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Australian Aborigine Civil Rights Movement

Definition

The Australian Aborigine Civil Rights Movement was a social movement in Australia that emerged in the mid-20th century to end discrimination against Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders, and to secure their rights.

Analogy

Think of this like a long-distance relay race. Each runner (or activist) carries the baton (the cause for civil rights) as far as they can before passing it on to the next person. Over time, with many runners contributing their strength and endurance, they reach the finish line - which in this case is equal rights for all.

Related terms

Western Australia Aborigines Act: This was an act passed in 1905 that gave unprecedented control over the lives of indigenous people in Western Australia to the state's Chief Protector of Aborigines. It was one of several laws that contributed to what is now known as the Stolen Generations.

Racial Discrimination Act of 1975: This is an act passed by the Australian Parliament during the height of the civil rights movement which made it illegal to discriminate against someone based on their race. It marked a significant victory for Aboriginal activists.

Stolen Generations: This term refers to Aboriginal children who were forcibly removed from their families by Australian government policies between 1910 and 1970s under acts like Western Australia Aborigines Act, aiming at assimilation into white society.