Coverage of the Bahá’í Faith and Bahá’ís in the ''News and Observer'' of Raleigh, North Carolina

Coverage of the Bahá'í Faith and Bahá'ís in the News and Observer of Raleigh, North Carolina under the editorship of Jonathan W. Daniels from 1948 to 1968, and Claude Sitton from 1971-1990, and progressive thought though previously it had helped support the Democratic Party and the Old South stances on race under Daniels' father.

Long before there was a sustained community of Bahá'ís in Raleigh there were occasional mentions of individuals known to be related to the Faith or actual mentions of the religion - however these mentions were only every few years though occasionally there would be a few on the scale of months. There was no coverage yet found of Abdu'l-Bahá's journeys to the West, but there was a cluster of mentions in 1919 and then a more sustained set of mentions in 1938 when Bahá'ís Terah Cowart Smith and Marguerite Reimer came though it was unsaid they had come to work with Sarah Martin Eason, later known as Sarah Pereira. Lastly the Bahá'ís begin to begin to be sustained again in 1954 just as their presence became permanent.

With the presence of pioneers Frances Falvey and Mrs. H. F. Wilson first, and soon added to by people like Ludmila Van Sombeek, the Brodies, Glenford Mitchell, and other unnamed people, the community rose towards having an Assembly in 1957 just after starting to use the home on Van Dyke Ave. as a host of many meetings, supplemented by the Brodie home, and others occasionally. The names of speakers of events was most common especially from 1957 through 1968 but began to be less reported into the 1970s. Speakers of events or hosts of events began to be unnamed from the mid-1960s. By the 1970s contact information for those wanting to attend a meeting were less and less noted in coverage. Some 46 speakers at events were named though none more than three times. Higher numbers of speakers were reported for 1958 with eight named and in 1965 with seven named.

Chairs of the assembly were most often of the named members but even they are not frequently named:

• 1957 - Orpha Daughterty
• 1958 - Glennford Mitchell
• 1959?
• 1960 - Ruth Meurer
• 1961?
• 1962 - Ruth Meurer
• 1963 - Margaret Quance
• 1964?
• 1965?
• 1966 - Frances Falvey
• 1967?
• 1968?
• 1969?
• 1970?
• 1971?
• 1972 - Greg Dahl
• 1973?
• 1974?
• 1975?
• 1976?
• 1977?
• 1978 - Thomas Moore

Only in 1957 was the secretary of the assembly named: Frances Falvey.

Occasionally delegates elected to go to the national convention occasionally named:

• 1943?
• 1944?
• 1945?
• 1946?
• 1947?
• 1948?
• 1949 - Mildred Danford
• 1950?
• 1951?
• 1952?
• 1953?
• 1954?
• 1955 - William M. Tucker
• 1956 - Jack Davis

…

• 1980 - Persian-American Ezzatullah Rassekh of Cary and African American Robert Barnes of Williamston
• 1991 - Mehrdad Ahdieh

Bahá'í seasonal schools were sometimes noted:

• 1954?
• 1955 2nd Blue Ridge Conference
• 1956?
• 1957?
• 1958?
• 1959?
• 1960?
• 1961?
• 1962 Frogmore, SC
• 1963?

…

• 1979?
• 1980 HBCU Livingstone College in Salisbury

From 1957 to 1967 three was an average of 9-10 mentions of the Faith or known Bahá'ís per year but also around 5-6 months were no mention of the religion or known Bahá'ís took place.

In 1968 and into 1969 there was probably an individual initiative of over 80 mentions, almost daily for many months, in the News and Observer personals in addition to events covered elsewhere in the newspaper. Never the less the month of June had no mentions in 1968 yet identified though 1969 had no months without some mention. However that seems to mark a change of era because from 1970 to about 1976 activity drops to about 4 per year and actually drops to single mentions known so far in the entire year for 1972 and 1974, when they return nearly to the 1957-67 level, and then rise again in 1982-4. Much of the rise of a television show on then-named WPTF channel 28 but some was also because of the coverage of the persecution of the Bahá'ís in Iran. Mentions again dropped from 1988 to 1991 and rose again in 1992 though there was no mention of the Second World Congress.

