David Marr s latest book provides important insights on Australia s foundations of racism and reminds us of the work left for us to do, writes Jim Kable.
A National Library exhibition exploring the work of colonial artist George French Angas, one of the 19th century's outstanding colonial artists. On from 14 August to 14 November 2021.
Grappling with Australia s legacies of slavery
09 Jul 2021 | 3 mins
This article by Jane Lydon, Wesfarmers Chair of Australian History at UWA, and Zoe Laidlaw from The University of Melbourne, originally appeared in The Conversation on Friday 9 July 2021.
As countries around the globe struggle to come to terms with the legacies of their imperial and colonial pasts, much debate about truth-telling focuses on how we remember individuals. The statues and street names honouring the achievements of eminent white men are now often seen as monuments to their privilege, secured at others’ expense.
In Bristol, England, the toppled statue of slave trader Edward Colston now lies in a museum, daubed with red paint. In Australia, Captain James Cook is a contested national symbol. In Perth, Western Australia, recent proposals to change the name of the City of Stirling have been hotly debated, prompted by the role of the first governor, Sir James Stirling, in the 1834 Pinjarra Massacre.