Lights of the Spirit:

The Gift of African American

Baha’isin North America

Pupil of the Eye

“O thou who hast an illumined heart! Thou art even as the pupil of the eye, the very wellspring of the light, for God's love hath cast its rays upon thine inmost being and thou hast turned thy face toward the Kingdom of thy Lord.

      Intense is the hatred, in America, between black and white, but my hope is that the power of the Kingdom will bind these two in friendship, and serve them as a healing balm.”

Special Role and Capacities

“Thou art like unto the pupil of the eye which is dark in colour, yet it is the fount of light and the revealer of the contingent world.”

“Bahá'u'lláh...once compared the colored people to the black pupil of the eye surrounded by the white. In this black pupil is seen the reflection of that which is before it, and through it the light of the spirit shineth forth.”

“The qualities of heart so richly possessed by the Negro are much needed in the world today -- their great capacity for faith, their loyalty and devotion to their religion when once they believe, their purity of heart. God has richly endowed them, and their contribution to the Cause is much needed...”

1st African- American Baha’i

• 1898 - Robert Turner • Butler of Mrs. Phoebe Hearst • Visited ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the Holy

Land from December 10, 1898 into 1899

1st African- American Baha’i

‘Abdu’l-Bahá: “if he remained firm and steadfast until the end, he would be the door through which a whole race would enter the Kingdom.”

Early African-American Baha'i Women

1st: Olive Jackson of NYC in 1899 “. . .the first generation of African-American women Bahá’ís set out to claim for themselves and their loved ones a new religion that offered spiritual nourishment particularly for the weary and downtrodden.” Olive Jackson and her successors “the foremothers of modern-day black feminists.”

Early African-American Baha'i Women

Harriet Marshall (1868-1941) extremely educated woman B of Music from Oberlin Conservatory(piano, pipe organ, voice)Founded Washington Conservatory of Music in 1903 – “a landmark in the history of black education”Became Baha'i in 1912

Early African-American Baha'i Women

Dorothy Champ (1893-1974)Designer, singer, model, dancer Joined the Bahá’í Faith in 1919 Lifelong Baha'i lecturer & teacher 1st African American elected to Local Spiritual Assembly of Bahá’ís of NYC

Louis Gregory

Prominent African American lawyer/activist

Became leading Bahá’í speaker, writer, administrator

Proponent of race unity and equality 1stAfrican American elected to Baha'i

US/Canada national governing body 1st African American Hand of Cause of

God Central to the development of race

unity in the Baha'i Community

Louis Gregory: Early Years

Born in Charleston, SC – 6 June1874 2nd son Mary Elizabeth & Ebenezer

George Father died – deep poverty ensued Elizabeth married George Gregory in

1881- "a real father" to Louis- supported and provided for educationGraduated:

Avery Normal Institute -June 1891 Fisk University, Nashville, TN -BD in 1896

Louis Gregory: Education/Law

Howard University School of Law -Washington DC -1902 – 1 of 20

"The Growth of Peace Laws" commencement address

Admitted to the bar: District of Columbia 10/1902 United States Supreme Court 3/1907

Successfully practiced law, privately and in government service

Actively involved in Civil Rightsprotested racial segregation and the

infringement of civil right "radical," - "program of fiery agitation.““given up” on finding truth in religion

Louis Gregory: Becoming a Baha'i

Encounter with the Baha'i Faith Video clip (15-22) 1907 – Baha'i talk by Lua Getsinger Studied Baha’i Faith for 1.5 yrs - Pauline & Joseph

Hannen Became a Bahá’í in June 1909 "It comes to me that I have never taken occasion to

thank you specifically for all your kindness and patience, which finally culminated in my acceptance of the great truths of the Baha'i Revelation. It has given me an entirely new conception of Christianity and of all religion, and with it my whole nature seems changed for the better. . . . It is a sane and practical religion, which meets all the varying needs of life, and I hope I shall ever regard it as a priceless possession."

Baha'i Faith and Racial Equality Did not set aside commitment to racial equality & social

justice Did not distance himself from those working for change Placed it within a universal context:

the establishment of a world order encompassing all peoples, founded on faith in a Supreme Being and an ennobling vision of human destiny.

Louis Gregory: Race Unity1st Act: Confront de facto

segregation in DC Baha'i communitySome Baha'i meetings

integrated/Some notBaha'i Teachings vs. Social Convention

Louis Gregory: Race Unity

‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s support of Gregory:1909 - 1st letter "I hope that thou mayest become . . . the means whereby the white and colored people shall close their eyes to racial differences and behold the reality of humanity.”1911 - Gregory 1st African American Bahá’í pilgrim, at express invitation

Profound transformative spiritual impactAbdu’l-Baha focus: “American race

problem”Guidance: “Work for unity and harmony

between the races.”

