Charles Nelson Perkins, AO,[2] (16 June 1936 – 19 October 2000)[3] was an Australian activist and Aboriginal leader. He was also a professional football player.
Perkins grew up in Alice Springs. His mother was Arrernte, and his father was Kalkadoon.[4] He later moved to Sydney, and graduated from the University of Sydney in 1965. He was the first indigenous Australian to graduate from a university.
Perkins was also important in the campaign for the referendum in 1967, which allowed Aboriginal people to be counted in censuses, and parliament to make special laws specifically for Aboriginal people. From 1969, Perkins worked as a public servant in the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs. He was made permanent secretary of this department in 1981, which made him the first Aboriginal to become the permanent head of a federal government department. He served as secretary until 1988.
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