Harold Blair
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Harold Blair AO (1924–1976) was an Australian singer and Aboriginal activist. Born at the Cherbourg Aboriginal Reserve, 5km from Murgon in Queensland, he worked as a farm labourer. He eventually earned a Diploma of Music with honours from the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music in 1949. [1] Having a fine tenor voice, Blair became well known in Australia and also worked hard to advance the cause of Aboriginal people.
He later became a teacher at the Conservatorium in Melbourne, served on the Aboriginal Arts Board [2], and received an Order of Australia.
The Australian Electoral Division of Blair in Queensland is named for him.
[edit] Bibliography
- Dark Man, White World: A Portrait of Tenor Harold Blair ISBN 0-909091-08-0 (1975) biography by Kenneth Harrison (Novalit Australia Pty Ltd, Cheltenham, Melbourne)
[edit] External links
- Transcript of 2004 episode of Message Stick (ABC video documentary)
- Papers of Harold Blair at the National Library of Australia
- 1995 review by Norm Dixon of Harold, a documentary by Steve Thomas
- 2000 Not Guilty article by Douglas Meagher QC (Quadrant)
Categories: 1924 births | 1976 deaths | Australian educators | Australian Labor Party politicians | Australian opera singers | Indigenous Australian musicians | Indigenous Australian politicians | Officers of the Order of Australia | People from Queensland | Tenors | Australian singer stubs | Opera singer stubs