Charles Perkins vs. Martin Luther King Jr.

December 1, 1955. A day remembered in history as the moment that Civil Rights activist, Rosa Parks, refused to give up her seat to a white man whom of which requested she do so on a Montgomery bus. There immediately became a call for a boycott of city buses which was later known to be the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Following the bus incident with Rosa Parks, a meeting conducted at the Holt Street Baptist Church it was concluded that the Montgomery Improvement Association would be formed, and with King elected president.

On the 27th of January 1956, in accordance to an account from King within the Stride Toward Freedom, a threatening phone call was made late at night, where he only reacted with the will to persevere. It was only three days later, on the 30th, that his house was bombed whilst he hosted a mass meeting. This was met with an angry crowd, however King responded with a plea for nonviolence.

By decision of the United States Supreme Court, the bus segregation laws of Montgomery and Alabama were deemed unconstitutional.

With the change in law and assistance of CIvil Rights acitivists such as Parks and King, December 21st 1956 remains the date that Montgomery City Lines resumes all service on every route. Martin Luther King joins in amongst the first passengers to travel via an integrated bus.

Charles asked to train with English football team but instead trains with rival team. After a minor incident, he quit and went on to represent another English team until 1959, after which he then took the opportunity to return to Australia.

The ongoing fight against segregation continues as black ministers from the South join in Atlanta for discussion of ideas that could assist with the issue. It was at this point that King was appointed chairman for the Southern Negro Leaders Conference on Transportation and Nonviolent Integration.

After a sit-in demonstration at a department store in Atlanta, King is arrested, sentenced to four months hard labour but is later released not long after with a $2,000 bond. The 27th of October marks his release date and eight days spent in jail.

Charles Perkins marries Eileen Munchenberg on the 23rd of September 1961.

Perkins attends University of Sydney for three years from 1963 to 1966. He graduates with a bachelor's degree in arts.

The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom takes place. As civil rights activists and organisations come to support the march, King joins and delivers his famous speech "I Have A Dream"

For his work and dedication to the civil rights movement, King receives the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.

It was in the year of 1965 that Perkins began his involvement in the Aboriginals independence movement against the white Australians.

The Civil Rights Movement was becoming prominent within the US, and with inspiration from the freedom rides within the States, a group of University students (known as SAFA) took it upon themselves to form the Australian Freedom Ride of 1965, led by Charles Perkins. They rode on buses that travelled throughout New South Wales, in rural towns with intention to bring attention to the issue of discrimination against Aboriginal people.

Perkins, with use of his position as head of Foundation for Aboriginal Affairs, initiated a public poll within Australia that would acknowledge the issues the Aboriginal people faced. With statistics showing 90% of participants in favour of the tribes, an amendment to the constitution as made to allow Indigenous individuals in the censuses.

Martin Luther King Jr. is shot and killed on the 4th of April 1968.

He became Senior Research Officer for the Office of Aboriginal Affairs

For approximately three years, Perkins was the Chairman for the Aboriginal Development Commission. He utilised his position to form protests towards the government which, at the time, allowed for activities that were referred to as racist.

In 1987, he became the Vice-President of the 'Australian Soccer Federation', and the Chairman of 'Indoor Soccer Federation'. Two years later, he was appointed by the 'Arrernte Council of Central Australia', as their Chairperson.

Charles Perkins dies on the 19th of October, 2000.