Pre-community era

Connections

North Carolinian, out of New Bern, Hugh L. Cole, husband of later Bahá'í, Helen Ellis Cole, was mentioned in Raleigh for his involvement in a few cases of publicity in the News and Observer (N&O) that also involved Southerns in the 1880s, as well as being in an 1892 collection of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill portraits as a graduate. Later Helen was a benefactor of Green Acre, and Lua Getsinger.

Later Bahá'í, African American Frederick Sadgwar, was published among the cofounders of a livery company in Wilmington and was listed in the News and Observer in 1897, just a year before the Wilmington insurrection of 1898.

Another Southerner, from Clayton, was mentioned among the transcendentalists at Green Acre in Maine in 1900, the year of Sarah Farmer's pilgrimage seeing 'Abdu'l-Bahá in the spring and then being in France in the summer. The summer 1900 program at Green Acre went on without Farmer, though the Monsalvat school, her particular innovation, was suspended that year. Farmer returned to the United States in November. Reference to a musical performance at Green Acre was mentioned in November, 1901.

Soon Bahá'í Joseph H. Hannen in DC sent advertising recommendations to Raleigh for the promotion of a new air travel company he worked with at the time in late 1901. Another Bahá'í connection came in 1907 when Clementine Kay Plummer, who was later executrix of Pocahontas Pope's will, was here noted married in the N&O.

Coming close

Joseph H. Hannen, now a Bahá'í, gave a couple health oriented talks to ladies groups in Raleigh in 1908.

A 1912 profile of Babís in Iran was summarized in a N&O story as part of a series on obscure religious communities. It was very focused on Iran and almost without reference to Bahá'ís and being in America. The writer observed: “Striking parallels to the origin and early development of Christianity…" and mentioned various named and events in the history - 'Shaikh Armed’…Ali Mohammed… Mulla Husain… martyrdom, …Mirza Yahya,… attempted to assassinate,…." - as well as commenting on the teachings of the religion as: "The Babi doctrines are essentially a system of Pantheism with additions…. Moses, Christ, and Mohammed…. The morals of the sect are good. The faith of the Bab has found a few adherents in America, like other Oriental religions, which have sent their apostles to this country."

In 1913 Rev. John Herman Randall, long associated with the Faith and a Christian reformer, was noted in the N&O speaking at Meredith College. In 1916 he came again this time giving the sermon for the graduation at Trinity College in Durham.

In March 1919 came a marker for the timing of Charles Mason Remey’s tour of the South was in the newspaper in later March. By June there was coverage of the Bahá'ís gathered at the national convention with a newspaper article covering the religion's ideals of support for world unity and coverage of Ahmad Sohrab bringing tablets to the meeting from 'Abdu’l-Bahá. A few days later Rev. Randall returned to speak for the Wake Forest commencement of 1919, and in 1921 he wrote an article that was published in the N&O talking about when "science will be truly religious".

In July 1924 the murder of American Vice Consul Robert Imbrie in Iran was reported - he had been mistaken for a Bahá'í. That mid-December Louis Gregory spoke at the black community St. Ambrose Church in Raleigh on the "Bahai movement" in the first public mention of the religion so far identified. A brief mention of 'Bahaism' returned in January 1925 amidst a review of diversity of religion in New York. That April was the notice of the birth of later Bahá'í Bill Tucker.

In 1928 Gregory was back and spoke at the Shaw University Chapel through the YMCA on the Bahá'í Faith - this was just a few years before Sarah Pereira came. Still before Pereira came there was a brief question in a Q&A section in late 1930 on “what is the religious teaching called Unity?… is it related to the cult of Sufi?” which was interpreted to refer to the Bahá'í Faith in which the answerer covered some of the Babí-Bahá'í history and basic ideas of the religion, and in mid-1932 a columnist reviewed the religious landscape of New York noting the Bahá'ís briefly among the diversity of the unusual. In February 1934 Ahmad Sohrab performed a Bahá'í wedding in New York covered in the N&O. In April coverage and summary of Bahá'í Stanwood Cobb’s presentation at UNC Chapel Hill on “The Cause of Baha’u’llah is the same as they Cause of Christ” and summarized teachings and history of the Faith. In August an article briefly mentions later Bahá'í Joseph J. Sawyer, husband of Louise Sawyer, and how he was in charge of a federal contract of a construction job. In 1936, about the time of Pereira's coming to Shaw, an obituary covered Mrs. Hooper Harris unexpected death in Washington, North Carolina; she had been a frequent visitor from New York for decades and her body was transported back to New York for burial by her niece Mrs. B. Robin Hood. She was Sarah Gertrude Rawls Harris; she had organized the first Bahá'í women's groups in New York in the summer of 1901 and who's family had been sponsored by the Bahá'ís when Hooper had gone abroad for the Faith with Harlan Over in 1906. The Harris' son Erwin had died during service in World War I, for whom 'Abdu'l-Bahá had written a memorial tablet. Harris had helped Remey on this trip south and perhaps others.

