Aborigines Progressive Association
The Aborigines Progressive Association was founded in 1937 by William Ferguson as secretary, Pearl Gibbs and Jack Patten as President in New South Wales. This organization campaigned for Aboriginal rights.
While Ferguson and Gibbs the Association of Western New South Wales, led Patten in the Northeast. The Association led protest actions by and organized political meetings in the interest of Aboriginal workers.
In 1938, the Aboriginal protest, the Day of Mourning was organized by the Australian Aborigines League and the Aborigines Progressive Association and carried out jointly, which ultimately led to success in 1940. This measure is considered one of the greatest successes of the political movement for the rights of Aboriginal people in the last century.
The Association continued in the core for three claim:
- Full citizenship and human rights
- Representation in parliament
- Abolition of the Aboriginal Protection Board of New South Wales. The Aborigines Protection Board of New South Wales was established in 1883, won by the Aborigines Protection Act (1909 ), far-reaching intervention in the lives of Aboriginal people, including the authority for removal of Aboriginal children from their parents. This organization was renamed in 1940 in the Aboriginal Welfare Board and adopted the Aborigines Protection ( Amendment) Act ( 1940). The Aborigines Welfare Board was abolished only in 1969 according to the Aborigines Act of New South Wales (1969).
The Association presented its work in 1944 and in 1963 reactivated by Bert Groves and Pearl Gibbs, to participate in the land rights movement as a political force. 1966 mandated the government of New South Wales to investigate a parliamentary body the welfare of Aboriginal and here the Association was interviewed.
The organizations had published its own journal from 1964 to 1970, the Churinga. Some well-known members of the new Association were Joyce Clague, Dulcie Flower, Harriet Ellis, Ray Peckham, Chicka Dixon and Ken Brindle.