Pearl Gibbs
Encyclopedia
Pearl Gibbs (1901—28 April 1983) was an Indigenous Australian activist, and the most prominent female activist within the Aboriginal movement in the early 20th century. She was a member of the Aborigines Progressive Association
(APA), and was involved with various protest events such as the 1938 Day of Mourning
.
Gibbs was born near Botany Bay
, Sydney
in 1901, but grew up in and around the town of Yass
300km south-west of the city. She attended racially segregated
schools in Yass and Cowra
. Later she married a British
sailor, with whom she had a daughter and two sons; however, they later separated, and Gibbs cared for the children on her own.
In 1930, Gibbs helped run a camp to support unemployed Aboriginal workers, and in 1933 she organised a strike for Aboriginal pea-pickers. She was one of the first members of the APA, and attracted large crowds when she gave speeches in the Domain
in Sydney. She began to work with APA president Jack Patten
and secretary William Ferguson
, and in 1938 she was involved with organising the Day of Mourning protests, which at the time was the most significant Aboriginal civil rights demonstration in Australia. She was a spokesperson for the Committee for Aboriginal Citizen Rights, the lobby group which was set up to carry on the work of the Day of Mourning Congress. Later in 1938 she succeeded Ferguson as secretary of the APA, and she held the position until 1940.
In 1941, Gibbs made the first radio
broadcast by an Aboriginal woman, on the station 2WL in Wollongong
. Her speech was on Aboriginal civil rights, and carefully scripted so that it would be allowed on the air.Much of Gibbs' early work was done during a time when Aboriginal people were subject to controls on their movement, unless they had an exemption certificate from the relevant protection board. Police would also monitor all public civil rights demonstrations. In 1993, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation
(ASIO) released their file on Gibbs to the National Archives of Australia
. The file included records of which political meetings Gibbs had attended, and clippings of newspaper articles in which she had been mentioned.
Gibbs spent much of her adult life in Dubbo. In 1946, she and Ferguson established a branch of the Australian Aborigines' League in Dubbo, and she was the vice-president and later secretary of the branch throughout the 1940s and 1950s. Later, in 1960, Gibbs set up a hostel to care for the families of Aboriginal hospital patients in Dubbo. From 1954 to 1957, Gibbs was the only Aboriginal member of the New South Wales Aborigines Welfare Board, and she was the only woman to ever serve on the board. In 1956 she was a co-founder, along with Faith Bandler
, of the Australian Aboriginal Fellowship (AAF), which was a mainly urban organisation designed to facilitate cooperation between Aboriginal political groups and white people sympathetic to the cause. Gibbs was able to use the AAF to develop connections with the trade union
movement in New South Wales.
Gibbs continued to be politically active throughout the 1970s, including supporting the establishment of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy
. She forged important links between the Aboriginal movement and other progressive political groups, notably the women's movement. Gibbs died in Dubbo in 1983.
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...
(APA), and was involved with various protest events such as 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...
.
Gibbs was born near Botany Bay
Botany Bay
Botany Bay is a bay in Sydney, New South Wales, a few kilometres south of the Sydney central business district. The Cooks River and the Georges River are the two major tributaries that flow into the bay...
, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in 1901, but grew up in and around the town of Yass
Yass, New South Wales
Yass is a town in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia in Yass Valley Shire. The name appears to have been derived from an Aboriginal word, "Yarrh" , said to mean 'running water'....
300km south-west of the city. She attended racially segregated
Racial segregation
Racial segregation is the separation of humans into racial groups in daily life. It may apply to activities such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a public toilet, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home...
schools in Yass and Cowra
Cowra, New South Wales
Cowra is a town in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia in the Cowra Shire. It is located on the Mid-Western Highway, 317 kilometres west of Sydney on the banks of the Lachlan River at an altitude of 310 metres above sea level. At the 2006 census Cowra had a population of 8,430...
