A letter written by Aboriginal Australians in 1938, calling Australia Day “a day of mourning”, was read by Indigenous actor and elder Uncle Jack Charles on the 80th anniversary of its publication on Friday, January 26.

The letter said the celebration of Australia Day on January 26, when a colony was established by the British First Fleet, commemorated “years of misery and degradation imposed upon the original native inhabitants by the white invaders of this country.”

NITV Online published the video on this year’s Australia Day, as some celebrated the public holiday at parties and citizenship ceremonies, and others marched for a change of the date out of compassion for the indigenous people. Credit: NITV Online via Storyful