How Did Tucker Impact Society

Tucker Margaret Tucker was a significant person as she was a civil rights activist for Aboriginal people, the first Aboriginal woman to join Australia's Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs and left lasting impacts on society by creating traditions and services to support Aboriginal people. She was born on the 28th of March, 1904 and died on the 23rd of August, 1996. Margaret’s original name was Margaret Elizabeth Clements and her Aboriginal name was Lilardia, or ‘flower’. When Margaret was 13 she was taken by government agencies as part of the Stolen Generation. At this time Aboriginal people were still seen as inferior and government agencies took it upon themselves to ‘help’ them integrate into ‘normal’ society. Margaret was 21 when she moved

Margaret went on to become a leading figure in the fight for Aboriginal rights and was loved by many. As quoted in Lisa Hill’s article, “Her optimism and unflagging work ethic helped fuel a movement that won rights once considered unimaginable for Aboriginal people in Victoria and around Australia.”(Lisa Hill, 2021, ANZLitLovers). As shown in the quote, she was very hardworking and this is how she went on to achieve such impactful achievements.

Margaret Tucker went on to create and be a part of many organisations and her achievements left a lasting impact on society today. She helped with the establishment of the ‘Day of Mourning’ with William Cooper and the rest of the Australian Aborigines’ League. This was one of her most impacting achievements as the ‘Day of Mourning’ went on to become NAIDOC, which is still going to this day. Furthermore, she started the Aboriginal Debutante Ball in 1949. It was a way to give young Aboriginal girls pride and dignity, as well as being a fundraiser for Aboriginal people. Her fights continued as she attended annual conferences held by the Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders (FCAATSI). This led to her going over to America in 1957 and giving