Black, White and Exempt: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Lives Under Exemption edited by Lucinda Aberdeen and Jennifer Jones

Book Description

Secondhand. Very good condition. Ex library copy with no external stickers. No stamps or stickers on inside. RFID patch on inside back cover. Minor wear to book corners and edges. Faint blue mark on top foredge. Interior and binding are still very good.

In 1957, Ella Simon of Purfleet mission near Taree, New South Wales, applied for and was granted a certificate of exemption. The exemption gave her legal freedoms denied to other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders people at the time: she could travel freely, open a bank account, and live and work where she wanted. In the eyes of the law, she became a non-Aboriginal, but in return she could not associate with other Aboriginal people, even her own family or community.

These personal and often painful histories, uncovered in archives, family stories, and lived experiences, reveal new perspectives on exemption. Black, White and Exempt describes the resourcefulness of those who sought exemption to obtain freedom from hardship and oppressive regulation of their lives as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. It celebrates their resilience and how they used their exempt status to increase opportunities for their families and advance Aboriginal rights, including the abolition of the exemption system.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers, please note that this book may contain descriptions and/or images of people who have passed away.