We acknowledge all First Peoples of this land and celebrate their enduring connections to Country, knowledge and stories. We pay our respects to Elders and Ancestors who watch over us and guide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
We acknowledge all First Peoples of this land and celebrate their enduring connections to Country, knowledge and stories. We pay our respects to Elders and Ancestors who watch over us and guide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
Starting on 12 February 1965, the Freedom Ride was a 15-day bus ride through regional New South Wales aimed to expose the racism experienced by First Nations people.
First Nations people are warned that this article refers to people now passed to be with our Ancestors.
Disclaimer: The term Aborigine is used in this article as it was a term used at the time. It is now considered an offensive term by many First Nations people.
Led by Arrernte and Kalkadoon activist Charles Perkins, along with the Student Action For Aborigines (SAFA), the Freedom Ride was a significant event in First Nations activism history.
During the 15-day journey, the group visited a number of towns to understand more about the living conditions of First Nations community stemming from racial discrimination, including:
Often First Nations people were forbidden to live in town, forcing them to remain on missions or reserves with substandard living conditions including limited or no access to basics such as gas, electricity and running or clean water.
Through connecting with community members, they learnt more about these experiences and stood in protest against these conditions in hope for change.
Starting on Gadigal land in Eora (Sydney) the Freedom Ride journey through regional NSW visited many different Countries including:
During visits, the group held several demonstrations including in Walgett outside the RSL where Aboriginal veterans were refused membership, and in Moree where Aboriginal children were refused entry to the pool.
Many towns had active First Nations protest groups, however visits from the Freedom Bus renewed confidence to continue the fight for change.
Coinciding with racist laws, segregation and exclusion of First Nations people across the continent, there was a common perception among non-Indigenous people that racism was an overseas issue, according to the SAFA.
To raise awareness and directly challenge racial discrimination, the Student Action For Aborigines (SAFA) was formed by a group of University of Sydney students.
Charles Perkins was one of two Aboriginal students at the University at the time, and was elected as SAFA president.
The whole Freedom Ride is not so much for the white people, in my mind. My deeper objective was for people to realise, hey listen, second class is not good enough, you know… Sitting down the front at picture theatres, and not being able to sit in a restaurant, because no one will allow you as an Aborigine person to sit in a restaurant. That’s not on, and you know, the timing was right. If I didn’t do it, somebody else would’ve done it, and other people have done it in a different way.
Formation of the SAFA and the Freedom Ride was inspired by the US civil rights movement at the time, including student activists that launched the Freedom Rides to challenge racial segregation in the US in 1961.
Activities of the 1965 Freedom Ride drew national and international attention.
Encouraging media coverage and public debate was a key part of organising within the SAFA group to uncover racial discrimination and marginalisation experienced by First Nations people across the continent.
Proactive media contact and coordination was made to newspapers, television and radio, resulting in widespread media coverage as far as the New York Times.
This coverage played a significant role in raising awareness of the extreme inequality between First Nations and non-Indigenous people.
The 1965 Freedom Ride helped raise public debate and awareness of inhumane living conditions and treatment experienced by First Nations people.
Building on years of protest and advocacy, the Freedom Ride contributed to steps towards the 1967 Referendum. It also contributed to the passing of the NSW Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983.
Inspiring the next generation of activists in fighting for change, its legacy and impact continues and is still felt today.
We are a First Nations not-for-profit that exists to centre First Nations people, Country and truth-telling. We acknowledge all First Peoples of this land and celebrate their enduring connections to Country, knowledge and stories. We pay our respects to Elders and Ancestors who watch over us and guide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
