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Helena Murphy nee Clarke (born 1922) was born to Kathleen and Lawrence Clarke in Broome, Western Australia, in 1922. She is most distinguished for her activism for Indigenous Australian rights, and for founding the Coolbaroo League in 1947, a social club and political movement that fought for equal rights for Indigenous Australians.

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Biography
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Early life
Explain the subject's early life historically using a journalistic style. Helena Clarke was born in Broome, but moved with her family to Port Hedland some years later. Both of her parents were politically active and also participated in Indigenous rights activism. Helena's father Lawrence 'Pop' Clarke founded the Euralian Club in 1934, as a centre for Indigenous unity in the Port Hedland area.

At the age of 20, Helena moved to Perth to live with her sister, where she gained employment as a cleaner at a cafe. When she attempted to join the air force and then the land army, as an Aboriginal woman, she was turned away. It was living in these circumstances, and experiencing everyday discrimination that she became aware of the great problems which the Indigenous people living in the area faced.

In 1947, Helena Clarke, Geoff Harcus and Jack and Bill Poland founded the Coolbaroo League. It had similar aims to her father's Euralian Club; to break down barriers between European and Aborigine communities, to create a safe space for Indigenous people, and to bring awareness to issues such as police surveillance, the removal of children, the restrictions on travel and work, and the right to vote. The League held social events, ran a newspaper and opened an art shop in Perth. Best known for the social dances they held, the Coolbaroo dances were attended by hundreds of Aborigines in the area. It also attracted black musicians from around the world, such as Nat ‘King’ Cole, Harold Blair and the Harlem Globetrotters, who could not perform for Aboriginal people in any other venue.

Source: https://www.creativespirits.info/resources/movies/coolbaroo-club#ixzz4cZofz5mf

Expanded description
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Marriage and children
Helena Clarke married Cyril Murphy in 1950, and the couple moved to Darwin, where they ran a successful trucking business. Helena and Cyril had five children together, however Cyril died at the age of 37, and Helena was left to raise her children on her own. Throughout this time, Helena also owned and operated a large corporate cleaning business.


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Death and afterward
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Philosophical and/or political views
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Published works
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Honours, decorations, awards and distinctions
Recipient of the John Curtin Medal in 2013.

References/Notes and references
http://www.womenaustralia.info/leaders/biogs/WLE0288b.htm