Bruce McGuinness

Bruce Brian McGuinness (17 June 1939 – 5 September 2003) was an Australian Aboriginal activist. He was active in and led the Victorian Aborigines Advancement League, and is known for founding and running The Koorier, which was the first Aboriginal-initiated national broadsheet newspaper (later known as National Koorier and then Jumbunna) between 1968 and 1971.

Early life and education A Wiradjuri man, McGuinness was born on 17 June 1939 in Cootamundra. following Doug Nicholls in the role. His appointment led to some dissent in the organisation, as moderate VAAL members, including Nicholls, were concerned that McGuinness' more radical approach would turn people away from VAAL. McGuinness forged connections with more radical Aboriginal activists from across Australia, such as Gary Foley (whom he mentored) and Denis Walker, and the world.

He joined the Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders and became its Victorian state director, but in 1970 broke away to form the National Tribal Council with Foley, Walker and Naomi Mayers. Despite his generally radical stance, he did not dismiss non-Aboriginal activists, and praised the work of white campaigners such as Stan Davey and Gordon Bryant in the late 1950s and 1960s. and was also co-founder of the National Aboriginal and Islander Health Organisation. ). The Koorier and Jumbunna were published by the Victorian Aborigines Advancement League (VAAL), while the National Koorier was the mouthpiece of the National Tribal Council. and Bob Maza were significant contributors to the paper.

Like Identity, published in Perth, the paper was used to stimulate political activity, and to disseminate messages in and beyond the Indigenous public sphere, to educate the non-Indigenous Australian public.

Young activist Robbie Thorpe, inspired by McGuinness' publication, later produced The Koorier 2 and later The Koorier 3, published by the Koori Information Centre.

Films McGuinness directed the film Black Fire, also titled Blackfire, thought to be the first film directed by an Indigenous Australian person. Doug Nicholls, Harry Williams, and his son Bertie Williams starred in the film, and Lin Onus was responsible for sound production. The release date is usually cited as 1972,

His son Kelli McGuinness was a member of a 1990s band called Blackfire, with Kutcha Edwards as lead singer. Their first album was called A Time to Dream, and McGuinness gave the same name to his second film, released in 1974.

Later life and death He was awarded an honorary doctorate by Tranby College shortly before his death from emphysema in Melbourne on 5 September 2003.

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