Australian Aborigines' League: Difference between revisions
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[[File:William Cooper.jpg|thumb|right|180px|alt=Photographic portrait of a man with white hair and moustache|William Cooper was a founder of the AAL]] |
[[File:William Cooper.jpg|thumb|right|180px|alt=Photographic portrait of a man with white hair and moustache|William Cooper was a founder of the AAL]] |
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The '''Australian Aborigines' League''' was established in [[Melbourne]], [[Australia]], in |
The '''Australian Aborigines' League''' was established in [[Melbourne]], [[Australia]], in 1933 by [[William Cooper (Aboriginal Australian)|William Cooper]] and others, including [[Margaret Tucker]], Eric Onus, Anna and Caleb Morgan, and [[Shadrach Livingstone James|Shadrach James]].<ref name=cir>{{cite web|url=http://indigenousrights.net.au/organisation.asp?oID=4 |title=Australian Aborigines' League |accessdate=2012-04-29 |work=Collaborating for Indigenous Rights |first= |last= |publisher=National Museum of Australia |date= |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120318062359/http://www.indigenousrights.net.au/organisation.asp?oID=4 |archivedate=2012-03-18 |df= }}</ref> Cooper was secretary of the League. |
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In a Letter to the Editor of the West Australian, |
In a Letter to the Editor of the West Australian, Cooper wrote "The plea of our league is a fair deal for the dark race."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article46494808 |title=Native Regulations |newspaper=[[The West Australian]] |location=Perth, WA |date=22 November 1938 |accessdate=4 February 2016 |page=9 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> The League campaigned for the repeal of discriminatory legislation and for programs to “uplift the aboriginal race”.<ref name=emelbourne>[http://www.emelbourne.net.au/biogs/EM00110b.htm Australian Aborigines' League]</ref> |
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An early initiative by the League was to petition King [[George V]] for [[Indigenous Australians]] to be represented in the [[Parliament of Australia|Australian Parliament]], among other requests. 1,814 signatures were collected on the petition, although it was reported that |
An early initiative by the League was to petition King [[George V]] in 1933 for [[Indigenous Australians]] to be represented in the [[Parliament of Australia|Australian Parliament]], among other requests. 1,814 signatures were collected on the petition, although it was reported that Cooper believed many Aboriginal people living on missions were too afraid to add their signature.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article62163759 |title=Aborigines' League |newspaper=[[Townsville_Bulletin|Townsville Daily Bulletin]] |location=Qld. |date=27 October 1937 |accessdate=4 February 2016 |page=8 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> |
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In 1938 it joined the New South Wales based [[Aborigines Progressive Association]] in staging a [[Day of Mourning (Australia)|Day of Mourning]] on [[Australia Day]] (26 January) in Sydney to draw attention to the treatment of [[Australian Aborigines|Aborigines]] and to demand full citizenship and equal rights.<ref name=cir/> Mr. W. Ferguson, organising secretary of the Aborigines' Progressive Association of New South Wales, said of the planned national day of mourning: "The aborigines do not want protection... We have been protected for 150 years, and look what has become of us. Scientists have studied us and written books about us as though we were some strange curiosities, but they have not prevented us from contracting tuberculosis and other diseases, which have wiped us out in thousands."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article29202763 |title=BLACK MAN'S VIEWPOINT. |newspaper=[[The Mercury (Hobart)|The Mercury]] |location=Hobart, Tas. |date=13 November 1937 |accessdate=4 February 2016 |page=15 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> |
In 1938 it joined the New South Wales based [[Aborigines Progressive Association]] in staging a [[Day of Mourning (Australia)|Day of Mourning]] on [[Australia Day]] (26 January) in Sydney to draw attention to the treatment of [[Australian Aborigines|Aborigines]] and to demand full citizenship and equal rights.<ref name=cir/> Mr. W. Ferguson, organising secretary of the Aborigines' Progressive Association of New South Wales, said of the planned national day of mourning: "The aborigines do not want protection... We have been protected for 150 years, and look what has become of us. Scientists have studied us and written books about us as though we were some strange curiosities, but they have not prevented us from contracting tuberculosis and other diseases, which have wiped us out in thousands."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article29202763 |title=BLACK MAN'S VIEWPOINT. |newspaper=[[The Mercury (Hobart)|The Mercury]] |location=Hobart, Tas. |date=13 November 1937 |accessdate=4 February 2016 |page=15 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> The League also supported a walk-off at [[Cumeragunja]], a government reserve.<ref name=emelbourne/> |
