-
Period: to
Jim Crow's laws/Segregation
Coming into use in the late 1800’s, Jim Crow’s laws constituted the mandated racial segregation in public school, public transportation, public places, restrooms, restaurants, and drinking fountains between whites and black Americans. This was meant to be interpreted as “separate be equal”, however, simply led to racial discrimination and the eventual abolishment of the laws. -
The Early Years - policy of protectionism
The policy of protectionism was a white made policy about the protection of aboriginal children as a part of the aboriginal protection act of 1869. The famous film “Rabbit Proof fence” shows this policy in action. -
Period: to
The Stolen Generation
The Stolen Generations were the children of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent who were removed from their families by the Australian federal and state government agencies and church missions. -
Day of Mourning & 10 point plan
The 1938 day of mourning was a protest help on the 26th of January 1938. It was to a day to celebrate but to mourn the losses of aboriginal lives at the first landing. The ten-point plan was created by “The Abo Call” to push for more rights in the future for the next generation. It asked for equal rights and access to education. This plan was revised in 1998, which is the now more commonly known plan. -
Maritime Strikes
In 1939, maritime workers and fishermen went on strike due to the attempts of corporate companies trying to hire Torres straight islanders to work for them. Strikes continued heavily throughout the decade and are still happening to an extent today. -
Period: to
Policy of Assimilation
The policy of assimilation stated that all aboriginal and part aboriginal Australians were to live in the same conditions as all other Australians. To live as members of a single Australian community and enjoy the same rights and freedoms and to accept all beliefs and traditions. -
Period: to
Brown vs Board of education
“Brown Vs Board of Education” marks a turning point in black American history, stripping racial segregation in schools and giving equal schooling opportunities to African Americans. Prior, public Black education was riddled with racial discrimination. -
Importance on non-violent protests - Martin Luther King
When you think revolution, you most likely think of violence. Or at least you did before recent years. People like Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi became synonymous with peaceful protesting and achieved results and raised awareness without actively trying to harm anyone. When the protestors aren’t actively harming people, it becomes easy to side with them. The people against the protest are actively trying to hurt and punish them for expressing their right to protest, which, was seen as legal. -
Period: to
Rosa Parks and Montgomery bus boycott
The Montgomery bus boycott was a civil rights protest regarding racial segregation on public transport. Rosa Parks, an African American woman, now seen as a key figure in the abolishment of racial segregation, sat in a designated “white seat” on a bus, refusing to move. This sparked outrage, that would indirectly lead to the abolishment of segregation. -
Little Rock Nine
Referred to as “The little rock nine”, in September 1957, a group of nine African American students enrolled at a formerly “white” central High school in Arkansas, this was permitted, however, it was frowned upon. The group caused outrage, leading many white kids to leave the school. The group, under heavy discrimination was escorted on a daily basis by the national guard, becoming key figures in the racial segregation dispute. -
Period: to
Greensboro sit-ins
The Greensboro sit-in was a civil rights protest beginning in the early 1960’s, when a group of young African American students were denied service at the now well known chain, Woolworths. This sit-in spurred a chain of peaceful and non-peaceful sit-in’s, commonly referred to as “the sit-in movement”, throughout the Southern states. -
Electoral act amendment
The 1962 electoral act amendment allowed aboriginal and Torres straight islanders to vote in federal elections, however it was not compulsory. -
Martin Luther King arrested and jailed
In 1963, the protesting of black rights moved to Birmingham, Alabama. The city government obtained a state court injunction against the process, with protesters running the risk of jail time. Martin Luther King Jr was arrested and sentence to jail time. Despite this, Martin Luther King and many more protesters decided to launch campaigns anyway. -
Yirrkala bark petitions
The Yirrkala bark petitions were made by the yolgu people from Arnhem land and were the first aboriginal legal documents recognised by parliament. -
March on Washington - "I have a dream"
The march on Washington was a massive protest march that occurred in August 1963. 250,000 people gathered in Washington D.C, in front of the Lincoln Memorial, in order to draw attention to challenges and inequalities that African Americans faced every day. It was also the event where Martin Luther King said his iconic ‘I have a dream speech’. -
President Johnson signs Civil rights Act of 1964
On July 2, 1964, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, act which prohibited any form of discrimination in public places and made employment based on discrimination illegal. This came about after the incredible efforts of black rights activists, and is the most sweeping civil rights legislation since Reconstruction. -
Period: to
Freedom Rides - 1965 - and legacy of it
The freedom ride was run by the Student Action for Aborigines organisation (SAFA). The idea was inspired from what had been going on in America at the time. It included surveys of aboriginal communities, and demonstrations against local racist laws. -
Wave Hill cattle station strike
The wave hill walk off was a strike held by stockman, house servants and their families of the Guridji tribe protesting the poor treatment of the workers. -
Referendum of 1967
In the 1967 Referendum Australians voted overwhelmingly to amend the Constitution to allow the Commonwealth to make laws for Aboriginal people and include them in the census. -
Land rights – Mabo
The mabo case was a very significant law case that covered land rights of the Meriam people. Eddie mabo, the man the case was named after, fought against the state of Queensland, the state in which the meriam tribe is from. -
Road to reconciliation - Redfern Speech
A key event in Australian history and the treatment of aboriginals is the “road to conciliation” address, by Paul Keating, the acting prime minister at the time. The speech addressed the past treatment of indigenous Australians reflecting a government now more understanding of indigenous Australian history, able to better accommodate indigenous Australians. -
Bringing them home report
The “Bringing them home” report of April 1997, written by the Australian national Inquiry addresses, looking into the thousands of Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander children who were taken from their families during a period known as “The Stolen Generation” (1910-1970). The report is a tribute to the traumatic experiences of thousands of young indigenous groups, acknowledging the hardships and lost lives during this period. -
Kevin Rudd's Apology to the Stolen Generation
On the 13th of February, 2008, Kevin Rudd, the acting Prime Minister at the time addressed the treatment of Indigenous and Torres Strait islanders throughout the settlement of Australia, specifically addressing the period now known as “The Stolen Generation” (1910-1970). During this period Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander children were taken from their families, taught western customs and ideologies, disbanded from their families, likely never to see it them or it again.
