Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders (FCAATSI), 1967-77

Component identifier:

Series 6

Content Summary:

The Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines (FCAA) was formed in 1958 at a meeting of representatives of Aboriginal advancement organisations from South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. FCAA (later renamed Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders) was formed as a federal organisation to fight for social justice for Aborigines. The objectives of FCAATSI included obtaining legislative reform, land rights and equal wages, and equal access to employment and educational opportunities. FCAATSI was the main organisation behind the 1967 referendum that gave Aborigines full citizen rights and the federal government concurrent powers with the states over Aboriginal affairs.

Perkins was involved in FCAATSI between 1965 until 1978. The papers include minutes of FCAATSI meetings and conferences, 1967-70 and 1977; papers relating to the 1967 Referendum; papers on the push to limit voting rights at FCAATSI meetings to Aboriginal members only; speeches by H.C. Coombs, E.G. Whitlam and others; financial papers (1977) and lists of affiliated organisations.

A small quantity of papers concerning FCAATSI is held in series 5.

Immediate source of acquisition:

The papers were donated to the Library by Charles Perkins in five instalments between 1989 and 1995.

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