. Later she married a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
sailor, with whom she had a daughter and two sons; however, they later separated, and Gibbs cared for the children on her own.
In 1930, Gibbs helped run a camp to support unemployed Aboriginal workers, and in 1933 she organised a strike for Aboriginal pea-pickers. She was one of the first members of the APA, and attracted large crowds when she gave speeches in the Domain
The Domain, Sydney
The Domain is 34 hectares of open space in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the eastern edge of the Sydney central business district, near Woolloomooloo. The Domain adjoins the Royal Botanic Gardens and is managed by the Royal Botanic Gardens Trust, a division of the New South...
in Sydney. She began to work with APA president Jack Patten
Jack Patten
John Thomas Patten , known as Jack Patten was an Australian Aboriginal activist and journalist.-Biography:...
and secretary 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...
, and in 1938 she was involved with organising the Day of Mourning protests, which at the time was the most significant Aboriginal civil rights demonstration in Australia. She was a spokesperson for the Committee for Aboriginal Citizen Rights, the lobby group which was set up to carry on the work of the Day of Mourning Congress. Later in 1938 she succeeded Ferguson as secretary of the APA, and she held the position until 1940.
In 1941, Gibbs made the first radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
broadcast by an Aboriginal woman, on the station 2WL in Wollongong
Wollongong, New South Wales
Wollongong is a seaside city located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. It lies on the narrow coastal strip between the Illawarra Escarpment and the Pacific Ocean, 82 kilometres south of Sydney...
. Her speech was on Aboriginal civil rights, and carefully scripted so that it would be allowed on the air.Much of Gibbs' early work was done during a time when Aboriginal people were subject to controls on their movement, unless they had an exemption certificate from the relevant protection board. Police would also monitor all public civil rights demonstrations. In 1993, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation
Australian Security Intelligence Organisation
The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation is Australia's national security service, which is responsible for the protection of the country and its citizens from espionage, sabotage, acts of foreign interference, politically-motivated violence, attacks on the Australian defence system, and...
(ASIO) released their file on Gibbs to the National Archives of Australia
National Archives of Australia
The National Archives of Australia is a body established by the Government of Australia for the purpose of preserving Commonwealth Government records. It is an Executive Agency of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and reports to the Cabinet Secretary, Senator Joe Ludwig.The national...
. The file included records of which political meetings Gibbs had attended, and clippings of newspaper articles in which she had been mentioned.
Gibbs spent much of her adult life in Dubbo. In 1946, she and Ferguson established a branch of the Australian Aborigines' League in Dubbo, and she was the vice-president and later secretary of the branch throughout the 1940s and 1950s. Later, in 1960, Gibbs set up a hostel to care for the families of Aboriginal hospital patients in Dubbo. From 1954 to 1957, Gibbs was the only Aboriginal member of the New South Wales Aborigines Welfare Board, and she was the only woman to ever serve on the board. In 1956 she was a co-founder, along with Faith Bandler
Faith Bandler
Faith Bandler, AC also known as Ida Lessing Faith Mussing is an Australian civil rights activist of South Sea Islander heritage. She is a campaigner for the rights of Indigenous Australians and South Sea Islanders. Bandler is best known for her leadership in the campaign for the 1967 referendum on...
, of the Australian Aboriginal Fellowship (AAF), which was a mainly urban organisation designed to facilitate cooperation between Aboriginal political groups and white people sympathetic to the cause. Gibbs was able to use the AAF to develop connections with the trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
movement in New South Wales.
Gibbs continued to be politically active throughout the 1970s, including supporting the establishment of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy
Aboriginal Tent Embassy
The Aboriginal Tent Embassy is a controversial semi-permanent assemblage claiming to represent the political rights of Australian Aborigines. It is made of a large group of activists, signs, and tents that reside on the lawn of Old Parliament House in Canberra, the Australian capital...
. She forged important links between the Aboriginal movement and other progressive political groups, notably the women's movement. Gibbs died in Dubbo in 1983.