Jack Patten

Jack Patten
Born John Thomas Patten
27 March 1905(1905-03-27)
Cummeragunja, NSW
Died 12 October 1957(1957-10-12) (aged 52)
Melbourne, Victoria
Cause of death Motor vehicle crash
Resting place Fawkner, Victoria
Nationality aboriginal

John Thomas Patten (27 March 1905 - 12 October 1957), known as Jack Patten was an Australian Aboriginal activist and journalist.[1]

Contents

Biography

Patten was born in 1905 to John James Patten and Christina Mary Patten, née Middleton at Cummeragunja Mission in New South Wales.[1] After attending the mission school, run by Thomas Shadrach James, Patten was schooled at public schools at Tumbarumba and West Wyalong.[1] Patten was unsuccessful in joining the Navy and worked for the Sydney Municipal Council. To make ends meet he occasionally worked as a boxer.[1]

During the 1930s he became an experienced organiser and public speaker, speaking regularly on Aboriginal rights at the Domain on Sunday afternoons, along with other Aboriginal activists such as Pearl Gibbs and Tom Foster.[1]

Patten and William Ferguson published a manifesto, Aborigines Claim Citizenship Rights, organised the 1938 Day of Mourning Protest and led an APA (Aborigines Progressive Association) delegation to meet the Prime Minister.[1]

In April 1938, Patten established a short-lived monthly Abo Call, the first such Aboriginal-focused publication of its kind. Due to the Depression however, it folded in September 1938 after six issues due to shortage of funds.[1][2]

Death

Patten died in hospital in October 1957 after being involved in a motor vehicle accident.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Patten, John Thomas (Jack) (1905 - 1957)". Remembering Jack Patten: 1905 - 1957. John T. Patten. http://www.pattenproject.com/jack. Retrieved 2010-10-19. 
  2. ^ "The Australian Abo Call: the voice of the Aborigines". State Library of New South Wales. http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/discover_collections/history_nation/indigenous/newspapers/index.html. Retrieved 2009-11-18. 
  3. ^ "Jack Patten". Collaborating for Indigenous Rights. National Museum of Australia. http://www.indigenousrights.net.au/person.asp?pID=982. Retrieved 2009-11-18. 

See also