Although she was a native of Mississippi, Lois Morris moved to Louisville in 1955 and became well-known as a community activist.  Her many activities gained her the nickname, “The Lady Who Cared.”  Her list of memberships on boards and commissions and in organization in Louisville and around the nation attests to her strong belief in making change.  She was particularly involved in movements to improve the lives of African Americans, women, and others living in states of oppression, and focused her efforts on issues such as human rights, housing, and public accommodations.  She founded National Black Women for Political Action, as well as the Louisville chapter of the National Council of Negro Women. 

  Morris ran in the Democratic primary for Mayor of Louisville in 1977 and was unsuccessful.  However, as Anne Braden said of her at her memorial service, “She was a  politician who cared more about being right than getting elected to public office.”

  Lois Morris’ papers are now in the University Archives and Records Center of the University of Louisville Women's Manuscript Collections Project.