Donald (Don) Brady

Donald Brady (20 April 1927 – 27 January 1984) was an Australian missionary, Methodist pastor and indigenous rights activist.

Early life Brady was born on 20 April 1927 at the Palm Island Aboriginal Settlement in Queensland. He was the son of Grace (née Creed) and Jim Brady. His parents were Kuku Yalanji from Far North Queensland.

Brady was raised on Palm Island. After leaving school he worked as a farm labourer and as a tent boxer.

Brady led a number of marches and other actions, primarily targeted at the Queensland state government's policies. In January 1970, he led a protest in Townsville which culminated in attendees burning and spitting on a copy of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Act 1965. Later that year he led a silent march in Brisbane to commemorate the loss of Aboriginal lives, culminating in a speech by Kath Walker and a memorial service at the Leichhardt Street Methodist Church.

Personal life

In 1952, Brady married Aileen Willis, a fellow missionary. The couple had eight children, two of which predeceased him. He died in South Brisbane on 27 January 1984, aged 56, due to "pneumonia complicating hypertensive cerebrovascular disease".