Jack Leonard Davis | |
|---|---|
 Jack Davis | |
| Born | 11 March 1917 |
| Died | March 17, 2000 (aged 83) Perth, Western Australia, Australia |
| Nationality | Aboriginal Australian |
| Education | High school |
| Occupation(s) | Playwright and Poet |
| Known for | Poetry, acting, writing, Aboriginal rights activism |
| Notable work | No Sugar |
| Awards | Order of the British Empire Order of Australia |
Jack Leonard Davis AM, BEM (11 March 1917 – 17 March 2000) was an Australian 20th-century Aboriginal playwright, poet and Aboriginal Australian activist.[1]
His work incorporates themes of Aboriginality and their identity. It also includes many Aboriginal traditions and cultural practises. (Made By Reuben Horne)
While known for his literary work, Davis did not focus on writing until his fifties. His writing centred around the Aboriginal experience in relation to the settlement of white Australians. His collection of poems The First Born (1970) was his first work to be published, and made him the first Aboriginal Australian man and second Aboriginal person to have published poetry. He later focused his writing on plays, starting with Kullark, which was first performed in 1979. His plays were recognised internationally and were performed in Canada and England.