Minutes Remembering Olive Collective
Wednesday 4 February 2009. 6.30-9.00 pm
Venue: Black Cultural Archives, 1 Othello Close, London SE11 4RE
In attendance:
Kelly Foster - Black Cultural Archives
Altair Roelants
Hannah Walsh
Ana Laura Lopez de la Torre
Ashley Whitfield
Jacqueline Hoang Nguyen
Kimberly Springer
Ego Ahaiwe - Lambeth Women’s Project
Carolyn
Liz Obi
Jessica Mustachi
Apologies:
Tara Alturi
Ann Ward – Lambeth Archives
Lisa Cholmondeley
Rakhee Kewada
Anna Colin - Gasworks
Tamara Lewis
Rashmi Munikempanna
Emma Allotey
Sheila Ruiz
1. Approval of minutes, apologies and introductions
Thanks to Kimberly for taking the minutes of the meeting, and Kelly for hosting and chairing.
Actions items
The following are still pending (Rakhee/Jacqueline): ROC training; redrafting flyer; recruitment contact list.
2. Video Screening: interview with Doris Morris
We watched the first 25 minutes of a video interview with Olive’s mother Ms Doris Morris. The videotape is in
the Black Cultural Archives holdings. It is not yet catalogue or digitalized so it is not available yet for public
viewing. We had a short discussion about the pros and cons of video interviewing as opposed to sound
recording only for oral history purposes. It was really great to get a sense of Doris’ character from the way
she looked, her posture and her facial expression.
3. Request for support from other campaigns and to speak at events.
Following up from an unconcluded item from last meeting on requests for support for campaigns, it was
decided that we’d not sign on to campaigns, but pass the info along to members and individuals could
sign on if they want. Until the next AGM we will closely focus on the stated aim of our group which is to
create public memories of Olive Morris.
Queer activist group is organizing an event for18 March looking at Race and Gender, and originally
requested for someone to speak about Olive. They have more recently re-focused their event to look at
Queer history and so it is no longer appropriate to include a talk on Olive, but would like to keep in touch
with us for future events. Both Ego and Carolyn have contact with the group and can keep us updated.
How to respond to (mis)representations of Olive’s history and memory?
It’s agreed that, generally, imposing an identity on someone retroactively isn’t appropriate. Yet, the
question is raised of who “owns” Olive’s memory? Is it the group’s job to police her memory? We agreed
that we will make available through the blog the information that is given to us by those who knew her, and
if we come across any inaccurate or misleading fact published by a third party on Olive, we will simply
direct them to the original sources / references in the blog. In particular with regards to Olive’s sexuality it
was agreed that as she has never made a public statement about it (other than her choice to make some
of her relationships public or not), this is a private matter.
4. Financial report, bank account and merchandise
We now have checkbook, pay-in and financial statement.
£354.59 (£29.59 in petty cash. )
Badges-ordered by Ana Laura printing 300 (200 grey, 100 black panthers); poster order pending (£200-250
for 1,000 A2 full colour)
Ana Laura would like approval to pay for posters and be reimbursed? Agreed.
Ana Laura requested to change the correspondence address of bank account to her own address now
that Lambeth Women’s Project is temporarily closed. It was agreed at least for the time being, and the
change is pending Liz going into bank branch to register her signature. At the moment Ana Laura and
Anna Colin are signatories, and Ego could become a fourth signature.
There is an outstanding payment of £36 for tickets from the Black Panther event - £14 are for 2
complementary tickets given by Kelly and the £22 for 3 youth + 1 adult for Clapham Park Youth Centre. Ana
Laura has email header paper to Kelly who made those bookings so she can raise invoice.
ACTION: Kelly to invoice and chase up pending payment.
5. Deposit of Liz’s collection with Lambeth Archives
Liz has taken now her materials to Lambeth Archives. Her collection includes photos, letters around her
death and funeral, council minutes around naming of the building, Olive’s college essays, and her passport.
The materials have been deposited, not given, so that they can be taken back, if desired. As part of
agreement, ROC has access to materials whether they’ve been cataloged or not. She was given a
standard letter of deposit.
ACTION: Ana Laura will get in touch with Anne and Jon (Lambeth Archives) about a date for ROC
members to come and look at the materials for a discussion of how we might proceed. This will likely be a
day in March, ideally a Thursday as it is the day when ROC volunteers usually have work planning meetings.
6. Olive Morris House Campaign
Liz has drafted a letter to send to Derrik Anderson (cc’d to all the Councillors and people previously
involved in the discussion). We have requested a reply by 4 March.
ACTION: Ana Laura to post it together with all supporting documents, and to email all Councillors. Also to
chase signed letter from Yana Morris.
7. Trip to Manchester (Altair)
Altair has approached Ruth Ibegbuna at Urbis Centre in Manchester about our visit and she was very
positive about it and in principle has agreed to host ROC’s visit, depending on what ideas / requirements
we have.
Planned trip is for, ideally, a Thursday, Friday, and Saturday: two days for interviews / research in archives,
and then one day for an event where we can meet with the local community and celebrate the memory
of Olive and the organizations she worked with in Machester. The proposed date is the weekend of 26-28
March 2009.
The trip also includes copying materials in various repositories in Manchester.
It was agreed to ask Urbis to put on a Remembering Olive Day, which would focus on her activities and
connections in Manchester. The proposed time is from 11:00-17:00 on Saturday, starting with a visit to Emory
Douglas exhibition. The connection between Olive and Emory being Black Panthers could be a starting
point for the day and then moving onto the work that Olive did in Manchester with local groups.
Ideas for Saturday event: Show the short ROC film and part of interview with Doris Morris to give Manchester
a sense of her London connection. Also include an update on the current life / legacy of the Manchester
groups and issues she was involved with so that project isn’t only retrospective, but living. Also feature the
work of ROC and the blog, possibly with a stall and a computer for people to browse.
