Timeline: The Aboriginal fight for human rights

Jan 26, 1938

First Aboriginal protest

The first time aborigines nationally protested for their rights.

1965

Freedom riders demand equal treatment

Aboriginal activists made a bus tour protesting discrimination against Aboriginal through New South Wales, led by Charles Perkins.

1966

Gurindji people demand a better deal

200 workers in the Northern Territory walked off the Wave Hill cattle station to get better wages, conditions, and their land back.

1967

White voters demand a better deal for first Australians

Aboriginals got the right to vote and get counted in censuses after a 90% 'yes' vote.

1972

Aboriginal tent embassy set up in Canberra

The Embassy said that blacks were now going to get up and fight back on the issues of education, health , police victimization, locking people up. - Bobby Sykes

1974

Land rights granted to Aboriginals

Aboriginals should get back the land where they lived and had traditionally live which was recommended by a government commission

1975

First Aboriginal land rights act

The law granting them land really only gave them arid and useless land, claims for other land were often thrown out by the court

1992

Terra nullius ended by Eddie Mabo

Eddie and his people lived on Murray Island for thousands of years. The High Court agreed that they were the rightful owners.

2000

Cathy Freeman at the Sydney Olympics

Cathy Freeman lit the torch at the Sydney Olympic. When competing in sprinting she won the 400m sprint.

May 28, 2000

The Walk for Reconciliation

250,000 people walked across Sydney Harbour Bridge and up to 400,000 walked to Melbourne in order to get the Prime Minister to apologize for the past treatment of Aborigines.