1940

Centuries:	19th century 20th century 21st century
Decades:	1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s
Years:	1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943
Categories:	Births - Deaths - Declarations Establishments - Publications
Media:	1940 (Events)

1940 was a leap year of the Gregorian calendar, the 1940th year of the Common Era (CE), the 40th year of the 20th century, and the 1st year of the 1940s decade. 1940 corresponds to the years 96–97 of the Bahá'í Era (BE) according to the Badi calendar.

Wilmette Temple, October, 1940.

Events

• February 9: The monuments of Navváb and the Purest Branch are dedicated at a ceremony in Haifa.
• June 30: George Townshend preaches a sermon in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, proclaiming the Bahá’í Faith to the congregation.

Travels of Shoghi Effendi

• May 15: Shoghi Effendi leaves Haifa for Italy with Rúḥíyyih Khánum, arriving in Rome a few days later.
• May 25: Shoghi Effendi leaves Italy for France, accompanied by Rúḥíyyih Khánum and William Maxwell, travelling by train to Paris. A few days later, Italy enters World War II against the Allies.
• June 2: After waiting a week in the French port of Saint-Malo, Shoghi Effendi and his companions board a boat for Southampton, England. The following day, German troops march into Saint-Malo.
• July 28: After great difficulty securing safe passage due to increasing German attacks during the Battle of Britain, Shoghi Effendi and his companions leave England, sailing for Cape Town, South Africa. Less than six weeks later, German forces begin the Blitzkrieg—the systematic mass bombing of London and other major ports and industrial centres.
• August-November: Shoghi Effendi and his companions travel across Africa from south to north, passing through the Belgian Congo, Sudan and Egypt on their way back to Haifa.

Establishments

Local Spiritual Assemblies

Americas

• Buenos Aires, Argentina.
• Bahia, Brazil.
• Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
• Alhambra, California, USA.
• Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
• Beverly Hills, California, USA.
• Big Bear Lake, California, USA.
• Brookline, Massachusetts, USA.
• Burbank, California, USA.
• Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
• North Augusta, South Carolina, USA.
• Oak Park, Illinois, USA.
• Omaha, Nebraska, USA.
• Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
• Santa Barbara, California, USA.
• Santa Rosa, California, USA.
• Waukegan, Illinois, USA.
• West Haven, Connecticut, USA.

Australasia

• Yerrinbool, NSW, Australia.

Europe

• Lyon, France.

Births

• Edward Tabe, Knight of Bahá’u’lláh British Togoland.

Deaths

Grave of May Maxwell, 1940.

• March 1: May Maxwell, early American Bahá’í, and mother of Rúḥíyyih Khánum.

Publications

• The Chosen Highway by Lady Blomfield.

References

• Baha'i News (1940). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada. No 136, Pg(s) 4-6 March 2019‎‎. View as PDF.