A tireless advocate on behalf of Aboriginal people, Charles Duguid was true to his name. He founded the Ernabella Mission in 1937, a mission widely regarded as one of the most culturally sensitive ever established. In the post-war period, he sought ways to help Aboriginal people assimilate, and gained notoriety for the uncompromising stand he took against plans for the Woomera rocket range. He adopted an Aboriginal child.
Duguid also actively cultivated his ‘great man’ image, which helped him to win support for his causes from government and other influential bodies. This book is a study of a remarkable man and his work.
Rani Kerin is a research fellow at the National Centre of Biography at the Australian National University. She is the author of An Attitude of Respect: Anna Vroland and Aboriginal Rights, 1947–1957 1999.