Robert Anderson (Australian Aboriginal elder) facts for kids

Robert Vincent Anderson, born on July 31, 1929, is an important Australian Aboriginal elder. He is also a former union leader. Many people know him as Uncle Bob.

Uncle Bob worked for a long time with the Building Workers' Industrial Union of Australia. He was a state organizer there from 1951 to 1978. He is also an honorary member of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union. This means he is a respected member even after retiring.

Uncle Bob is a Ngugi elder from Mulgumpin. This island is part of the Quandamooka area. He has worked with many Indigenous groups. He helped with things like reconciliation, which means bringing people together. He also worked on native title rights, social justice, helping young people, and keeping cultural identity strong.

In the 1960s, Uncle Bob was part of the Queensland Council for Advancement for Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders. Later, in 1999, he became the head of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Board. He retired from this role in 2003.

Honoring Uncle Bob's Work

Uncle Bob has received many awards for his hard work. These awards show how much he has helped his community.

Awards and Achievements

In 1997, he won the Premier's Award for Seniors. The next year, in 1998, he was named the South East Queensland Indigenous Elder of the Year.

He also received special degrees from universities. He got an honorary doctorate from the Queensland University of Technology in 2000. He received another one from Griffith University in 2002. These degrees are given to people who have made a big difference.

In 2001, Uncle Bob received several important honors:

• He was given the Centenary Medal. This was for his great work in promoting reconciliation.
• He received the Medal of the Order of Australia. This award was for his service to Queensland's Indigenous community.
• He was one of the first five people to be named a Queensland Great. This award celebrates people who have made a big impact on Queensland.
• He also received Brisbane's Citizen of the Year Award.

Sharing His Story

A book about Uncle Bob's life was published in 2001. It was written by Christine Peacock. The book is called History, Life and Times of Robert Anderson Gheebelum, Ngugi, Mulgumpin: Community and Personal History of a Ngugi Elder of Mulgumpin in Quandamooka, South East Queensland, Australia. It tells his amazing life story.

Recognizing Activists

Since 2010, the Queensland Council of Unions has given a special award. It is called the Dr Robert (Uncle Bob) Anderson Award. They give it out every year during NAIDOC Week celebrations. This award goes to an Indigenous activist. It honors someone who has made a big difference in the union movement.