History Assignement Samuel Taylor

Eddie gradually found interest in community service. He found the most interest in trade unions and politics. At first Eddie was uncomfortable with working with white people but over time he became more comfortable. In 1960 he was appointed as a union representative for the people of the Torres Strait islanders for important rail reconstruction project. Eddie was also a large leader in Indigenous politics, serving as secretary of the Aborigines Advancement League from 1962 to 1969. Eddie was involved in the campaign for a ‘Yes’ vote in the 1967 referendum to remove discriminatory references to Aboriginal people in the Constitution. Eddie also helped organise an interracial conference entitled to "We the Australians". This helped to show Eddie that he could find supporters for Aboriginal and Islander advancement.

During the time that Eddie was exiled from the island he was working on fishing boats and being a cane cutter. This was until he had an opportunity to go to the mainland. Eddie had the opportunity to be a railway worker in Queensland.

King gave a 20 minute speech discussing how African American people should have voting rights. This made a massive impact on African American communities this also affected white communities as well.

During this time King went and met Gandhi. King liked the ideas of Gandhi's peaceful protests, King gained a lot of inspiration from Gandhi during this time. This also fed his commitment to help as best as he could in America's struggle for civil rights.

Eddie Mabo married Bonita Ernestine

King was arrested in Atlanta for taking part in a non violent protest in sit-ins he was taken to a federal state prison. King was found to have violated probation from a May traffic ticket in Georgia. Robert F. Kennedy calls the judge in the case and secures King's release on October 27.

The Birmingham Campaign was a violent and bloody campaign 3 people were killed in what started as a peaceful protest. In Birmingham a march was scheduled by the leaders of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). A SCLC organiser proposed that children would lead the march he felt they represented freedom and purity. Over 1000 African American school showed up to march on the second of May. The children attempted to march into downtown Birmingham with hundreds of them being arrested. On the next day many more showed up to march. Over the course of a few days the local police and fire departments used force to stop the march. Images of children being blasted by fire hoses, beaten by white police officers and attacked by police dogs. Finally on the tenth of May 1963 there was peace. The removal of ‘‘Whites Only’’ and ‘‘Blacks Only’’ signs in restrooms and on drinking fountains made a large impact on the civil rights movements.

The Selma to Montgomery marches was another peaceful protest, only having 600 marchers cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge over the Alabama River. The protesters found their way blocked by Alabama State troopers and local police who ordered them to turn around. When the protesters kept on marching they were fired upon with tear gas and beaten. This lead to the hospitalisation of over fifty people.
This event now know as "Bloody Sunday" was televised all over the world. Martin Luther King Jr. assembled civil rights supporters to come to Selma for a second march. Members of congress tried to hold off the march until they could assure protection. Finally on the twenty first of March 1965 the final march was approved with the supporters having federal protection. Five months later on August sixth 1965 the federal voting act was passed in what King had dreamed of.

Eddie Mabo was seeking for a new job and found a Job as a gardener at James Cook University. Eddie would occasionally come into lectures and during his one hour lunch break he would study Reports of the Cambridge Anthropological Expedition to Torres Straits.

Martin Luther King Jr. was killed on the during the night on April fourth 1968

During 1974 Eddie was informed that Murray islanders were not entitled to the land but rather it was crown land. As co-chairman of the Townsville Treaty Committee joined forces with JCU students to stage a conference.

‘Land Rights in the Torres Strait,’ attracted a lot of attention from lawyers and other people who were interested. Eddie spoke a convincing argument at ‘Land Rights in the Torres Strait,’ and was encouraged to take this case to the high court of Australia to establish ownership over the land they have possessed for generations.

On the twentieth of May 1982 Eddie, Sam Passi, David Passi, Celuia Mapo Salee, and James Rice started in the high court against the state Queensland. The Queensland government had just recently added legislation designed to cancel any native title that might exist. This was known as the Queensland Coast Islands Declaratory Act this was confronted by Mambo and his colleagues in the high court. After a long and hard fight Eddie was favoured in this judgement became known as Mabo v. Queensland [No. 1].

Of the original 5 plaintiffs two remained. Hearing began in the May of 1991. Eddie although adopted by his uncle and aunt had not been registered. meaning that in reality he had no claim to the land. Eventually the court had ruled in favour of the community entitlements, on 3rd June 1992. Mabo v. Queensland [No. 2]. The individual land was eventually overturned and given the term terra nullius (land belonging to no-one).

Eddie Mabo after battling a long fight with lung cancer had finally lost.