Portrait of the day: Olive Morris

Olive Morris carried out a long struggle in her short life. She is known as the woman who stood up against racism. Olive Morris was born on June 26, 1952, in Harewood, St Catherine, Jamaica. Her family emigrated to England when she was nine. Morris moved to Manchester and studied at Manchester University between 1975 and 1978. She helped found the Manchester Black Women’s Co-operative, laying the foundations for Abasindi. She was a member of the British Black Panthers. Olive waged an active struggle not only against racism but also against the male-dominated mentality. She participated in other activities, such as squatting buildings to establish self-help community spaces. When she died on 12 July 1979 at St Thomas' Hospital, she was 27 years old.