On 30th October 2024, English Heritage unveiled a blue plaque in Brixton to commemorate Olive Morris, a fearless activist and advocate for racial and housing justice. Born in Jamaica in 1952, Morris moved to London as a child and dedicated her short but impactful life (1952–1979) to fighting for oppressed and exploited communities.
A pivotal moment in her activism came at the age of 17 when she intervened in the violent arrest of a Nigerian diplomat under Britain’s discriminatory “sus” laws. Morris was herself arrested and assaulted during the incident, which galvanised her lifelong commitment to justice. Over the years, she campaigned tirelessly for racial equality, gender rights, and housing justice, and became a central figure in the Brixton-based British Black Panther movement.
The plaque commemorates 121 Railton Road, a property Morris squatted with her friend Liz Turnbull in the early 1970s. The flat, above a laundrette, became a hub for Black political and counter-cultural organisations. It housed the Brixton Black Women’s Group, the Black Workers’ Movement, and Black People Against State Harassment (BASH). It was also home to Sabarr, a radical self-help bookshop and community space. Morris famously resisted multiple illegal eviction attempts by the police, transforming the property into a symbol of resistance and one of Brixton’s longest-running squats.
In 1973, Morris co-founded the Brixton Black Women’s Group, followed in 1978 by the Organisation of Women of African and Asian Descent (OWAAD), both of which amplified the voices of marginalised women in Britain. She also campaigned against the Vietnam War, Britain’s “sus” laws, and economic injustices affecting workers in the Caribbean. A graduate of Manchester University in social sciences, Morris tirelessly advocated for housing rights, helping families secure shelter during Brixton’s 1970s housing crisis, when squatting was often the only option for Black families facing systemic discrimination. Her ability to secure housing for marginalised communities has been described as “turning squatting into an art form.”
Nick Merriman, Chief Executive of English Heritage, described Morris as “a remarkable person” who stood up to oppression “often in the face of brutality and racism.” The unveiling of her blue plaque was organised by English Heritage’s youth engagement team in collaboration with Lambeth-based groups South Central Youth, The Advocacy Academy, and The Black Curriculum. Youth Participation Officer Chania Fox described the event as “a privilege” to honour Morris’s life and her lasting impact on the community.
Currently, only 4.6% of plaques in the London blue plaques scheme honour Black and Asian figures from history. This underrepresentation highlights the significance of the first plaque commemorating Olive Morris, which was organised by the Nubian Jak Community Trust. On 19th February 2023, in partnership with Lambeth Council, the Trust unveiled a plaque at 2 Talma Road, the former headquarters of the Brixton Ad-Hoc Committee Against Police Repression.
That same year, a memorial stone was installed at the Lambeth Archives on the former site of Olive Morris House, a building commissioned by Lambeth Council in 1986 to honour her legacy. Although Olive Morris House was demolished in 2020, it remained a lasting testament to her transformative impact on the community.
Although Morris tragically passed away in 1979 at just 27 due to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, her contributions to housing rights, racial equality, and women’s empowerment remain a powerful testament to her indomitable spirit. Her blue plaque at 121 Railton Road stands as a lasting reminder of her courage and her transformative impact on British society.
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