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On 6 December 1938, following the [[Kristallnacht]] [[pogrom]] in [[Germany]], a delegation of League members, led by Cooper, went to the German [[Consulate]] in Melbourne with a petition protesting against the “cruel persecution of the Jewish people by the Nazi government of Germany”.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jta.org/news/article/2009/04/28/1004704/aboriginal-leader-honored-in-israel |title=Aboriginal leader honored in Israel |accessdate=2012-05-01 |work=News |first= |last= |publisher=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|date=2009-04-28 }}</ref> |
On 6 December 1938, following the [[Kristallnacht]] [[pogrom]] in [[Germany]], a delegation of League members, led by Cooper, went to the German [[Consulate]] in Melbourne with a petition protesting against the “cruel persecution of the Jewish people by the Nazi government of Germany”.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jta.org/news/article/2009/04/28/1004704/aboriginal-leader-honored-in-israel |title=Aboriginal leader honored in Israel |accessdate=2012-05-01 |work=News |first= |last= |publisher=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|date=2009-04-28 }}</ref> |
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Revision as of 21:31, 23 June 2019
The Australian Aborigines' League was established in Melbourne, Australia, in 1933 by William Cooper and others, including Margaret Tucker, Eric Onus, Anna and Caleb Morgan, and Shadrach James.[1] Cooper was secretary of the League.
In a Letter to the Editor of the West Australian, Cooper wrote "The plea of our league is a fair deal for the dark race."[2] The League campaigned for the repeal of discriminatory legislation and for programs to “uplift the aboriginal race”.[3]
An early initiative by the League was to petition King George V in 1933 for Indigenous Australians to be represented in the Australian Parliament, among other requests. 1,814 signatures were collected on the petition, although it was reported that Cooper believed many Aboriginal people living on missions were too afraid to add their signature.[4]
In 1938 it joined the New South Wales based Aborigines Progressive Association in staging a Day of Mourning on Australia Day (26 January) in Sydney to draw attention to the treatment of Aborigines and to demand full citizenship and equal rights.[1] Mr. W. Ferguson, organising secretary of the Aborigines' Progressive Association of New South Wales, said of the planned national day of mourning: "The aborigines do not want protection... We have been protected for 150 years, and look what has become of us. Scientists have studied us and written books about us as though we were some strange curiosities, but they have not prevented us from contracting tuberculosis and other diseases, which have wiped us out in thousands."[5] The League also supported a walk-off at Cumeragunja, a government reserve.[3]
On 6 December 1938, following the Kristallnacht pogrom in Germany, a delegation of League members, led by Cooper, went to the German Consulate in Melbourne with a petition protesting against the “cruel persecution of the Jewish people by the Nazi government of Germany”.[6]
The League was less active after Cooper’s death in 1941 but was revived after the Second World War by Douglas Nicholls and by Eric and Bill Onus. In the 1960s it became the Victorian branch of the Aborigines Advancement League.[1]
See also
- Aborigines Advancement League
- Aborigines Progressive Association
- Day of Mourning (Australia)
- Voting rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
References
- ^ a b c "Australian Aborigines' League". Collaborating for Indigenous Rights. National Museum of Australia. Archived from the original on 2012-03-18. Retrieved 2012-04-29.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Native Regulations". The West Australian. Perth, WA: National Library of Australia. 22 November 1938. p. 9. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
- ^ a b Australian Aborigines' League
- ^ "Aborigines' League". Townsville Daily Bulletin. Qld.: National Library of Australia. 27 October 1937. p. 8. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
- ^ "BLACK MAN'S VIEWPOINT". The Mercury. Hobart, Tas.: National Library of Australia. 13 November 1937. p. 15. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
- ^ "Aboriginal leader honored in Israel". News. Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 2009-04-28. Retrieved 2012-05-01.
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