Teaching campaign

Though Sarah Pereira wasn't mentioned Terah Cowart Smith and Marguerite Reimer had placed advertisements in February 1938 with articles of talks at Sir Walter Hotel, then Carolina Pines Hotel, and then the Carolina Hotel, on the Bahá'í Faith including “World Peace and the Brotherhood of Man”, “The Impending World Crisis”, and “The New World Order” across February into March. They were finishing talks in March, though they’d been in Raleigh since January. In July a review of the progress of the Bahá'í House of Worship was carried through UP news service. In September later Bahá'í Joseph Sawyer Sr got a contract for a building in Lumberton. In 1940 the project was done and, now just a few years before coming to the Faith, were noted in the Lumberton construction project of the new Armory building.

In May 1942 soon Bahá'í, we don't know the date, Mary Ann Lefler was at North Carolina Merchants Association. In June K. R. Kayes reviewed Ahmad Sohrab’s “Broken Silence” as a “very poor” book about his views of recent history of the Faith (he was now a covenant breaker), which was followed by May 1943 of another of Ahmad Sohrab’s book about the “excommunication” of Shoghi Effendi’s brother Rubi Effendi Afnan which again is called ”not a book that would appeal to the majority of people”.

In August 1944 came news that Bahá'í W. Kenneth Christian was joining East Carolina College in Greenville, which news continued in September. He was there for the 1944-45 school year and resigned in August 1945. Before coming he had given a talk at the May 1944 Bahá'í Centenary program. During his time there he had a short piece "Thanksgiving" published in World Order. In the fall after leaving he was a member of the Louhelen Bahá'í School committee, and was elected to the national assembly in 1946.

In 1946 an article covered a diversity of religions in New York and again briefly noted the Bahá'ís.

Bahá'í Joseph Sawyer Sr was killed in a car accident and Louise was hospitalized in late October 1948.

In February 1949 there was a notice that UNC student Mildred Danford was elected to be delegate to the national convention.

In January 1950 a newspaper Q&A section discussed the age of the Bahá'í Faith.

In 1951 Eleanor Roosevelt commented about an event she attended in Brussels of religious diverse people including Bahá'ís but that the overall atmosphere was too intellectual and should have been more spiritual however difficult it is to divest the gathering the evidence of one’s eyes from favoritism. In 1952 there was a brief mention of a Bahá'í group formed in Singapore about children.

Coming to Raleigh

The Bahá'í Area Committee posted a few notices with contact info from Riverdale, Maryland, for those “interested in science, religion, and the unity of mankind” in September 1954. Frances Falvey gave notice the observance of Proclamation Day, of the first US Bahá'ís, was going to be held and in the interview gave brief information and quotes though no place the event was going to be held. Walter Wootten, about the time he was a Bahá'í, was an actor in a Hickory Little Theatre company performance of "The Moon is Blue” in Raleigh. In December Falvey, then of W. Johnson St, and Mrs. Harold J. Wilson, of E. Park Dr, reported back from the state convention in Greensboro. Both were quoted referring to it and the progress of the religion as well as the news that William M. Tucker now from Rocky Mount was elected as delegate to the national convention.

