William Cooper (circa 1861-1941) of the Yorta Yorta People was an important Aboriginal activist. In late 1938, this elder statesman of the Aboriginal rights movement delivered a letter of protest to the German consulate in Melbourne as synagogues burned across Germany in the aftermath of the Kristallnacht atrocity against German Jews. In 1938 the Australian Government refused to transmit the petition signed 1,814 Australian Aboriginals and by William Cooper urdignthe King to intervene “ to prevent the extinction of the aboriginal race” (see: http://www.abc.net.au/rn/awaye/stories/2009/2757236.htm and http://indigenousrights.net.au/person.asp?pID=962 ).
William Cooper letter to the Board of Protection of Aborigines, Victoria seeking permission to send a Petition to the King urging him to protect the Aboriginal People from extinction (circa 1935):
“the Board of Protection for Aborigines Victoria
sir
on behalf of my people I have the honour to most humbly approach you. Seeking your permission to send to, and have signed by the Aboriginal population under your Charge, the undermentioned petition, a Copy of which is to be forwarded to His Majesty King George V. of England, asking him on our behalf to do his utmost in taking suitable steps in preventing the extinction of the aboriginal race. Obtaining better conditions for all. Obtaining Power to propose a member of Parliament to be Chosen by My People to represent them in the Federal Parliament.
Trusting That my Humble request will receive every Consideration.
I have the Honour to be yours sir obediently
WH Cooper
120 Ballarat Road
Footscray WII.” [1].
William Cooper Petition to the King (“signed by 1,814 Australian aboriginals, many of whom affixed “their mark””)(1938): “AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINES’ LEAGUE – PETITION TO HIS MAJESTY THE KING. The Honorary Secretary of the Australian Aborigines’ League , Mr. W. Cooper, 43 Mackay Street, Seddon, Victoria, has forwarded to the Prime Minister a petition praying that His Majesty would intervene through medium of Majesty’s Government in the Commonwealth of Australia.-
(a) to prevent the extinction of the aboriginal race;
(b) to secure better living conditions for all; and
(a c) to afford aboriginal representation in the Federal Parliament, either by an aboriginal or a white person known to havbe studied the need of aboriginals and to be in sympathy with them.” [2, 3].
[On 1 February 1938, Minister for the Interior Jack McEwan refused to forward the Aboriginal Petition to the King, stating: “It is not seen that any good purpose would be gained by submitting the petition to His Majesty the King and it is recommended that no action be taken.”] [3].
William Cooper letter to Prime Minister-elect Robert Menzies re policies making it possible for Australian aborigines to take their place as Australians and Petition t the King (1939): “Mr. Lyons has selected a sequence of Ministers for the Interior who have inspired confidence from the natives and the culmination has been found in the announced policy for aboriginals. This has been good, mostly, and the parts we don’t approve have been brought to notice in the hope that, when finally operative, the policy will make it possible for us to take our place as Australians... Mr. Lyons has assured me that all his ministry shared his sympathy for my race. This includes yourself. I do trust that care for a suffering minority will ensure that kindliness if treatment that will not allow Australia’s minority problem to be as undesirable as the European minorities of which we read so much in the press. Will you please make yourself conversant with the petition to His Majesty, now being held in the Office of the Prime Minister. It may be that you will be able to recommend some of the request there made.” [4].
[Australian Aborigines had to wait until the 1967 Referendum and the 1975 Racial DiscriminationAct for “policies making it possible for Australian aborigines to take their place as Australians”; see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_referendum,_1967_(Aboriginals) and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racial_Discrimination_Act_1975 ].
[1]. A handwritten note by William Cooper to the Board of Protection for Aborigines (Victoria) about the Petition to the King (circa 1935): http://www.abc.net.au/rn/awaye/doc/scan_WC_handwritten.pdf .
[2]. Department of the Interior, For cabinet (1 February 1938): http://www.abc.net.au/rn/awaye/doc/scan0058.pdf .
[3]. Department of the Interior, For cabinet (1 February 1938): http://www.abc.net.au/rn/awaye/doc/scan_petition_parliament2.pdf .
[4]. William Cooper letter to PM-elect Robert Menzies, 19 April 1939: http://www.abc.net.au/rn/awaye/doc/scan_letter_menzies.pdf .