David Tribe

David Tribe

David Harold Tribe (born 1931) is a leading secularist and humanist. He was born in Sydney, Australia, but he lived in the United Kingdom for a long time.

Tribe joined the University of Queensland's Faculty of Medicine (where he edited the University medical society's journal Trephine), but found that he did not enjoy hospital work and left. It was not long after this that he left Australia for Britain, where he worked at various times as a sketch artist, public relations officer, journalist and lecturer.

In Britain, Tribe was chair of Humanist Group Action (1961-1964), President of the National Secular Society (1963–1971), editor of The Freethinker (1966). He was also an executive committee member of the National Council for Civil Liberties (1961–1972).

Since returning to Australia, he has continued to work for the secularist and humanist movement, but has not held office in any organisation.

The University of Sydney's "Tribe Awards" in fiction, poetry, philosophy, sculpture, and symphony were established in 2005 after Tribe put $300,000 into a foundation for the purpose.

In 2001, Tribe became an honorary associate of Rationalist International.

Read more about David Tribe:  Works

Famous quotes containing the words david and/or tribe:

    “The wildest dreams of wild men, even, are not the less true, though they may not recommend themselves to the sense which is most common among Englishmen and Americans to-day. It is not every truth that recommends itself to the common sense. Nature has a place for the wild clematis as well as for the cabbage. Some expressions of truth are reminiscent,—others merely sensible, as the phrase is,—others prophetic.”
    —Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)

    “It appeared that he had once represented his tribe at Augusta, and also once at Washington, where he had met some Western chiefs. He had been consulted at Augusta, and gave advice, which he said was followed, respecting the eastern boundary of Maine, as determined by highlands and streams, at the time of the difficulties on that side. He was employed with the surveyors on the line. Also he called on Daniel Webster in Boston, at the time of his Bunker Hill oration.”
    —Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)