Remembering the Freedom Ride

Topic: Rights and Freedoms (1945-present)
Student activity

This is the student activity 1 of 3 of the Aboriginal rights and freedoms: the Freedom Ride learning activity.

Task No. 1

Memoir

Item 055: Tribune negatives including Aboriginal housing, Luxury Theatre, and Harry Hall, Walgett, New South Wales, 13-14 August 1965 FL4517396
FL449149
Negatives from the Tribune (Communist Party of Australia newspaper) featuring the Freedom Rides SAFA (Student Action For Aboriginals) at Moree 17- 26 February, 1965 FL449161
Negatives from the Tribune (Communist Party of Australia newspaper) featuring the Freedom Rides SAFA (Student Action For Aboriginals) Trip 17- 26 February, 1965 FL465057
Negatives from the Tribune (Communist Party of Australia newspaper) featuring the Freedom Rides SAFA (Student Action For Aboriginals) Trip 17- 26 February, 1965 FL465062
Negatives from the Tribune (Communist Party of Australia newspaper) featuring the Freedom Rides SAFA (Student Action For Aboriginals) Trip 17- 26 February, 1965 FL465077
Negatives from the Tribune (Communist Party of Australia newspaper) featuring the Freedom Rides SAFA (Student Action For Aboriginals) Trip 17- 26 February, 1965 FL467660
Item 007: Tribune negatives including Matt Munro and Tom Cain Jr, Moree, New South Wales, February 1965 FL723843
Item 007: Tribune negatives including Matt Munro and Tom Cain Jr, Moree, New South Wales, February 1965 FL723850

Imagine you are a member of SAFA who has participated in the Freedom Ride.

Create a diary-style record of your experience. Your end product can be digital or physical, and must:

  • include a mixture of both images and text (you can also include video, newspaper clippings, music, etc, if you choose)
  • be presented in first person
  • include a section that goes into depth about a significant moment for you (as a participant)
  • showcase your understanding of the historical context, intentions of the students, the methods used by SAFA to enact change, and the impact of the event on the civil rights of Aboriginal people in Australia

In preparing your memoir, use the newspaper articles listed in Activity 1, as well as the photographs from the Tribune newspaper’s collections. To explore more photographs within each collection, click through to the link to the catalogue for each image.

  • Darce Cassidy's freedom ride is an article by Peter Read which includes the transcript of the audio recordings taken by Darce Cassidy on the Freedom Ride. You will need a library card to access this electronic resource.