O'Brien, May Lorna (1933 - )

Born in Laverton, Western Australia, May O'Brien survived her removal to Mount Margaret Aboriginal Mission as a child, eventually taking up her first appointment as a teacher at Mount Margaret. After teaching for 25 years she moved into education policy, working for the Western Australia Ministry of Education and the Aboriginal Education Branch.

O'Brien was awarded the British Empire Medal on 31 December 1977 for work in Aboriginal education. For this she was also awarded the John Curtin medal. O'Brien was a delegate for Australia at the United Nations conference on Women in Denmark, 1980. She has written several childrens books.

Horton (ed) (1994), Encyclopaedia of Aboriginal Australia; WCTU (1980), Some Aboriginal Women Pathfinders.

Book Sections

• Byrski, Liz, 'May O'Brien: Heart and soul', in Speaking out : Australian women talk about success, New Holland, Frenchs Forest, N.S.W., 1999, pp. 215-227. [ Details... ]

Newspaper Articles

• '[May O'Brien - biographical details]', National Aboriginal Day magazine, 1986, p. 29. [ Details... ]
• '[May O'Brien - profile]', Bulletin (Rotary Club of Perth), no. 45, 31 May. [ Details... ]
• 'Leadership and vision rewarded [May O'Brien]', Yamatji news, 25 November, p. 6. [ Details... ]

Reports

• O'Brien, May, Report to the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, Aboriginal Education Branch, Education Dept?, East Perth, W.A. 1985, 1985, 38 pp. [ Details... ]

See also

• 'How crows became black [review]', West Australian, 11 April, p. 7. [ Details... ]
• Beeson, Margaret J (compiled by), Some Aboriginal women pathfinders : their difficulties and their achievements, Woman's Christian Temperance Union of Australia, Adelaide, [1980], 80 pp. [ Details... ]
• Horton, David (ed.), The Encyclopaedia of Aboriginal Australia : Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, society and culture, Aboriginal Studies Press for AIATSIS, Canberra, 1994, 2 v. (xxxiii, 1340 p.) pp. [ Details... ]