Herman Ouseley was born in British Guiana in 1945 and moved to Britain as a child, going on to build a career in local government and public administration before rising to lead national efforts on race equality.
Ouseley was appointed chair of the Commission for Racial Equality in 1993, leading the organisation through much of the 1990s as it worked to enforce and strengthen Britain's race relations legislation.
In 1993 Ouseley also founded what became known as Kick It Out, a campaign against racism in English football that grew into one of the sport's most established anti-discrimination organisations.
Ouseley was made a life peer, sitting in the House of Lords, and continued to campaign on race equality issues until his death in 2024.
His decade leading the Commission for Racial Equality placed him at the centre of Britain's institutional fight against discrimination.
Herman Ouseley's leadership of the Commission for Racial Equality and his founding of the anti-racism campaign now known as Kick It Out placed him at the centre of Britain's institutional fight against discrimination for over three decades.
- 1945Born in British Guiana.
- 1993Appointed Chair of the Commission for Racial Equality.
- 1993Founds the campaign that becomes Kick It Out.
- 2000Steps down as CRE chair; made a life peer.
- 2024Dies.
- ★ Chaired the Commission for Racial Equality through the 1990s
- ★ Founded the anti-racism campaign that became Kick It Out
- ★ Made a life peer in the House of Lords
- ★ Campaigned on race equality for over three decades