PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Who was Charles Perkins?
Charles Nelson Perkins (16 June 1936 – 19 October 2000) was an Australian Aboriginal activist, soccer player and administrator. He was known as Kumantjayi Perkins in the period immediately following his death. Kumantjayi is a name used to refer to a deceased person in Arrernte culture.
Education
He was educated at St Mary's Church School in Alice Springs, St Francis College for Aboriginal Boys in Adelaide, the Metropolitan Business College, Sydney and the University of Sydney from where he graduated in 1966 with a Bachelor of Arts. He was the first Aboriginal man in Australia to graduate from university. While at university he worked part-time for the City of South Sydney cleaning toilets.
Who was Perkins family?
Charles Perkins was born to an Arrernte woman and a Kalkadoon man and had 11 brothers and sisters. Perkins was a cousin to a soccer player John Moriarty. He married Eileen Munchenberg on 23 September 1961 and had two daughters Hetti and Rachel and one son Adam.
Campaigning/ The freedom ride
The Freedom Ride through western New South Wales towns in February 1965 drew attention to the racism in these towns. Inspired by the Freedom Riders of the American Civil Rights Movement, students from the University of Sydney formed a group called the Student Action for Aboriginals, led by Charles Perkins, travelled into New South Wales country towns. The students protested, picketed, and faced violence, raising the issue of Indigenous rights. They commonly stood protesting for hours at segregated areas such as pools, parks and pubs which raised a mixed reception in the country towns.
Consequences of protesting.
On 20 February 1965, Perkins and his group tried to enter the swimming pool at Moree, where the local council had barred Aboriginal people from swimming for 40 years since it had been opened. In response to this action they faced physical opposition from several hundred local white Australians, including community leaders, and were pelted with eggs and tomatoes. These events were broadcast across Australia, and under pressure from public opinion, the council eventually reversed the ban on Aboriginal swimmers. The Freedom Ride then moved on, but on the way out they were followed by a line of cars, one of which collided with the rear of their bus forcing them to return to Moree where they found that the council had reneged on their previous decision. The Freedom Riders protested again forcing the council to again remove the ban.
