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Charles Perkins is remembered as a man who dedicated his life to achieving justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia, 20 years after his state funeral in 2000.
- Keira Jenkins
Charles Perkins was perhaps not only the most influential Aborigine of modern times, but also must be numbered among the outstanding Australians of the century. Perkins, who has died in Sydney aged 64, was the product of a fractured childhood, and spent most of his life in the eye of controversy.
Oct 15, 2024 · In full: Charles Nelson Perkins. Born: June 16, 1936, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia. Died: October 18, 2000, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (aged 64)
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
- From Football to Activism
- Starting The Fight For Self-Determination
- The Impact of The Freedom Ride
- ‘A Burning Passion For Advancing The Interests of His People’
- A New Generation Carrying on His Work
Perkins was born in 1936 in Alice Springs and spent his early life on an Aboriginal reserve under the tight control of authorities, forced to live with curfews and the threat of interventions by police and welfare officials. Nevertheless, Perkins also remembered the small joys of spending time with his family and people. At about 9-years-old, Perki...
It was during this time that Perkins became an active participant in the Aboriginal rights movement, organising petitions and speaking publicly about the discrimination he and his peers experienced. In between studies and football, Perkins worked with the Foundation for Aboriginal Affairs, helping Aboriginal people in Sydney secure housing and empl...
Perkins also drew inspiration from the US civil rights movement, particularly Martin Luther King Jr’s belief in non-violent protest and the 1961 Freeedom Ridesacross the South. In what became a significant event of the Indigenous rights movement in Australia, Perkins led the Student Action for Aborigines on its own Freedom Ride— a bus tour of count...
In 1969, Perkins joined the Office of Aboriginal Affairs. But change was slow, as the new department grappled with entrenched bureaucracies still focused on the assimilation of Aboriginal people. Perkins persevered, though, and worked to establish institutional mechanisms to empower Aboriginal people to take charge of their own affairs. He led the ...
Perkins believed in the transformative power of education, becoming one of the first Aboriginal university graduates. This legacy continues to be felt today, with almost 20,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander studentsenrolled at universities around the country. A scholarshiphas also been established in his name to send Aboriginal students to ...
Charles Nelson Perkins AO, usually known as Charlie Perkins (16 June 1936 – 19 October 2000), was an Aboriginal Australian activist, soccer player and administrator. It is claimed he was the first known Indigenous Australian man to graduate tertiary education.
Hetty Perkins: Charles’ mother was born on the station owned by his grandfather, Harry Perkins. When Harry died, Hetty moved around with mother and the Arunta people. (p.8) When she was young, Hetty witnessed a stockman murder an Aboriginal girl for sport. (p.19)
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Charlie Perkins was awarded an Order of Australia medal in 1987 for services to the Aboriginal community and was honoured with a state funeral on his death in 2000. The Charles Perkins Centre at the University of Sydney was established in 2012.
