Remembering P. R. Stephensen:
November 20, 1901 to May 28, 1965

[1]

P. R. Stephensen, circa 1934

187 words

Percy Reginald Stephensen was born on November 20, 1901. Stephensen was a writer, publisher, and political activist dedicated to the interests of the white race and the Australian nation. Like Jack London [2], Stephensen was an archetypal man of the racially conscious left [3].

Early in his career as a publisher, Stephensen championed the works of Nietzsche, D. H. Lawrence, and Aleister Crowley. Later, he worked to promote a distinctly Australian national literature and culture. As a political organizer and propagandist, he worked for an Australia First economic and foreign policy.

In honor of his birthday, I am reprinting Stephensen’s writings connected with the Australia First Manifesto [4]. I think Stephensen provides a useful literary model that might be adapted for contemporary manifestos.

I am also printing a much expanded version of Kerry Bolton’s biographical essay, “P. R. Stephensen [5].”

I also wish to draw your attention to two other works by Stephensen on this site:

For other works by Stephensen, see The Percy Stephensen Collection online: http://home.alphalink.com.au/~radnat/stephensen/index.html [8]