Journey for Justice: Australia's 1965 Freedom Ride

The Freedom Ride drew inspiration from the Freedom Riders movement in the United States. 

In 1961, activists of both black and white heritage embarked on bus journeys across the American South to defy segregation laws. 

Despite facing violent resistance from segregation supporters, the Freedom Riders' brave actions contributed to societal change in the United States. 

When this news reached Australia, a motivated group of Sydney University students decided to start a similar movement in their country.

Australia's First Nations peoples had been engaged in a long-standing battle for their rights amidst numerous social challenges. 

Racism remained a pressing issue, with Indigenous Australians frequently facing unfair treatment and discrimination due to centuries of historical injustices, racial prejudices, and sociopolitical policies.

Another concern was the limited opportunities available to Indigenous Australians.

In fact, Indigenous Australians were often excluded from the vote in federal elections until 1962.

Also, they frequently faced difficulties gaining education and employment, since they lacked the same rights as other Australians.

Despite comprising less than 2% of New South Wales' population, Indigenous Australians suffered disproportionately high rates of poverty and unemployment during the 1960s.

The Australian Freedom Riders aimed to highlight these issues and serve as a catalyst for change.

Charles Perkins, one of the most renowned Australian Freedom Riders, was a pivotal figure in the struggle for Indigenous Australian rights. 

Born in 1936 in Alice Springs, he faced racism from an early age. In 1966, he made history as the first Aboriginal Australian to graduate from university. 

Following this achievement, he worked with the Department of Aboriginal Affairs, where he was instrumental in enhancing conditions for First Nations 

communities.

Ann Curthoys, Jim Spigelman, and Darce Cassidy were other members of the expedition. 

Ann would later document the history of these events; Jim would ascend to the position of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, and Darce, an arts student, also worked part-time as a reporter for the ABC. 

In April 1964, a group of Sydney University students established the Student Action for Aborigines (SAFA) under Charles Perkins' leadership to organize the trip and attract media coverage.

The Freedom Bus Ride embarked from Sydney on February 13, 1965. This group of activists traveled through small towns and remote communities throughout New South Wales and Queensland. 

The journey was designed as a fact-finding mission, providing university students with a firsthand look at the lives of First Nations people in these areas.

The group aimed to highlight the dire health, education, and housing conditions of Indigenous Australians. 

They visited schools, churches, and community centers to discuss the civil rights movement and organized protest rallies and marches. 

The students were appalled by the substandard living conditions of many First Nations individuals. Indigenous Australians were also barred from joining local clubs, swimming in public pools, or dining in pubs and cafes.

One of the most notable events of the Freedom Ride took place in Walgett, a small town in New South Wales. 

The students learned that Indigenous Australians were barred from entering an RSL solely because of their skin color. 

In response, the students organized a protest outside the RSL to urge the proprietors to alter this policy. However, the demonstration angered the local residents.

Outside Walgett, the activists encountered hostility from local white residents who threw racist insults and used their cars to force the bus off the road. 

Jim Spigelman recorded the aggressive convoy of cars that pursued the bus out of town with his home movie camera. 

Darce Cassidy submitted a news report to the ABC incorporating this footage.

The broadcast of this event on the evening news across Australia left many people who lived in the major cities in shock.

Sadly, as they left Walgett, the Freedom Riders endured violence, including being pelted with rocks and chased by cars.

In Moree, a small town in New South Wales, the Freedom Riders demonstrated against segregation at the public swimming pool. 

Indigenous Australians were permitted to use the pool only on Wednesdays and had to enter through a separate entrance from the one used by white people. 

Charles Perkins attempted to assist some First Nations children in entering the pool, but they were refused entry.

The confrontation ignited a fiery three-hour debate between the Freedom Ride protesters and the local pool owners. 

As a crowd gathered, skirmishes erupted, leading to the arrest of several individuals from both sides by the police. 

In the end, the owner conceded, permitting the entry of the young First Nations children. 

The persistent efforts of Charles Perkins and his fellow activists culminated in the Moree Baths Committee's decision to temporarily end segregation at the pool—a significant triumph for the Freedom Riders, demonstrating the power of protesting.

The Freedom Ride included a stop in Bowraville, where participants demonstrated against the segregation practices of the local cinema. 

Indigenous Australians were restricted to balcony seating, while white patrons occupied the main auditorium. 

When the Freedom Riders tried to enter through the cinema's main entrance, the theater staff attempted to force them out.

A group of First Nations individuals, who had arrived to support the protestors, were also denied entry. 

Subsequently, the theatre owner closed the cinema for the rest of the evening.

Regrettably, the protestors did not achieve immediate change in Bowraville; however, the event further highlighted the ongoing challenges encountered by the Indigenous Australian community.

The Freedom Bus Ride concluded in Sydney after three weeks. The activists succeeded in their mission to draw attention to racial disparities in Australia. 

The event received extensive media coverage and played a pivotal role in motivating other Australians to advocate for the rights of Indigenous Australians.

The Freedom Bus Ride marked a pivotal moment in Australian history, contributing to the betterment of conditions for First Nations peoples. 

It also laid the groundwork for the 1967 Referendum, a landmark vote where over 90% of Australians supported removing discriminatory language against Indigenous Australians from the Constitution.

Furthermore, in 1981, Charles Perkins made history once again by becoming the first Indigenous Australian to serve as the Secretary of the Department of Aboriginal Affairs.