Bhakna, Har Day... al, Kartar Singh Sarabha, Abdul Hafiz Mohamed Barakatullah, Rashbehari Bose and Gulab Kaur, Harnam Singh. In the early twentieth century, five to six hundred men and one family of East Indians lived along the Columbia River, from The Dalles to the coast, with the largest numbers settling in St. Johns and Astoria. A small group also worked for the railroads in southern Oregon. The men were often called Hindus by the newspapers and othersa derogatory term, a misunderstanding of their faith, and a reference to Hindustan (roughly present-day India and Pakistan). East Indians, mainly Sikh men from Punjab and Hindus and Muslims from other regions of India, migrated to the United States because of the harsh conditionsplagues, famines, and political conflictin Hindustan under British colonial rule. Part of an international diaspora, the East Indian community in North America worked primarily in lumber mills in the Pacific NW and British Columbia, and in agriculture in California. In the spring of 1913, East Indians formed the radical nationalist Ghadar Party in Astoria. The meeting was held in the Finnish Socialist Hall, reflecting the important ties and comradery East Indian activists had, in Astoria and elsewhere, with socialists, radical labor organizers, and Irish, Finnish, Mexican, and Chinese nationalists. East Indians were sometimes called coolie slaves and targeted by white violence. With time and experience, many East Indians came to believe that the lack of self-rule in their country was the cause of their suffering and disrespect the world over, and they vowed to make change. After years of work and discussion, East Indian laborers, activists, students, and ...Read More