Jack Patten
Encyclopedia
John Thomas Patten known as Jack Patten was an Australian Aboriginal
activist and journalist.
in New South Wales
. After attending the mission school, run by Thomas Shadrach James
, Patten was schooled at public schools at Tumbarumba and West Wyalong. Patten was unsuccessful in joining the Navy
and worked for the Sydney Municipal Council. To make ends meet he occasionally worked as a boxer.
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.
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
.
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.
Australian Aborigines
Australian Aborigines , also called Aboriginal Australians, from the latin ab originem , are people who are indigenous to most of the Australian continentthat is, to mainland Australia and the island of Tasmania...
activist and journalist.
Biography
Patten was born in 1905 to John James Patten and Christina Mary Patten, née Middleton at Cummeragunja MissionCummeragunja Mission
Cummeragunja Mission, or Cummeragunja Station, was an Australian Aboriginal mission established in 1881 on the New South Wales side of the Murray River, on the Victorian border near Barmah. The people were mostly Yorta Yorta....
in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. After attending the mission school, run by Thomas Shadrach James
Thomas Shadrach James
Thomas Shadrach James was a school teacher, Methodist lay preacher, linguist and herbalist.-Biography:James was born as James Peersahib in a Muslim family to Samson Peersahib and Miriam Esther, née Thomas in Mauritius. His father Samson Peersahib was an interpreter of Indian descent...
, Patten was schooled at public schools at Tumbarumba and West Wyalong. Patten was unsuccessful in joining the Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
and worked for the Sydney Municipal Council. To make ends meet he occasionally worked as a boxer.
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
Pearl Gibbs
Pearl Gibbs was an Indigenous Australian activist, and the most prominent female activist within the Aboriginal movement in the early 20th century...
and Tom Foster.
Patten and William Ferguson
William Ferguson (Australian Aboriginal leader)
William Ferguson was an Indigenous Australian leader.He was born at Darlington Point, Waddai, New South Wales, and worked as a shearer, labourer and mailman in the west of the State. His first political involvements were as an organiser of shearers for the Australian Workers Union and then...
published a manifesto, Aborigines Claim Citizenship Rights, organised the 1938 Day of Mourning
Day of Mourning
The Day of Mourning was a day of protest held by Aboriginal Australians on 26 January 1938, the sesquicentenary of British colonisation of Australia...
Protest and led an APA (Aborigines Progressive Association
Aborigines Progressive Association
The Aborigines Progressive Association, was established in 1937 by William Ferguson, Pearl Gibbs and Jack Patten in Dubbo, New South Wales. Ferguson and Gibbs led a group in the western part of the state, while Patten assemble an alliance of activists in the north-east...
) delegation to meet the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
.
In April 1938, Patten established a short-lived monthly Abo Call
Abo Call
Abo Call was the first Aboriginal-focused publication printed in Australia. There were a total of six issues, all published in 1938. It was written by and edited by Jack Patten and featured news gathered by Patten on his travels through Eastern Australia, and from correspondents nation-wide...
, 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.