Dizzy Gillespie is remembered not only for his genius as a trumpeter who broke new ground in jazz but also for his deep dedication to the teachings of Baha’u’llah. Reflecting on his life and accomplishments decades after his passing would be incomplete without acknowledging the Baha’i belief that most inspired and drove his work—that all…
David Kellum understood the importance of race unity. Around 1917, when he was about 14, a group of white kids attacked him in his hometown in Mississippi. That very night, David’s grandmother put him on a train to Chicago, so he could live with an aunt in the north. While in high school, David joined…
At the end of May 1921, the nation’s capital played host to a multiracial Interfaith Gathering the likes of which had rarely been seen in the segregated South. for 3 Days thousands of people assembled at the First Congregational Church of Washington DC. in the first-ever convention for Amity between the colored and white races….
Editor’s note: The historical inquiry into African Americans in the early U.S. Baha’i community is still unfolding. Here is a profile of Olive Jackson, who very well may be the first African American woman to embrace the Faith. In the early summer of 2020, people around the world grappled with the social unrest and distress…
John Lewis, born on February 21, 1940, near Troy, Alabama, and who passed away on July 17, 2020, in Atlanta, Georgia, was more than just a civil rights leader and politician. He was the embodiment of courage, a symbol of unwavering dedication to justice, and the “conscience of Congress.” His life story, from the segregated…
The Nicholas Brothers were a duo of dancing brothers, Fayard and Harold, who excelled in a variety of techniques, including a highly acrobatic technique known as “flash dancing”. With a high level of artistry and daring innovations, they were considered by many to be the greatest tap dancers of their day. Their performance in the…
Few people know the story of Claudette Colvin: When she was 15, she refused to move to the back of the bus and give up her seat to a white person — nine months before Rosa Parks did the very same thing. Most people know about Parks and the Montgomery, Ala., bus boycott that began…
Four gatherings. Three days. One September weekend. Fifty-eight young people from western Washington came together with shared curiosity anchored in a quest to learn about the nuances of Bahá’í elections—what sets them apart from other electoral processes and, significantly, why they hold importance for youth. Helen Javid, of Seattle, serves the Bahá’í Faith as an…
Van Gilmer, renowned vocal soloist, composer, and choral director, serves as Music Director at the Bahá’í House of Worship. Gilmer came to Wilmette in 2005 at the invitation of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States, and has since then lovingly drilled the resident choir members, expanded their repertoire, and in…
Robert William Reneau, a musician, singer, dancer, composer, playwright, producer, artist, broadcaster, teacher and choreographer for many years in his native country of Belize, is considered a national treasure and a pillar of the country’s arts and culture. Honored as a Member of the Order of the British Empire, he performed before royalty and presidents,…
