Of the schools represented from as far as Cessnock, Glen Innes High had the largest contingent of student participants.

The day included a viewing of ‘Freedom Ride’, a documentary that explained the purpose and significance of the Freedom Rides in drawing NSW citizens’ attention to the official racism and discrimination faced by Aborigines in NSW in 1965.

The Freedom Rides were inspired in part by the fact that while Australian students in the 1960s were prepared to protest against racism they saw in America, they had yet to take any meaningful  action against racism closer to home.

Year 10 students Molli Warren, Brant Williams, Nemo Sparks, Ebony Gallagher, Lachlan Martin and Katie Miller all agreed the commemorative event altered their perception and revealed more about Australian race struggles.

“It was a privilege to participate in the day because we got to see how much had changed in 50 years and the difference that the Freedom Riders made,” Molli said.

“I was shocked to see interviews which were recorded in 1965 of white Australians from the city who said they had never spoken to an Aboriginal person and didn’t know any Aborigines,” Brant added.

“I was surprised that in a supposedly civilised era in 1965, Australians still saw Aboriginal people as dirty or dangerous or useless and never really gave them a chance. We learned that Aboriginal people weren’t allowed in theatres or sports grounds, or even to enter the Town Hall where today we met the Freedom Riders,” Nemo said.

“I couldn’t believe that Aboriginal people were not allowed in the pool because of their skin colour,” Ebony said.

“I didn’t know that Aboriginal people were treated that way, and so the Freedom Rides were really influential in raising awareness of the need for racial equality,” Katie said.

“It helped us understand how real the discrimination was, to see it in the places where it actually happened,” Lachlan added.

Molly Keelan was among her fellow year 12 students.

“I think the best part was the March, because were involved instead of just watching the movie or seeing pictures in the gallery. It felt like we were part of something important and meaningful,” she said.

“In the Town Hall we saw that people were really passionate about their views. They said that not enough had yet changed, but at least now they were on the way.” 

Khya Boney said she was most moved by the street march.

“Everybody was walking together as one, I just loved it,” she said.

“We saw how after the Freedom Rides Aboriginal people obtained the rights to access facilities like the pool and town hall.” Bailey Sharman said.

“Watching the film explained the whole situation to us really well. It was shocking to see that Aboriginal children were always checked for lice and given limited swimming times. Later in the Town Hall it was really moving when Charlie Perkins daughter Rachel got up and spoke in memory of her father and thanked the Moree crowd for their memorial gifts,” Alisa Tunamena said.

“Seeing the Freedom Riders on stage was really important. Sometimes the mood in the crowd was sad, because it was really confronting to know that so much wrong had been done,” Rachel Skinner said.

Students came away from the day with a greater understanding of the importance of bearing witness to events in history. Only by seeing and showing the racism of 1960s Australia did the Freedom Riders inspire so many others to take up the cause of equality, respect and recognition for Aboriginal Australia.