Mona Matilda (Monica) Clare

Mona Matilda Clare (13 August 1924 – 13 July 1973) better known as Monica Clare was an Aboriginal Australian political activist and author. She was the first Indigenous woman to publish a novel, though Karobran was published after her death.

Early life

Clare was born on 13 August 1924 at Dareel near Goondiwindi in Queensland. She was the daughter of Aboriginal shearer Daniel Herbert McGowan and an English woman, Beatrice Scott.

Career and activism

Clare became involved in race relations and Labor politics, after meeting the Aboriginal community at Bellwood reserve in north coast of New South Wales. She worked with Aboriginal families at La Perouse, enrolling them to vote, while working on Daniel Curtin's campaign for the Federal seat of Watson.

Clare married in 1953 and had a daughter, but later divorced. She then married union official Leslie Forsyth Clare on 13 August 1962. Clare joined the women's committees of the union in Wollongong, accompanying Leslie on his travels inspecting the conditions on Aboriginal reserves. Clare then became secretary of the Aboriginal committee of the South Coast Labor Council, lobbying to see improved housing and financial support for Aboriginal people.

Clare died on 13 July 1973 in Sydney. Having attended a creative-writing course at Wollongong, she rewrote the manuscript many times until she was satisfied. It was published posthumously in April 1978.