In 1957, with support and cooperation from federal and state governments, the churches and major Indigenous organisations, a National Aborigines Day Observance Committee (NADOC) was formed, which continues to this day as NAIDOC.

The first of these took place in 1940 and continued until 1955, when it moved to the first Sunday in July. This was to serve as a reminder of the unjust treatment of Indigenous people. The AAL was able to persuade many religious denominations to declare the Sunday before Australia Day as ‘Aboriginal Sunday’. In the early 1960s, both organisations would reform and reshape and become the driving force calling for a constitutional referendum that would take place in 1967. It would became the inspiration for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander activism throughout the remainder of the twentieth century. The first Day of Mourning was a culmination of years of work by the Australian Aborigines League (AAL) and the Aborigines Progressive Association (APA). AIATSIS Central Australia We’re opening a new facility in Mparntwe/Alice Springs in partnership with First Nations Media Australia.Ngurra Ngurra: The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Precinct will be nationally significant in speaking to the central place that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples hold in Australia’s story.Work with us We recognise that our staff and volunteers are our most valuable asset.Who we are We are Australia's only national institution focused exclusively on the diverse history, cultures and heritage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australia.What we do We tell the story of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australia and create opportunities for people to encounter, engage and be transformed by that story.Join our strong and growing membership and support our foundation. Connect with us We invite you to connect with us on social media.Guides and resources We have produced a range of resources, databases, indexes, finding aids and reading lists to help you with your research and to find information in our Collection.

Research publications We produce a range of publications and other resources derived from our research.Native title research and access service The Native Title Research and Access Service is your first stop for information about the native title resources in the AIATSIS collection.Indigenous Research Exchange We improve outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples by ensuring there is more involvement and agency in research projects.Ethical research We provide leadership in ethics and protocols for research related to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and collections.Current projects Our research contributes to the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and has a direct benefit to the communities we work with.AIATSIS holds the worlds largest collection dedicated to AustralianĪboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and histories.

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