Charles Perkins AO (1936–2000) was an Indigenous rights campaigner and bureaucrat. Son of a Kalkadoon father and Arrernte mother, as a youth in Adelaide Perkins was a sought-after soccer player; after completing a trade apprenticeship, he played professionally in England. Widely credited as the first Indigenous person to attain a bachelor's degree from an Australian university, in 1965 he was a prominent organiser of and participant in the anti-discrimination 'freedom rides' through country NSW. He began his Commonwealth public service career in 1969 was involved in many organisations promoting Aboriginal rights, welfare and advancement. In 1972 he received a kidney transplant and appeared at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy. Having weathered a 12-month suspension from the public service, during which he published his 1975 autobiography
A Bastard Like Me, in 1976 he returned to the Department of Aboriginal Affairs, becoming Secretary from 1984 to 1988. Perkins continued his involvement in various sports, particularly soccer, until he died. He was accorded a State funeral, held in Sydney.
Robert McFarlane recalls that he took this famous photograph of Perkins at night as he was going to, or returning from, Tranby Aboriginal Co-operative College, an independent learning environment for adult Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Gift of Patrick Corrigan AM 2013. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.
© Robert McFarlane/Copyright Agency, 2022
The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. Works of art from the collection are reproduced as per the
Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). The use of images of works from the collection may be restricted under the Act. Requests for a reproduction of a work of art can be made through a
Reproduction request. For further information please contact
NPG Copyright.
