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1901
150,000 people gathered in sydneys centennial park to witness the birth of a nation. there were speeches from important peole. and a choir of 15,000 school children who sang the national anthem. one. hundred and thirteen years after the first white settlement in sydney, the six colonies of the continent had become one country and people across the land celebrated. later in the year, the first federal parliment opened in melbourne. but there were no indigenous australians in the sydney crowd, not -
1938
On australia day 1938 a meeting of aboriginal people was held in sydney. a document called 'aboriginies claim citizen rights' was circulated. this declaration was the first time aboriginal people had made a protest. it was. widely reported in the papers and many white australians now started to take notice of their plight -
1965
a group led by aborigonal activist charles perkins made a bus tour through new south wales. they protested about discrimination in shops, theaters, bars, clubs and swimming pools -
1993
The 1993 Native Title Act allowed indigenous Australians to claim land rights. -
2000
in may 2000, 250,000 people walked across sydney harbour bridge and up to 400,000 marched in melbourne in december. many marchers carried signs and banners critical of the prime minister's refusal to say 'sorry' to indigenous australians for past wrongs. -
2000
Indigenous Australian leaders are gaining greater respect and the marches in 2000 showed that Australians of all races want the first people to get a better deal. Some are national heroes and there was a great pride when Cathy Freeman lit the torch at the Sydney Olympics and won the 400 meters. There are still many problems to solve but hope remains.