Not long after Aboriginal people were finally allowed to vote in Queensland in 1965, Jackie Huggins’ primary school teacher, Mrs Roberts, asked to see her pupil’s mother. Her message was clear, but utterly unexpected. “You’re a bright girl, you should think about going to university.” University was more remote than the moon, but Mrs Roberts planted a seed. Five years later when Jackie was considering what subjects to do to finish high school, another teacher had a different message. “You couldn’t possibly do Senior; Aborigines have no brains.” She dropped out, full of self-doubt and remorse. A decade later Jackie...