Everything about Jessie Street totally explained
Born in
Chota Nagpur,
Bihar,
India,
Jessie Mary Grey Street (nee Lillingston) (
April 18,
1889 -
July 2,
1970) was an
Australian
suffragette,
feminist and
human rights campaigner.
She was a key figure in Australian political life for over 50 years, from the
women's suffrage struggle in
England to the removal of Australia’s constitutional discrimination against
Aboriginal people in
1967. She is recognised both in Australia and internationally for her activism in women's rights,
social justice and
peace.
Aboriginal Rights
Apparently inspired by the British Anti-Slavery Society when visiting England in the 1950s, Jessie Street was the initiator of the
1967 “Aboriginal” amendment of the
Australian Constitution with fellow activist
Faith Bandler. She "masterminded the formation of the Aboriginal Rights Organisation, which led to the successful"
Australian referendum, 1967 (Aboriginals) and even drafted petitions calling for the Referendum.
Jessie Street published a number of papers relating to Aboriginal people based on her observations during her numerous visits to Aboriginal Settlements. These include a Report on Aborigines in Australia, May 1957, Report of visit to Pindar Camps,‘Report of visit to West Australia in connection with Aborigines’; ‘Suggestions for Northern Territory’ (Between Camooweal and Darwin); Comments on the ‘Report from the Select Committee of Voting Rights of Aborigines’; and ‘The question of discriminations against Aborigines and the United Nations.
Women's Rights
Jessie Street campaigned for equality of status for women,
equal pay, appointment of women to public office and their election to
parliament. In
1911 she attended a conference of the International Council for Women in
Rome. She was also co-founder (
1928) and President of United Associations of Women. Jessie was the only Australian woman delegate at the founding of the
United Nations in
1945 and established (co-founder of) the UN Commission of the Status of Women and Charter of women's rights.
Political Involvement
Jessie Street stood as the
Labor candidate for the safe conservative seat of
Wentworth in NSW in
December 1943. She secured the most primary votes, however, due to the
Australian electoral system, with preferential voting, she lost by a small margin to the sitting
United Australia Party member
Eric Harrison. Eric Harrison stood with his back to Jessie whilst she gave her concession speech and refused to shake her hand. (Jessie Street ed Lenore Coltheart).
General Peace and Social Justice
She was a co-founder of NSW Social Hygiene Association (1916) and was a foundation member of the Sydney Branch of the
League of Nations Union in
1918. She attended League of Nations Assemblies in Geneva in
1930 and
1938. She was a colleague of
Pablo Picasso on the
World Peace Council Executive. During the
Second World War she was chairman of the Russian Medical Aid and Comforts Fund.
Controversy
She was friendly towards the
Soviet Union during the
Cold War which led to her being depicted as "Red Jessie" by the press. This depiction aroused suspicion and led to her being monitored by four Australian intelligence agencies. This surveillance has ensured her life has left a long trail of documents within the
National Archives of Australia.
Eminent Relatives
Jessie Street's father-in-law Sir
Philip Whistler Street, her husband Sir
Kenneth Whistler Street and her son Sir
Laurence Whistler Street all attained the position of
Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court of New South Wales. Her cousin
Edward Grey was a British
politician and
ornithologist. Her high society connections were sometimes seen as being in tension with her social activism.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Jessie Street'.
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