Bahá'ís of Raleigh

Building an assembly

A color slide show of the Holy Land and the Bahá'í Temple near Chicago was shown at the Richard B. Harrison Library, named after Richard Berry Harrison, in earlier January, 1955. In March the Bahá'ís held World Youth Day at Shaw University with a panel coming from Chapel Hill, NCCU, and Shaw University presumably with the organizational opportunity based on Glenford Mitchell as a new student. In July Falvey announced the observance of the Martyrdom of the Báb at the Falvey home had been held (without mentioning the address.) In August Joseph Sawyer Jr, (Sr had died,) was mentioned from Durham graduating from Campbell College, and in early September Falvey and Mrs. H. F. Wilson returned from the second Blue Ridge Conference with Bahá'ís from 16 states attending. Paul Haney had given the keynote address as chair of the national assembly and recently appointed as a hand of the Cause entitled “Good human relations for World Unity" A couple weeks later came a brief review in the newspaper of the persecution of Bahá'ís in Iran was noted with censored details of the violence just as VP Nixon was arriving in Iran. That was also about the time Falvey gave an introduction at the Bahá'í meeting of Proclamation Day at the Wilson home on E. Park Dr. with a slide show “An armchair tour of the Temple” narrated by Mrs. Wilson. In later October Falvey announced the Bahá'ís were holding UN Day amidst breadth of events in the city. In November came a one sentence summary of the Faith’s history printed seemingly partly as space filler. Closing the year with a clear rise in activity and coverage Falvey was off to the state convention in Greensboro and had been living on W. Johnson St.

In January 1956 the home at 2402 Van Dyke Ave. had been in use by another family. It would soon and for some decades be a place of Bahá'í activity. In February a letter to the editor Falvey wrote about the Bahá'í support for the ideals of Brotherhood Week, a national attempt at religious and racial tolerance, and the respect due the religions, especially Jewish and Christian, and with a quote of Bahá’u’lláh. In April Falvey announced Jack Davis was the delegate to the national convention, that Ludmila Van Sombeek was going along, and summarized the major theme of the Ten Year World Spiritual Crusade. In May Falvey announced the observance of the (unnamed) Declaration of the Báb would be held though no contact information was mentioned, and late in the month Falvey shared the recent message of the national assembly about race that was published with many quotes. In June the Associated Press(AP) covered that a Hollywood Bahá'í couple had eloped but then had a Bahá'í marriage ceremony too. In November Charles Somers announced the Bahá'ís would observe the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh on West Johnson St - not far from NC State campus, and there was also news that Falvey and Somers went to the state convention in Greensboro.

In February 1957 came a letter to the editor by Falvey underscoring the Bahá'ís were joining in holding Negro History Week, the valuing of black history in America, and quoting Alain Locke. A couple days later Falvey then announced that the national assembly had asked Bahá'ís to hold Negro History Week events, including a quote, and noting there were some 1600 Bahá'í communities in the US. In March the 2402 Van Dyke Ave. home was open for rent. In April came the mention that Falvey had attended the national convention. And in May came the mention that Falvey, as secretary of the unnamed but new Spiritual Assembly of Raleigh, observed an anniversary of the religion (the unnamed Declaration of the Báb) at 2402 Van Dyke Ave.

First year of the assembly

The Bahá'ís held the observance of the Race Amity Day at 2402 Van Dyke Ave., followed by the Martyrdom of the Báb. In early August an article reviewed the challenge brought by former radio WPET announcer J. M. Davis Jr. to the Greensboro School Board about the non-re-hiring (aka firing) of Elah Cowart because she was handing out Bahá'í invitation flyers on her own time but using school equipment - though Davis believed it was because of her religion. Orpha Daughterty, listed as chair of the assembly in an article in later October, announced the community observance of UN Day at an interview, and in November gave a talk “What is a Baha’i?” at the 2402 Van Dyke Ave. home, followed by an assembly announcement that the observance of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh was going to be held though there was no location mentioned or contact information. A week later Mark Daugherty gave a talk “Pattern for future society” at 2402 Van Dyke Ave. And that year's first activities closed with Etta Woodlen, chair of the Interracial Committee of the national assembly and from Wilmington, Delaware, giving a talk at the Richard B. Harrison Library, entitled “Baha’i solutions for today’s problems” at South Blount St. January 1958 opened with the Bahá'ís holding the World Religion Day observance though the newspaper article didn’t mention where. In early April news came that the Greensboro Bahá'í assembly had encorporated; John M Davis Jr, Frances Pearce, F. Kimball Kinney noted by name.

