Born on June 16, 1936 of Arrernte and Kalkadoon descent at the Alice Springs Telegraph Station Aboriginal Reserve, NT, Charles Perkins, Aboriginal activist, was later educated in Adelaide as an apprentice fitter and turner. He played professional soccer with the Pan-Hellenic Club to earn the money to finance his studies in undertaking arts at the University of Sydney and became active in student politics, leading students on a US-inspired freedom ride through rural NSW in an attempt to raise awareness of racial discrimination against Aborigines. He joined the Federal Dept of Aboriginal Affairs in 1969 and appointed Secretary in 1984, Perkins campaigned heavily for Aboriginal rights. Outspoken and often controversial, he resigned in 1988 following a charge of maladministration which was later quashed. In 1993 he was a labelled a traitor for advising the Federal opposition on the native title issue. Some of his career highlights included Chairman of the Aboriginal Development Commission, 1981-1984; Head of the Dept. of Aboriginal Affairs, 1984-1988; Board Member of SBS Television and Radio, 1989-92; Chair of the Arrernte Council of Central Australia from 1991-94; Commissioner and Deputy Chair of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Commission (ATSIC) in 1994-1995.
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