Martyrs in The Struggle for Justice
                          Dr Roberta Sykes


1943 - born in Australia


1957 - left school and worked as shop assistant and then nurse's assistant in Townsville


1960 - had a son Russel


mid-1960s - took stage name Opal Stone

performed as a striptease dancer at the Pink Pussycat nightclub in Kings Cross

met Howard Sykes and married.


1971 - ended her marriage


1970s - began writing articles, Bardas's late wife, Sandra befriended Sykes


1975 -1980 - was an adviser on Aboriginal health and education to the NSW Health Commission


1979 - published first book, Love Poems and Other Revolutionary Acts


1981- ghosted the award-winning autobiography of well-known NSW indigenous social worker, Mum (Shirl) Smith.

went off to Harvard with her young daughter in tow

completed her master's degree in a year,


1983 - finished a PhD in Aboriginal education in a further

returned to Australia to create more educational opportunities for others and devoted herself to being a proactive voice for indigenous Australians.


2002 - suffered a stroke at her unit in Redfern in November


2010 - died