Sally Morgan (artist)
Australian Aboriginal author, dramatist, and artist.
Her works are held in numerous private and public collections in Australia and around the world. She is best known for her 1987 multiple biography *My Place*, which sold over half a million copies in Australia and was published internationally, revealing the history of the Stolen Generations.
- field
- Author, dramatist, artist
- nationality
- Australian Aboriginal (Bailgu people)
- known_for
- My Place (1987), art in national and international collections
Lore & Background
Her mother, a member of the Bailgu people, grew up in the Parkerville Children's Home as part of the Stolen Generations. As a child, Morgan was unaware of her Aboriginal heritage, being told by her mother that she was of Indian-Bangladeshi descent; she learned the truth at age 15. After working as a clerk and laboratory assistant, she earned a B.A. in psychology from the University of Western Australia in 1974, followed by postgraduate diplomas in counselling psychology, computing, and library studies. She married Paul Morgan in 1972; they later divorced and have three children, all of whom have co-authored works with her.
Reader's Guide
Morgan's significance lies in her role as a chronicler of Aboriginal experience, particularly through *My Place*, which brought widespread attention to the Stolen Generations. The book won the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission humanitarian award in 1987 and the Order of Australia Book Prize in 1990. Her second biography, *Wanamurraganya*, also won a Human Rights award. She has collaborated on children's books with illustrator Bronwyn Bancroft and serves as director of the Centre for Indigenous History and the Arts at the University of Western Australia. Her works are held in collections including the Australian National Gallery and the Muscarelle Museum of Art.
Did You Know?
- Morgan learned she was of Aboriginal descent at age 15, having been told she was of Indian-Bangladeshi heritage.
- Her mother Gladys grew up in the Parkerville Children's Home as part of the Stolen Generations.
- Three of her siblings are an academic, a child psychiatrist (first Indigenous Australian medical doctor), and a playwright.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Sally Morgan (artist) best known for?
Her 1987 multiple biography *My Place* is her signature work, a deeply personal account that illuminated the Stolen Generations era for a broad readership. The book sold more than half a million copies in Australia and went on to be published in numerous countries.
What is Sally Morgan (artist)'s cultural background?
Morgan belongs to the Bailgu people of Western Australia and identifies as Australian Aboriginal. Her creative output draws on that heritage, giving voice to intergenerational experiences that had long been absent from mainstream Australian narratives.
Where can Sally Morgan (artist)'s work be found?
Her paintings and other artworks are held in a wide range of public and private collections across Australia and internationally. This broad institutional presence underscores her standing as a significant figure in contemporary Indigenous art.
Why is Sally Morgan (artist) considered important to Australian and Indigenous storytelling?
By combining autobiography, drama, and visual art, she created a multi-layered record of Stolen Generations history that reached far beyond academic or community circles. Her work helped shift public understanding in Australia and introduced global audiences to a pivotal chapter of the country's past.
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