The Aborigines Progressive Association, (originally formed in 1924) was established in 1937 by William Ferguson, Pearl Gibbs and Jack Patten in Dubbo, New South Wales. Ferguson and Gibbs led a group in the western part of the state, while Patten assemble an alliance of activists in the north-east. Both wings of the APA were involved in political organisation, rallies, and protests in both Aboriginal communities and reserves and major NSW centres such as Sydney.
In 1938 the APA organised the Day of Mourning on Australia Day of that year to protest the lack of basic human rights available to Aborigines. It was held at the Australian Hall building, Sydney.
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