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https://theconversation.com/50-years-after-evonne-goolagongs-australian-open-win-we-should-remember-her-achievements-and-the-racism-she-overcame-217684>
"Fifty years ago, on New Year’s Day in 1974, Wiradjuri woman Evonne Goolagong
delighted spectators at Melbourne’s Kooyong Tennis Club by defeating American
Chris Evert to win the women’s singles Australian Open championship.
The overflow crowd of 12,000 people leapt to their feet for a tremendously long
and emotional ovation.
The
Sydney Morning Herald reminded readers that no Aboriginal person had ever
won an Australian tennis title. Of all the other major national dailies, only
the
Hobart Mercury alluded to race, describing Goolagong with offensive words
such as “tawny” and “dark-skinned”.
On the surface, Goolagong’s victory transcended race and racial politics. Yet,
she would later reflect that her stellar career, which included seven Grand
Slam singles titles – sent a false message that all was okay in Australian
racial politics:
See, we’re not holding them [Aboriginal people] back, we give them every
opportunity.
Fast forward a couple of decades and Cathy Freeman was similarly touted as a
symbol of reconciliation following her triumph at the 2000 Sydney Olympics."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
