William Cooper

William Cooper (18 December 1860 or 1861 – 29 March 1941) was an Aboriginal Australian political activist and community leader; the first to lead a national movement recognised by the Australian Government.

Early life William Cooper was born in Yorta Yorta territory around the intersection of the Murray and Goulburn Rivers in Victoria, Australia on 18 December 1860 or 1861.

From 1881, Cooper was educated by Thomas Shadrach James, a polymath Tamil from Mauritius, who had moved to Maloga to become the resident teacher.

The petition was received by the Commonwealth Government in August 1937. However, by February 1938, it was clear that the Cabinet led by Joseph Lyons had decided that it should not be submitted She died in 1889, as did the first of their children, Bartlett; fortunately, their daughter Emma survived.

Four years after his loss, Cooper married Agnes Hamilton, who had grown up at the Coranderrk Mission. Six children were born to them, Daniel, Amy, Gillison, Jessie, Sarah and Lynch. Cooper's experience of loss continued, with Agnes dying in 1910.

Protest against Kristallnacht "ruel persecution of the Jewish people by the Nazi government of Germany" was an issue for the Australian Aboriginal League.

The protest has been referred to as "the only private protest against the Germans following Kristallnacht."

The existence of Cummeragunja, which is still an Aboriginal community today under the stewardship of a local land council, may also be attributed to the work of Cooper. The Maloga Petition which Cooper had signed and supported in his early years resulted in the Government allocating of land for Aboriginal use. This land was just upstream from Maloga, and became known as Cummeragunja.

21st century recognition In recent years, Cooper's legacy has been appreciated by the Jewish community. In 2002, a plaque was unveiled at the Jewish Holocaust Centre in Melbourne in honour of "the Aboriginal people for their actions protesting against the persecution of Jews by the Nazi Government of Germany in 1938". The story of the protest is featured in the Jewish Holocaust Centre's permanent museum.

2010 On 20 May 2010 the new footbridge at Footscray railway station was named for William Cooper.

On 5 October 2010, a court complex named the William Cooper Justice Centre was opened in Melbourne.

In 2012 Cooper's grandson, Uncle Alf (Boydie) Turner, led a re-enactment of the march by Cooper and his friends. The German consul-general in Melbourne finally accepted a copy of Cooper's protest letter.