Peter Read (historian)

Peter Read (born 1944) is an Australian historian best known for his work on the Stolen Generations, a term referring to Indigenous Australian children who were removed from their families by Australian federal and state government agencies and church missions from the late 19th century to the 1970s.

Read has written extensively on Aboriginal history, oral history, and the experiences of Aboriginal people in Australia. His work is characterized by its empathetic approach and its focus on giving voice to the experiences of those directly affected by policies of forced removal and assimilation.

Key works by Peter Read include:

• A Rape of the Soul So Profound: The Return of the Stolen Generations (1999): A seminal work exploring the ongoing impact of forced removal on Aboriginal individuals and communities.
• Belonging: Australians, Place and Aboriginal Ownership (2000): Examines the complex relationship between Aboriginal people, the land, and notions of ownership and belonging in the context of Australian history.
• Returning to Nothing: The Meaning of Lost Places (1996): Explores themes of displacement and memory in relation to landscapes.
• Charles Perkins: A Biography (2014): A biography of the prominent Aboriginal activist and public servant, Charles Perkins.

Read's research has contributed significantly to the understanding of Australian history and the ongoing process of reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. His work has been influential in shaping public debate and policy related to the Stolen Generations and Aboriginal rights. He has held academic positions at various universities in Australia and continues to contribute to the field through his writing and research.