Caroline Archer

Caroline Lillian Archer (22 February 1922 – 8 December 1978)[1] was an Aboriginal Australian activist.

Caroline Archer
Born
Caroline Lillian Archer

(1922-02-22)February 22, 1922
Aboriginal reserve in Cherbourg, Queensland
DiedDecember 8, 1979(1979-12-08) (aged 57)
Coonabarabran
Cause of deathcar accident
NationalityAboriginal Australian
OccupationActivist
AwardsQueen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal

Born in the Aboriginal reserve in Cherbourg, Queensland to an Aboriginal mother, she became a domestic servant to a supportive family after finishing school. In Brisbane, she was the city's first Aboriginal person to operate a trunkline switchboard as a public servant.[2] She opened and ran a gift shop in Surfers Paradise called Jedda, named after the protagonist of the film of the same name, where she sold Indigenous artefacts, crafts, and art obtained direct from Indigenous sources.[3]

Her activism involved the patenting of Australian Aboriginal culture against cultural exploitation. She later joined the One People of Australia League, where she held the position of executive-officer (1974), and eventually became State president for the organisation.[2][4] In 1978, Archer joined the Department of Aboriginal Affairs in Canberra, with her responsibilities including the education of Canberra schoolchildren in Indigenous culture.[1]

Awards

In August 1977, Caroline Lillian Archer was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal for her contributions to the community.[5]

Death

Caroline Archer died on 8 December 1978 in a car accident in Coonabarabran.[6] Archer was returning to her home in Brisbane for Christmas at the time of the accident.[1][7]

References
  1. "Teacher of Aboriginal Culture Dies". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995). 1978-12-09. p. 3. Retrieved 2019-08-23.
  2. Ballard, B. A. (1993). "Archer, Caroline Lillian (1922–1978)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. 7. Melbourne University Press. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 8 August 2019 – via National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
  3. "OPAL, a jewel of hope". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995). 26 August 1971. p. 19. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  4. Vaughan, Peter (March 1973). "OPAL'S Joyce Wilding Home" (PDF). New Dawn. 3: 15.
  5. "Silver Jubilee awards". Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. 1 August 1977. P. 40
  6. "Family Notices". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995). 11 December 1978. p. 14. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  7. "Family Notices". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995). 9 December 1978. p. 27. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.