Ray Jackson (Aboriginal activist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ray Jackson
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Ray Jackson at a 2014 rally for Aboriginal boy, TJ Hickey
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| Born | 27 March 1941 |
| Died | 23 April 2015 (aged 74) Sydney
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| Nationality | Australian |
| Other names | Uncle Ray |
| Known for | Activism |
Ray Jackson (born March 27, 1941, died April 23, 2015) was an important Aboriginal Australian activist. He was also a respected elder of the Wiradjuri people. Ray worked hard to fight for the rights of Indigenous Australians. He led an organization called the Indigenous Social Justice Association (ISJA).
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Ray Jackson's Early Life
Ray Jackson was part of the Stolen Generations. This was a sad time when many Aboriginal children were taken from their families. In 1943, when Ray was only two years old, his father died. His father was fighting in World War II against Japanese forces.
Ray said that his mother did not receive help after his father died. Instead, the Australian government took her four children away. They were removed because they were Aboriginal.
Ray's name was changed, and he was sent to a Catholic home for a year. After that, a white family adopted him. He did not find out he was adopted until he was a teenager. Ray never found his birth family. He also never learned the name they first gave him.
Fighting for Justice: Ray's Activism
Ray Jackson became one of Australia's most well-known activists. He knew a lot about Aboriginal deaths in custody. This term refers to Aboriginal people who died while in police care. Ray fought for fairness for the families of people like Eddie Murray, Mark Mason, and TJ Hickey.
Working for Change
From 1991 to 1997, Ray was a leader for the Aboriginal Deaths in Custody Watch Committee. This group received money from a government agency called ATSIC. Ray once said that his group was very organized. They had a special phone line for any Aboriginal person to call.
He explained that if a police officer treated an Aboriginal child unfairly, they would get a call. Then, they would go to the police station quickly. They would question the police about what happened.
Starting ISJA
Later, the government led by Prime Minister John Howard stopped funding the committee. Ray Jackson did not give up. He started a new group called the Indigenous Social Justice Association (ISJA). This group continued the important work of fighting for justice.
Ray's small apartment in Waterloo was full of records. He kept careful notes about Aboriginal deaths in custody. He would go to places where people had died while with the police. He would also help the families talk to the police and other officials.
International Recognition
In December 2013, a French government group gave Ray's ISJA a special award. They received 70,000 euros (about US$95,100) for their work. This award recognized their important efforts for human rights.
Ray organized many protests and events. These often remembered lives lost due to unfairness. He led marches every January from Redfern to the New South Wales Parliament. These marches honored TJ Hickey, who died in Redfern.
Uncle Ray's Presence
Ray Jackson often spoke at rallies for Aboriginal rights. People lovingly called him Uncle Ray. He always wore his special black cap to protests. It was decorated with pins showing his support for social justice. He was a strong supporter of the Redfern Aboriginal Tent Embassy. He was often seen there until he passed away.
Ray Jackson's Passing
In the months before he died, Ray Jackson was not feeling well. A week before his death, he went to the hospital with pneumonia. After attending a meeting for the Indigenous Social Justice Association, he passed away peacefully. He died in his sleep on April 23, 2015. His granddaughter found him in his Waterloo apartment that day. Ray had asked that his body be given to the University of Sydney for study.
