Combining the perspectives of political, social, and cultural history in a coherent narrative, this account is a holistic interpretation of the complex relationship between Indigenous and settler Australians during the middle of the 20th century. As it provides a cogent analysis of how the relationship changed, this record focuses on the quest for Aboriginal inclusion in the Australian nation–a task that dominated the Aboriginal agenda at the time–and challenges existing scholarship and assumptions, particularly around assimilation. Arguing that inclusion was not a function of political lobbying and parliamentary decision making, this is an insightful history of the changing nature of race relations in Australia.