Over the past 230 years, Aboriginal people have protested in a variety of ways for rights they believe they deserve. Through the goals of what they wanted to achieve, the processes they went through brought them disappointment at the poor results of some actions and pleasure at the success of others. During these years, very few periods of protest were as revealing or effective as those that took place between 1938 and 1972. During this period, many different groups of Aboriginal people fought for the common cause of recognition as people rather than for interference caught in the middle of the conflict. of the expansion of Australians as a nation. One of the most important Aboriginal attempts at equality in the 20th century was the Day of Mourning. This service took place in 1938, 150 years after white people settled Australia. While all white Australians celebrated what they saw as the birth of their homeland, Aboriginal people mourned the death of their homeland as they knew it. Held in Sydney, this event attracted considerable media attention. In the days that followed, Prime Minister Lyons met with the protest committee and listened to the plan they had developed for equality in Australia. The aim of this action was to gain recognition from the Australian people, particularly the government, that white settlers had invaded what was then Aboriginal land. They wanted an action plan to be put in place to ensure equality between white and Aboriginal Australians. Although the Aborigines believed they had accomplished something through this protest, not all the efforts were rewarded, as Lyons did nothing for the Aboriginal equality project. Each subsequent day in Australia had hosted a day of mourning protest by Aboriginal people... middle of newspaper... until the Freedom Rides, every result was consistent with the 1967 referendum and from the embassy tent until Following the Mabo decision, all protests were directed towards the common goal and now towards the realization of land rights. In the 21st century, the Australian government has made new efforts to try to secure living standards for Aboriginal people in Australia. Although life expectancy, available facilities, education and employment opportunities are still very different from those available to white Australians, progress has been made since Europeans and Aborigines first met. From the administration of an Aboriginal minister and Aboriginal settlements across Australia to the "Sorry" speech delivered by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in 2008, the Australian people, whether of European or Aboriginal descent, are moving towards a more equal future..