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Behind the Lines

Change the Date

A calendar of 2021. 26 January is marked as 'National day of mourning'. Every other day of the year is marked as 'Not national day of mourning'.

Megan Herbert
26 January 2021

In 1938, the year of Australia’s sesquicentenary, Aboriginal protestors named 26 January the Day of Mourning. Megan Herbert draws attention to this event and the current debate on moving the date of Australia Day from 26 January. Recent polling suggests most people don’t support such a move.

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The Museum of Australian Democracy acknowledges Australia's First Nations peoples as the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia. We recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We respectfully acknowledge the role that First Nations people continue to play in shaping Australia's democracy. We also acknowledge the Ngunnawal, Ngunawal and Ngambri peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the region in which MoAD is located.

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