The Aborigines’ Protection Society (APS), founded in 1837 in Britain, was an early humanitarian organization that sought to defend the rights and welfare of Indigenous peoples under colonial rule. In anthropology, it is significant because it reflects how European intellectuals and reformers framed Indigenous cultures within colonial contexts—often mixing advocacy with paternalistic “civilizing” agendas.

🌍 Origins and Mission

• Founded: 1837 in London, during the height of the British Empire.
• Purpose: To promote the health, legal rights, and religious freedoms of Indigenous peoples while also encouraging their “civilization” under colonial frameworks.
• Activities: Published reports and journals (The Aborigines’ Friend) documenting abuses in colonies, lobbying Parliament, and pressuring colonial administrators.
• Merger: In 1909, APS merged with the British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society to form the Anti-Slavery and Aborigines’ Protection Society, now known as Anti-Slavery International.

🔑 Anthropological Relevance

• Colonial Anthropology: APS’s work overlapped with early anthropological interest in Indigenous peoples, though framed through humanitarian and moral lenses rather than scientific ethnography.
• Ethnographic Documentation: Their reports often included descriptions of Indigenous lifeways, languages, and customs—precursors to anthropological ethnography, albeit filtered through colonial biases.
• Humanitarian vs. Paternalism: While APS advocated for Indigenous rights, it also promoted assimilation and “civilizing missions,” reflecting tensions that anthropology later critiqued.
• Global Scope: APS engaged with Indigenous issues across Africa, the Americas, Australia, and the Pacific, making it one of the first international organizations concerned with Indigenous welfare.

📚 Why It Matters for Anthropology

• Historical Context: APS illustrates how anthropology and humanitarianism were entangled with colonial power structures.
• Critiques of Early Anthropology: Modern anthropologists highlight how such societies often reinforced colonial hierarchies even while claiming to protect Indigenous peoples.
• Legacy: The APS archives remain valuable for anthropologists studying colonial encounters, Indigenous resistance, and the evolution of humanitarian discourse.

In short: The Aborigines’ Protection Society was a humanitarian group that influenced early anthropological views of Indigenous peoples, blending advocacy with colonial paternalism. Its legacy offers critical insight into anthropology’s entanglement with empire.

Sources: Wikipedia overview of APS; Bodleian Library archives on APS; JSTOR article on APS as a colonial pressure group.