Our Saturday event happens on the same day as the Black Women and the Radical Tradition conference
in New York (Kimberly presenting a paper on Olive there), so it would be great to emphasize on the day
and in advertising the link of Olive being remembered on the same days on both sides of the Atlantic.
It would also be good to bring some young peoplr from Brixton up to Manchester to connect with the
young people that Ruth had brought recently for a visit to Brixton. If Ruth has got not particular contact /
interest in any specific youth group from Brixton, we could approach Clapham Park Youth project (who
came to Black Panthers event and have funding).
Altair also made contact with Paul Kelleman, who was one of Olive’s lecturers and close friends with her.
He’d like to be involved and offered also to put us in touch with another person living now in Malaysa, who
worked with Olive on a campaign about abolishing overseas student fees.
ACTION: Altair will confirm the date with Ruth, ask if event can be posted on Urbis website, find out if event
can be a fundraiser, ticketing logistics and in general discuss what is possible / feasible.
ACTION: Draft of trip agenda for March meeting for confirmation.
8. Update on other research
Bibliography/Resource Library
Ashley is working with Ana Laura to compile a bibliography of resources on Olive. The bibliography includes
publications and repositories with information on Olive, and a wider set of references about her times and
the campaigns / organisations she was involved with. Ashley is in the process of adding to the blog what
has been compiled so far.
ACTION: Altair and Ashley will liaise to merge the info for Manchester.
ACTION: Ashley to continue to add existing biblio to blog and send link to ROC so other member can
suggest further sources.
ACTION: Kelly will email Ana Laura a list of BCA materials to add to ROC’s bibliography.
ACTION Kelly is still following up on getting tape from Black Panther event. Will pass contact details to Liz
and she’ll pick up the tapes herself from video man.
Olive Morris Garden (just to the back of Myats Field Estate)
Carolyn: Why’s it named after Olive? What’s the Council planning to do with it? Ana Laura had been
aware of the site for a while but never visited.
ACTION: Carolyn will investigate what is happening to the site and to think of some ideas on how we can
create some form of memorial there. (Some talk about Guerrilla gardening)
Black Women and the Radical Tradition (City University of New York)
Kimberly is attending and presenting on Olive. She’ll take merchandise and write up an announcement
for ROC blog about the conference.
Tara
Writing an article for for UK feminist blog F Word, about her involvement in the Olive Morris Project and ROC.
Rashmi
Editing sound recording from Panther event, and sound recording from Cemetery visit. Also did a written
summary of Black Panthers event
Sheila
Taking a radio for women course and interested in taking up the development of the series of radio
programmes that was one of the ideas in the original project proposal, but has not been able to be
included into last HLF application. There is already a structure drafter and expressions of interest from
Resonance FM, South City Radio and Soas Open Air Radio.
Hanna
Ana Laura has forwarded some links on Deprovera Jab – she will be researching that and writing up a blog
post about the Ban the Jab campaing. Also will look on how possible is to get access to Olive hospital
medical records.
Emma
Writing up a short biog on Olive for a handout and also contacting English Dictionary of Biography
Lisa
Writing an essay about Do you remember Olive Morris project for TINAG publication. She has interviewed
Ana Laura and requested interviews with Anna Colin, Kelly Foster and Liz Obi. The essay is a follow up on the
TINAG presentation of the project, on October 2008.
9. BCA Oral History of the Black Women’s Movement Project Update
Ego gave an update. She attended the volunteer training. Volunteers are varied in age and background.
She noted the value of black women simply getting together.
Ten interviewers and seven transcribers are now trained in oral history. Sheila and Ego from ROC are trained
up on the project. Interviews start in earnest next week.
All listed in last ROC minutes are on steering committee except for Stella Dadzie who is not in it anylonger,
but will be interviewed.
We’re awaiting list of interviewees from Mia Morris so that we can identify those who knew Olive. It would
be ideal to have an additional bit at the end of the interview that asks, “Do you remember Olive Morris?”.
This would give us a general sense and let us know who ROC would like to return to and ask more in-depth
questions, such as “How did you meet her?” and “What impact did she have on your life?” Kelly said the
interviews are already structured around a set of themes and it might not be possible to add a separate
theme on Olive, but perhaps questions about her can be spread throughout the interviews in a more
informal way.
ACTION: ROC members volunteering with ROC to liaise on both the list of interviewees and the way in which
they would be able to ask questions about Olive Morris.
10. International Women’s Day Events
14 February: Gender/Race/Class-Anti-Capitalist Feminist Conference - Kimberly, Ana Laura, and Carolyn
are attending and will rotate attending the stall.
6 March: Anne Ward-Lambeth event, we can have a stall.
12 March: Ana Laura organizing film screening of 1972 documentary on Nightcleaners; we can have a stall
there (at Area 10 in Peckham).
21 March: Ego is organizing a fundraiser for Lambeth Women’s Project at an adventure playground, would
be great to have ROC presence there.
26-28 March: ROC in Manchester.
28 March: Kimberly at Black Women and the Radical Tradition in NYC.
ACTION: Ana Laura to bring information about Southwark Council programme for Celebrating Women,
other ROC members to bring any other info on events that they might be attending.
11. Forthcoming events of interest
14 February: Gasworks opening a new exhibition by The Otolith Group.
6 February: Late at Tate: Including PV of Hurvin Anderson new paintings of barber shops, and the Black
Audio Film Collective curated by The Otolith Group.
12. Any other business
The group will reconvene on Tuesday, 3 March at 6.30 pm. Ana Laura will see if we can meet at Gasworks
so we can see the new exhibition. She will confirm the date and place.