Louis Gregory: Race Unity

1912 – Abdu’l Baha’s visit to US: April 23 -Washington DC:

Rankin Chapel at Howard UniversityBethel Literary & Historical

Association – Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal

Church

Example of modeling, in words and deeds

Abdu’l-Bahá’s NAACP talkHandel Hall, Chicago, Illinois

- 1912Excerpt: “Can we apply the test of racial color and say that man of a certain hue — white, black, brown, yellow, red — is the true image of his Creator? We must conclude that color is not the standard and estimate of judgment and that it is of no importance, for color is accidental in nature. The spirit and intelligence of man is essential, and that is the manifestation of divine virtues, the merciful bestowals of God, the eternal life and baptism through the Holy Spirit. Therefore, be it known that color or race is of no importance. He who is the image and likeness of God, who is the manifestation of the bestowals of God, is acceptable at the threshold of God — whether his color be white, black or brown; it matters not. Man is not man simply because of bodily attributes. The standard of divine measure and judgment is his intelligence and spirit.”

Louis Gregory: Marriage Abdu’l-Baha encouraged marriage of Louis

Gregory and Louise Mathew Met on pilgrimage in 1911

“If you have any influence to get the races to intermarry, it will be very valuable”

Friendship only Met again in 1912 -Abdu’l-Bahá’s visit to the

US Relationship developed into love

Married in quiet ceremony in NYC on 27 Sept 1912 1st interracial Bahá’í couple Opposing negative rhetoric on "race mixing" Criminal offense in much of the nation

Abdu’l-Baha: "an introduction to the accomplishment" of fellowship between the races no children of their own enriched the lives of many young people source of strength to many Baha'i interracial

couples

. ‘

1st Race Amity Conference – May 21 1921

“Convention for Amity Between the Colored and White Races Based on Heavenly Teachings”

Agnes Parsons, at Abdu’l-Baha’s request

Louis Gregory and Alain Locke

Race Amity Conferences1st - Old First Congregational Church,Washington D.C.

May 21, 1921 - 1500 people attended– The Howard University chorus– Violin by Joseph Douglas, Frederick Douglas’

grandson

2nd – Central High School Springfield, Massachusetts

December 5-6, 1921 – 1200 attended

Race Amity Conferences Race Amity were continued for decades Universal House of Justice asked for their

renewal New initiatives continue to develop

today

Abdu’l-Baha and Louis Gregory

Tablet from ‘Abdu’l-Baha to Louis Gregory – 1919Strive with heart and soul in order to bring about union and harmony among the white and the colored and prove thereby the unity of the Baha'i world wherein distinction of color finds no place but their hearts only are considered. Praise be to God, the hearts of the friends are united and linked together, whether they be from the Orient or the Occident, from North or from South, whether they be German, French, Japanese, American, and whether they pertain to the white, the red, the yellow or the brown race. Variations of color, of land and of race are of no importance in the Baha'i Movement; on the contrary Baha'i Unity overcomes them all and does away with all these fancies and imaginations.

And in His last tablet to Louis Gregory: “Praise be unto God … that thou hast called the people to the oneness of the world of humanity… Praise be unto God that thou hast gathered the colored and the white, the Jew and the Christian at the fountain of the oneness of mankind. It is my hope that thou wilt always be confirmed.”

Louis Gregory: Position in the Community

1912 National Bahá’í Convention:– elected to Executive Board of Bahá’í

Temple Unity 1922 elected to National Spiritual

Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada

One of few African Americans elected to national leadership in any interracial organization in the U.S. early 20th century

Served on NSA for 14 years Several elections - received

highest or 2nd highest # of votes

“To Move the World”

African American Baha’is in the U.S.

Some Early Baha'is:– Robert Turner & Olive Jackson– Harriet Marshall & Dorothy

Champ– Louis Gregory

Some Later Baha’is:• Robert Hayden• Dizzy Gillespie• Dr. Ellie Austin

Poet Robert Hayden 1913-1980

Born in Detroit – poverty, racism, violence

Professor 34 yrs – Fisk U & U of Michigan Became a Baha'i in 1943:

– “I believe in the essential oneness of all people and I believe in the basic unity of all religions. I don’t believe races are important; I think that people are important.”

– Bahá’u’lláh “architect of our hope of peace.”

– felt “sustained in my attempts to be a poet” due to the Bahá’í belief that writing “is of spiritual value and it is a way of performing some kind of service.”

– “May you walk with beauty before you, beauty behind you, all around you, and The Most Great Beauty keep you His concern.”

Poet Robert Hayden 1913-1980

Honors:1966: Grand Prize Poetry – 1st World Festival of Negro Arts Ballad of Remembrance.

1976: Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress (Poet Laureate)

Poetry is wide-ranging– tributes to black leaders– folklore, politics

Those Winter Sundays

Sundays too my father got up early and put his clothes on in the blueblack cold, then with cracked hands that achedfrom labor in the weekday weather made banked fires blaze. No one ever thanked him.

I'd wake and hear the cold splintering, breaking.

