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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

Bobbi Sykes, Aboriginal Medical Service, 1973

Carol Jerrems

gelatin silver photograph on paper (image: 24.7cm x 16.7cm. sheet: 25.4cm x 20.2cm. frame: 58.5cm x 43.2cm)

Poet, author and activist Dr Roberta ‘Bobbi’ Sykes (1943–2010) passionately advocated for First Nations rights in Australia. She completed a PhD at Harvard University and was committed to promoting educational opportunities for First Nations students through overseas study. Leading up to the 1967 Referendum, Sykes fought for the ‘yes’ vote to amend the Australian Constitution for the recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the national census. In 1972, she was a co-founder of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra and established Black Women’s Action with Sue Chilli, Marcia Langton AO and Naomi Mayers OAM. Sykes also worked as a health educator at the Aboriginal Medical Service in Redfern, where this photograph was taken.

National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Gift of Mrs Joy Jerrems 1981.
© The Estate of Carol Jerrems

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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

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