May Lorna O'Brien facts for kids

May Lorna O'Brien BEM (born May 20, 1932 – died March 1, 2020) was an important Australian teacher and writer. She was a member of the Wongatha people. May worked hard to improve education for Aboriginal children. She also wrote many books, including children's stories.

Early Life and Education

May Lorna Miller was born in Laverton, Western Australia. When she was five years old, she was taken from her family. This was part of a sad time in history called the Stolen Generations. She was moved to the Mount Margaret Aboriginal Mission. Later, she went to Perth Girls School.

In 1953, May made history. She earned her Teacher's Certificate at Claremont Teachers College. She was the first known Aboriginal woman in Western Australia to finish university. Her first teaching job was back at Mount Margaret Mission.

Career in Education

May taught for 25 years. She then moved into education policy. She worked for the Western Australian Ministry of Education. She also worked for the Aboriginal Education Branch.

In 1988, she retired from her job. She was the Superintendent of Aboriginal Education. Even after retiring, May kept working for Indigenous literacy. She wrote books in two languages. She also helped the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.

May O'Brien passed away on March 1, 2020, in Perth. She was 87 years old.

Awards and Recognition

May O'Brien received many awards for her important work. On December 31, 1977, she was given the British Empire Medal. This award was for her efforts in Aboriginal education. She also received the John Curtin Medal.

In 1980, May was chosen to represent Australia. She went to the United Nations Conference on Women in Denmark. In 1984, she received a Churchill Fellowship. This allowed her to travel to the USA, Canada, and Great Britain. She studied programs that helped Indigenous people keep their cultures. In 2008, her life story was featured in the Australian Biography series.

Publications

May O'Brien's writings are kept in special collections. Her papers are at the State Library of Western Australia. This collection is called Aborigines of the west: their past and their present. Edith Cowan University Library also has a special collection about her. It focuses on Aboriginal studies.

Her published works include:

• Education for Aborigines (she co-wrote this book), 1976
• Aboriginal Access to and use of Technical and Further Education, 1976
• The Badudu series of children's books
• The Bawoo series of traditional teaching stories. These books were written in two languages.

See also

In Spanish: May Lorna O'Brien para niños