Jack Patten facts for kids

John Thomas "Jack" Patten (born March 27, 1905 – died October 12, 1957) was an important Aboriginal Australian leader. He worked hard for the rights of Aboriginal people and was also a journalist.

Early Life and Activism

John Patten was born in 1905. His parents were John James Patten and Christina Mary Patten. He was born at Cummeragunja Reserve, which was an Aboriginal reserve in New South Wales.

Jack went to public schools in Tumbarumba and West Wyalong. He also attended high school in West Wyalong. After school, he tried to join the Navy but was not successful. He then worked for the Sydney Municipal Council. Sometimes, he worked as a boxer to earn money. In 1931, he married Selina Avery.

Speaking Up for Rights

In the 1930s, Jack became a great organiser and public speaker. He often spoke about Aboriginal rights. He gave speeches on Sunday afternoons at the Domain in Sydney. Other Aboriginal activists like Pearl Gibbs also spoke there.

In 1937, Jack Patten helped start the Aborigines Progressive Association (APA). He founded it with William Ferguson. Jack became the President of the APA.

Day of Mourning

As President, Jack Patten helped organise the 1938 Day of Mourning protest. This was a very important event. It happened on January 26, 1938, which was Australia Day. Aboriginal people protested against the unfair treatment they received.

Jack Patten led a group from the APA to meet with Joseph Lyons. Lyons was the Prime Minister at the time. They gave the Prime Minister a special document. It was called Aborigines Claim Citizenship Rights. This document included Jack Patten's 10-point plan. The plan asked for citizenship rights for Aboriginal people.

The Abo Call Newspaper

In April 1938, Jack Patten started a newspaper called The Abo Call. It was a monthly newspaper. This was the first newspaper of its kind that focused on Aboriginal issues. However, the newspaper did not last long. It stopped publishing in September 1938. This was because of money problems during the Great Depression.

The Cummeragunja Walk-Off

On February 4, 1939, Jack Patten visited Cummeragunja. His father, John Patten Snr, lived there. Jack spoke to many people living on the reserve. He talked about the difficult conditions they faced. He also spoke about how the government manager, Arthur McQuiggan, was treating them.

Jack Patten explained the New South Wales government's plans. These plans involved removing Aboriginal children from their families. He also made sure the residents understood their rights. Jack convinced many people to leave Cummeragunja. This event became known as the Cummeragunja walk-off. After this, Jack Patten was arrested. He was accused of encouraging people to leave the reserve.

Serving in the Military

Throughout 1939, Jack Patten led a campaign. He wanted Aboriginal people to be able to serve in the Australian armed forces. Before this, Aboriginal people had fought in wars for Australia. But they needed to prove they had a lot of non-Aboriginal family.

After a successful campaign, Jack Patten joined the Australian Army. He served with the 2nd AIF in the Middle East. In 1942, he was discharged from the army. He came home because his knee was badly hurt by shrapnel.

Later Life and Death

Jack Patten died in October 1957. He was in a hospital in Melbourne. He had been in a car accident in Fitzroy.