Justina Williams AM (26 January 1916 – 21 June 2008) was an Australian poet, journalist, feminist and peace activist.
Justina Williams | |
|---|---|
| Born | Marjorie Georgina Joan Allen 26 January 1916 Coolgardie, Western Australia |
| Died | 21 June 2008 (aged 92) Western Australia |
| Pen name | Joan Williams |
| Occupation |
|
Life
editMarjorie Georgina Joan Allen was born in Coolgardie, Western Australia on 26 January 1916.[1]
Williams was employed as a journalist by The West Australian and the Daily News in Perth and became involved with peace activism, left-wing politics and feminism.[2] She joined the Communist Party of Australia in 1939.[1]
In the 1950s, Williams campaigned for nuclear disarmament, while in the 1970s she was an early member of the Women's Electoral Lobby.[2]
Williams was appointed Member of the Order of Australia in the 1996 Australia Day Honours for "service to the community as a writer, particularly in the areas of peace, social equality and protection of the environment".[3]
Williams died in Western Australia on 21 June 2008.[1]
Selected works
editPoetry
edit- By All the Clocks, Saturday Centre, 1975[4]
- Poems of Protest, Lone Hand Press, 1982[5]
- People and Peace, Lone Hand Press, 1986[6]
- My Country, the World, Lone Hand Press, 2003[7]
Fiction
edit- White River and Other Stories, Fremantle Press, 1979
- The Bird Girl, illustrated by Trevor Weekes, Kangaroo Press, 1984 (for children)
- The Edge of the Swamp, Lone Hand Press, 2003
Nonfiction
edit- The First Furrow, Lone Hand Press, 1976
- Trade unionism : "them bees is organised", Lothian Books, 1978
- Anger and Love: A life of struggle and commitment, Fremantle Press, 1993
As editor
edit- On Strenuous Wings: A half-century of selected writings from the works of Katharine Susannah Prichard, Seven Seas, 1965
- Tom Collins and His House, Tom Collins Press for Fellowship of Australian Writers, WA, 1973
References
edit- ^ a b c "Justina Williams". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. The University of Queensland. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
- ^ a b Tallis, Denise (23 March 2004). "Williams, Joan". The Australian Women's Register. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
- ^ "Ms Marjorie Georgina Joan Williams". Australian Honours Search Facility. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
- ^ Williams, Justina (1975), By all the clocks, Saturday Centre, ISBN 978-0-909293-05-5
- ^ Williams, Justina (1982), Poems of protest, Lone Hand Press, retrieved 15 September 2023
- ^ Williams, Justina; Williams, Justina. [Poems. Selections] (1986), People and peace : selected poems, Lone Hand Press, ISBN 978-0-9598402-3-0
- ^ Williams, Justina (2003), My country, the world, Lone Hand Press, ISBN 978-0-9598402-5-4