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Lesley Williams Lesley Williams i(7151857 works by)
Born: Established: ca. 1947 ;
Gender: Female
Heritage: Aboriginal
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BiographyHistory

Lesley Williams, Aboriginal Elder, grew up in Cherbourg, Queensland. Her most prominent role is her research and international campaign for the return of Indigenous Queensland workers' wages and savings since the early 1990s, when she instigated the national and international Justice for Aboriginal Workers campaign.

She holds the Centenary Medal for distinguished services to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

Lesley is Tammy Williams' mother, and co-wrote Not Just Black and White with her daughter.

Most Referenced Works

Personal Awards

2003 recipient Centenary Medal For her distinguished services to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

Awards for Works

y separately published work icon Not Just Black and White Not Just Black and White : A Conversation Between a Mother and Daughter St Lucia : University of Queensland Press , 2015 8859509 2015 single work biography

'Lesley Williams was forced to leave the Cherbourg Aboriginal Settlement and her family at a young age to work as a domestic servant. Apart from pocket money, Lesley never saw her wages – they were kept ‘safe’ for her and for countless others just like her. She was taught not to question her life, until desperation made her start to wonder, where is all that money she earned? And so began a nine-year journey for answers.'

'Inspired by her mother’s quest, a teenage Tammy Williams entered a national writing competition with an essay about injustice. The winning prize took Tammy and Lesley to Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch and ultimately to the United Nations in Geneva. Along the way, they found courage they never thought they had and friendship in the most unexpected places.' (Source: On-line)

2016 longlisted Kibble Literary Awards Nita May Dobbie Award
2016 shortlisted New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Indigenous Writer's Prize
2014 winner Queensland Literary Awards Unpublished Indigenous Writer : David Unaipon Award
2016 winner Queensland Literary Awards Queensland Premier's Award for a Work of State Significance
Last amended 28 Sep 2017 13:10:48
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