Indigenous Rights / Organisations / National Black Theatre
National Black Theatre
Along with Nindethana theatre in Melbourne, National Black Theatre in Redfern was one of the first all-Indigenous theatre companies. Established in Redfern in 1972, National Black Theatre was an active and powerful voice in promoting Aboriginality and Indigenous political concerns. Activists within these theatres saw one of their main goals as being the political education of non-Indigenous people. However, Aboriginal theatre was also a forum for the exploration and celebration of contemporary Indigenous identity. Actors and playwrights including Bob Maza, Jack Davis, Aileen Corpus, Lester and Gerry Bostock, Jack Charles, Justine Saunders, Gary Foley and Kevin Gilbert were among the founders of these theatre companies. They would often take their concerns to the streets, where they would perform among other activists at protest gatherings, including the Aboriginal Embassy.