John Patten was born in 1905 to John James Patten and Christina Mary Patten, née Middleton, at Cummeragunja Reserve, an Aboriginal reserve in New South Wales. Patten was educated at public schools in Tumbarumba and West Wyalong, and attended high school at West Wyalong. Following high school, Patten was unsuccessful in joining the Navy and worked for the Sydney Municipal Council. To make ends meet he occasionally worked as a boxer.[1] While boxing at Casino in 1931, Patten married Selina Avery.
During the 1930s he became an experienced organiser and public speaker, speaking regularly on Aboriginal rights at the Domain on Sunday afternoons, along with other Aboriginal activists such as Pearl Gibbs and Tom Foster.[1]
In 1937, Patten co-founded the Aborigines Progressive Association with William Ferguson. As President of the APA Patten organised the 1938 Day of Mourning protest, and led an APA delegation to meet with Joseph Lyons, the Prime Minister.[1] The delegation presented Lyons with Patten and Ferguson's manifesto Aborigines Claim Citizenship Rights, which included Patten's 10-point plan for citizenship rights for Aboriginal people.
In April 1938, Patten established a short-lived monthly newspaper, The Abo Call, the first such Aboriginal-focused publication of its kind. Due to the Depression however, it folded in September 1938 after six issues due to a shortage of funds.[1][2]
On 4 February 1939 Patten visited Cummeragunja at the request of his father, John Patten Snr, who was a resident on the station. Patten addressed a large gathering of the station's residents in relation to the deteriorating conditions and the intimidation to which the residents were being subjected to under the government appointed manager, Arthur McQuiggan. Patten raised the subject of New South Wales government plans for the removal of Aboriginal children and gave clarity to the station's residents regarding their rights. Patten convinced a majority of the station's residents to leave Cummeragunja, in an event which would come to be known as the Cummeragunja walk-off. Patten was then arrested for "inciting Aborigines".
Throughout 1939 Patten led a campaign for Aboriginal people to be able to serve in the Australian armed forces. Previously, Aboriginal people had served in every major Australian conflict, but were required to provide proof that they were of substantial non-Aboriginal ancestry. Following a successful campaign, Patten enlisted in the Australian Army, serving with the 2nd AIF in the Middle East. He was discharged in 1942, returning home with a knee badly damaged by shrapnel.
Deathedit
Patten died in hospital in October 1957 after being involved in a motor vehicle accident in Fitzroy in Melbourne.[3]
Referencesedit
^ abcde"Patten, John Thomas (Jack) (1905 - 1957)". Koori History: Jack Patten 1905 - 1957. John T. Patten. 29 February 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
^. State Library of New South Wales. Archived from the original on 12 November 2009. Retrieved 18 November 2009.
jack, patten, john, thomas, patten, march, 1905, october, 1957, aboriginal, australian, civil, rights, activist, journalist, bornjohn, thomas, patten, 1905, march, 1905cummeragunja, aboriginal, reserve, south, walesdied12, october, 1957, 1957, aged, melbourne,. John Thomas Patten 27 March 1905 12 October 1957 was an Aboriginal Australian civil rights activist and journalist 1 Jack PattenBornJohn Thomas Patten 1905 03 27 27 March 1905Cummeragunja Aboriginal Reserve New South WalesDied12 October 1957 1957 10 12 aged 52 Melbourne Victoria AustraliaResting placeFawkner VictoriaNationalityAustralian Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Death 2 References 3 External linksBiography editJohn Patten was born in 1905 to John James Patten and Christina Mary Patten nee Middleton at Cummeragunja Reserve an Aboriginal reserve in New South Wales Patten was educated at public schools in Tumbarumba and West Wyalong and attended high school at West Wyalong Following high school Patten was unsuccessful in joining the Navy and worked for the Sydney Municipal Council To make ends meet he occasionally worked as a boxer 1 While boxing at Casino in 1931 Patten married Selina Avery During the 1930s he became an experienced organiser and public speaker speaking regularly on Aboriginal rights at the Domain on Sunday afternoons along with other Aboriginal activists such as Pearl Gibbs and Tom Foster 1 In 1937 Patten co founded the Aborigines Progressive Association with William Ferguson As President of the APA Patten organised the 1938 Day of Mourning protest and led an APA delegation to meet with Joseph Lyons the Prime Minister 1 The delegation presented Lyons with Patten and Ferguson s manifesto Aborigines Claim Citizenship Rights which included Patten s 10 point plan for citizenship rights for Aboriginal people In April 1938 Patten established a short lived monthly newspaper The Abo Call the first such Aboriginal focused publication of its kind Due to the Depression however it folded in September 1938 after six issues due to a shortage of funds 1 2 On 4 February 1939 Patten visited Cummeragunja at the request of his father John Patten Snr who was a resident on the station Patten addressed a large gathering of the station s residents in relation to the deteriorating conditions and the intimidation to which the residents were being subjected to under the government appointed manager Arthur McQuiggan Patten raised the subject of New South Wales government plans for the removal of Aboriginal children and gave clarity to the station s residents regarding their rights Patten convinced a majority of the station s residents to leave Cummeragunja in an event which would come to be known as the Cummeragunja walk off Patten was then arrested for inciting Aborigines Throughout 1939 Patten led a campaign for Aboriginal people to be able to serve in the Australian armed forces Previously Aboriginal people had served in every major Australian conflict but were required to provide proof that they were of substantial non Aboriginal ancestry Following a successful campaign Patten enlisted in the Australian Army serving with the 2nd AIF in the Middle East He was discharged in 1942 returning home with a knee badly damaged by shrapnel Death edit Patten died in hospital in October 1957 after being involved in a motor vehicle accident in Fitzroy in Melbourne 3 References edit a b c d e Patten John Thomas Jack 1905 1957 Koori History Jack Patten 1905 1957 John T Patten 29 February 2016 Retrieved 24 March 2016 The Australian Abo Call the voice of the Aborigines State Library of New South Wales Archived from the original on 12 November 2009 Retrieved 18 November 2009 Jack Patten Collaborating for Indigenous Rights National Museum of Australia Retrieved 28 July 2020 External links editJack Patten Australian Aboriginal Civil Rights Leader KooriHistory com Patten John Thomas Jack 1905 1957 Australian Dictionary of Biography Collaborating for Indigenous Rights Jack Patten National Museum of Australia Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Jack Patten amp oldid 1153544862, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