When the rooms were warm, he'd call, and slowly I would rise and dress, fearing the chronic angers of that house,

Speaking indifferently to him, who had driven out the cold

and polished my good shoes as well. What did I know, what did I know of love's austere and lonely offices?

Poet Robert Hayden 1913-1980

Frederick Douglass

When it is finally ours, this freedom, this liberty, this beautiful

and terrible thing, needful to man as air,   usable as earth; when it belongs at last to all,   when it is truly instinct, brain matter, diastole, systole,   reflex action; when it is finally won; when it is more   than the gaudy mumbo jumbo of politicians:   this man, this Douglass, this former slave, this Negro   beaten to his knees, exiled, visioning a world   where none is lonely, none hunted, alien,   this man, superb in love and logic, this man   shall be remembered. Oh, not with statues’ rhetoric,   not with legends and poems and wreaths of bronze

alone, but with the lives grown out of his life, the lives   fleshing his dream of the beautiful, needful thing.#

John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie

1917-1993King of Bebop9th child of bricklayerWorld famous trumpeterLast living great of bebop pioneersSelf-taught musicianCharismatic performerTeacher, MentorFierce opponent of racism

Became Baha’i in 1968 at the age of 51

"Becoming a Baha'i changed my life in every way and gave me a new concept of the relationship between God and his fellow man - man and his family"

Dizzy Gillespie 1917-1993

Toured the world teaching the Faith

“The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens”

"When God gave us our diversity, he gave us a beautiful thing. Musicians deal with that all the time. Music is a universal language, a way of relating to God.“

“…as a musician Dizzy related to people from all backgrounds and treated them as creatures of God"

Dizzy VideoClip

Dr. Elsie Austin -1908-2004

Pioneer in the civil rights movement 1930 - 1st African American woman

graduate U of Cincinnati’s College of Law

Impressive legal career 1st African American woman to serve as

Assistant Attorney-General, State of Ohio

U.S. Information Agency10 years in Africa: cultural & educational

programs. Co-founded African & American

Women’s Association Active member NAACP in Columbus,

Ohio

Dr. Elsie Austin -1908-2004

Racism – question God and ReligionBecame a Baha'i at age 26Served on National Spiritual Assembly

1946-1954Shared Bahá’u’lláh’s vision of oneness:

-US, Morocco, Nigeria, Kenya, Bahamas, Israel Video Clip

Dr. Elsie Austin -1908-2004

70 yrs after classroom, Dr. Austin lectured about the necessity protesting nonviolently for justice:

“If we go about it with faith, …with intelligent protest, standing up and demonstrating what the right attitude and motivation is for human progress, we can cause progress.

"After all, the battle we face is essentially a spiritual battle to transform the souls and spirits of human beings,” she said, “to empower them to express love and justice, and to develop a unity of conscience

Dr. Elsie Austin -1908-2004

Universal House of Justice: “…the shining example of her sacrificial life will remain a source of inspiration to her fellow believers for generations to come.”

video

Lights of the Spirit

ResourcesA vision of Race Unity - great historical site http://visionofraceunity.wordpress.com/‘Abdu’l-Baha’s Initiative on Race from 1921: Race Amity Conferences. Video

Documentary. Regional Baha'i Council of the Southern States, 2003.Buck, C. Alain Locke: Faith and Philosophy. Los Angeles, CA: Kalimat Press, 2005Etter-Lewis, G. and Thomas, R. (eds.) Lights of the Spirit: Historical Portraits of Black

Baha’is in North America 1898-2000. Wilmette, IL: Baha'i Publishing 2006.Morrison, G. To Move the World: Louis Gregory and the Advancement of Racial Unity in

America. Wilmette, IL: Baha’I Publishing Trust, 1982.The Power of Unity: Beyond Prejudice and Racism. (compiled by Taylor, B.). Wilmette, IL:

Bahai Publishing Trust, 1986. The Pupil of the Eye: African Americans in the World Order of Baha’u’llah (compiled by

Taylor, B.). Rivera Beach, FL: Palebra, 1998. Contemporary Race Amity Activities: National Center for Race Amity http://www.wheelock.edu/ncra/ National Race Amity

Conferences http://raceamity.org/ and http://raceamity.org/2011-program/ and http://bahaiviews.blogspot.com/2011/04/on-national-race-amity-conference-in.html

Ideas for action http://www.bahai.us/2011/08/05/stories-of-reconciliation-ideas-for-action-at-race-amity-conference/

Media Clips Used: • Dizzy Gillespie with Seals and Crofts, Part 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=NFIbKQSUnO4&feature=plcp&context=C319487eUDOEgsToPDskI7fbxqTwhPIXaXDuvP2Axi• Dr. Elsie Austin Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=uJcMpqW3j8E&feature=BFa&list=PL2695D1618F098AF5&lf=PlayList • NPR “Poetry Out Loud’ Winner Reads “Frederick Douglass”

http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=90078073&m=90078050

• The Voices of Baha – We Are Soldiers http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVn-3rhKn9k