Topics: Events: North West

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1937 - view

William Cooper forwards his petition for Aboriginal representation in parliament, citizenship and land rights to Prime Minister Lyons for passing to King George V

1937 - view

The government declines to forward it to the King after the 1938 Day of Mourning. (NAA)

1938 - view

Australian Aborigines Conference (APA), Day of Mourning

1938 - view

26 January, 1938, the 150th anniversary of the landing of the First Fleet, a Day of Mourning and Protest

1938 - view

“We, representing THE ABORIGINES OF AUSTRALIA, assembled in Conference at the Australian Hall, Sydney, on the 26th day of January, 1938, this being the 150th Anniversary of the whitemen’s seizure of our country, HEREBY MAKE PROTEST against the callous treatment of our people by the whitemen during the past 150 years, AND WE APPEAL to the Australian Nation of today to make new laws for the education and care of Aborigines, and we ask for a new policy which will raise our people to FULL CITIZEN STATUS and EQUALITY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.”

1938 - view

Aborigines re-enact Governor Phillip’s landing at 150th anniversary celebrations. Aboriginal men are brought in from western NSW to re-enact the Aboriginal response to the landing of the First Fleet. They run up the beach as boats filled with British marines land at Farm Cove. A group of white dignitaries sit in comfortable safety watching the invasion

1938 - view

They take ownership of Christianity, changing it for the benefit of Aboriginal people, rather than for their assimilation into white society

1939 - view

NAIDOC Australian Aboriginal Artist of the Year in 2008

1939 - view

70 of the 350 Aboriginal residents on Cumeroogunga station on the NSW side of the Murray River protest against malnutrition, ill treatment and harsh APB controls. They cross the river and establish a camp on the Victorian bank

1939 - view

charged by NSW police for inducing unrest

1940 - view

American researcher working at the South Australian Museum helps break the academic veto on RH Mathews’ work on Aboriginal language, culture and estates

1940 - view

Many Aboriginal people defer their activism to serve in the Australian army

1940 - view

first Aboriginal officer in the Australian Army

1940 - view

Secretary of the NSW Aborigines Progressive Association. He organises fund raising for returning soldiers

1943 - view

Andy was “in his glory when with children”…he would take them to Maroota to pick waratahs, then give the flowers away on their return home; he spent a great deal of time camped below Ebenezer Church near the river fishing

1944 - view

Blair does work hard. He reportedly goes from singing on canefields and illiteracy at 18 years of age to an outstanding tenor who sings in five languages and performs on the stage around the world

1946 - view

Pilbara campaign. Nearly 800 Aboriginal pastoral workers defy the Aborigines Act 1905 (WA) and walk off in protest over lack of personal freedom, poor pay (often only rations) and sub-standard living conditions

1946 - view

Australia’s longest strike

1946 - view

Dave Sands becomes champion boxer

1946 - view

Sackville Reach Aborigines Reserve Nos 23598 and 28546 are revoked