The 1967 Referendum: Race, Power and the Australian Constitution by Bain Attwood and Andrew Markus

Book Description

Secondhand. Very good condition. Minor wear to book corners and edges.

On 27 May 1967, a remarkable event occurred. An overwhelming majority of electors voted in a national referendum to amend clauses of the Australian Constitution concerning Aboriginal people. Today it is commonly regarded as a turning point in the history of relations between Indigenous and white Australians: a historic moment when citizenship rights—including the vote—were granted and the Commonwealth, at long last, assumed responsibility for Aboriginal affairs. Yet the constitutional changes the referendum entailed brought none of these things.

The 1967 Referendum explores the referendum's legal and political significance and the long struggle by black and white Australians for constitutional change. It traces the emergence of powerful narratives about the Australian Constitution and the status of Aborigines, revealing how and why the referendum campaign gained so much significance and has since become a highly charged myth in contemporary Australia. Attwood and Markus complement the text with personal recollections and opinions about the referendum from a range of Indigenous people, along with historical documents and illustrations. (back cover)

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