later 1950s

About the second year of the assembly a mid-April Bahá'í panel meeting was held at the News and Observer Building on “The Problems of Modern Youth and Baha’i Solutions” approaching mid-April. In May came the report that Falvey had returned from the 50th national convention and an Intercontinental Conference. The convention was chaired by Charles Wolcott and the conference at the Eight Street Theater was for the Americas, including members of 11 of the national assemblies of the Americas, was led by Shoghi Effendi's representative Hand of the Cause Ugo Giachery along with Horace Holley, Leroy Ioas, John Robarts, Charles Mason Remey and Corrine True present at different events. In August comes the first mention of Marie Brodie who was giving a talk “The Bab - the Herald of the New Day” at the News and Observer Building. About weekly mentions began to occur. In October it begins with the first mention of Margaret Quance who spoke at a meeting “Do you know in what day you are living?” at 2402 Van Dyke Ave. A week later a mention in the N&O said the Bahá'ís would hold UN Week with a talk by Charles Blanchard talk at News and Observer Building. Another week later and Daughterty gave a talk “The Second Coming of Christ has already occurred” at the 2402 Van Dyke Ave home. Then came Ruth Meurer in early November, a pioneer from Augusta, Georgia, who gave a talk “One universal faith” at 2402 Van Dyke Ave. And “Glenn” Mitchell, named as chair of the assembly, spoke at the observance of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh at a home on Horne St. Now mid-November Marie Brodie returned to mention with a talk on “The Science of Prayer” at 2402 Van Dyke Ave. And closing November Orpha Daughterty gave a talk “The Agreement of Science and Religion” held at the 2402 Van Dyke Ave. December opened with mention of Raleigh Assembly Chair Glen Mitchell announcing that the Bahá'í state convention was going to be held in Greensboro, and then he reported of it broadly about the progress of the spiritual crusade started in 1953. The calendar year closed with a Bahá'í advert for golden rule among religions at Box 10281.

January 1959 opened with an advertisement in the form of an article reviewed the World Religion Day observance reported by Glenford Mitchell on the panel of speakers including Jack Davis. In March the Bahá'í New Year was held at 2402 Van Dyke with a talk by Mitchell. In early April Gail Curwin from Charlotte spoke at a meetings held at the News and Observer building on “The golden age of Baha’u’llah”. The next article in the N&O was in earlier November about a Q&A included briefly on the age of the Faith. The year's coverage closed in December with African American attorney Matthew Bullock set to talk at the 2402 Van Dyke “Center” noting he was a graduate of the law school at Harvard University and was in America from the Dutch West Indies where he was pioneering.

1960s

January 1960 opens with Helen G. Michaels of North Augusta, South Carolina, speaking on “Can the religions unite?” for World Religion Day at the News and Observer Building. A "Words for the World" series of advertisements with quotes and PO Box contact began in February and continued intermittently into December 1961. Inbetween there were other mentions of Bahá'í activities. In September 1960 the Raleigh Bahá'ís held World Peace Day in the News and Observer Building with Walter Wootten of Guilford County giving the talk. An AP story in early December summarized religions at the Woman’s College (Guilford College?) that included a single Bahá'í. A few days later Quance wrote a letter to the editor about the prospect of Human Rights Day though it doesn’t mention the Faith directly.

Ruth Meurer, now reported as chair of the assembly in January 1961, spoke for the World Religion Day observance at the News and Observer Building. In March, though typoed as “Naw Rub”, there was coverage of the Bahá'ís observing the new year though no contact information mentioned. In April Falvey was offered free tickets to the "All Hands on Deck" performance at the Ambassador Theater; her address then was on Horne St near NC State. Then in June Allan Ward came to talk on “Foundations of World Peace” at the News and Observer Building for the Bahá'ís. In September the Bahá'ís held World Peace Day with a talk by Terah Cowart Smith at the News and Observer Building. The year closed with mention of a talk by Shaw professor Carl DeVane for the Bahá'í Human Rights Day observance held at the News and Observer Building.

1962 mention related to the Faith came in March with a book review included Mitchell’s anthology Angry Black South. A few days later there was a brief mention of the Bahá'ei New Year was noted again without mention of contact information. In July now Assembly chair Ruth Meurer announced the Bahá'ís held the observance of the Martyrdom of the Báb at 2402 Van Dyke Ave. In August a list of some of the members of the Raleigh Assembly were noted going to the Frogmore Bahá'í Summer School in South Carolina: Frances Falvey, Elah Cowart, Fereydoun Jalali and Samuel Brodie. Approaching mid-September the Bahá'ís observed World Peace Day with talk by Terah Cowart Smith at Reedy Creek State Park, followed about a week later by a long advertisement publishing a Bahá'í prayer for humanity and that a meeting would cover “Baha’u’llah and the Christians” at the News and Observer Building in a week. This begins a series of advertisements culminating in talks given by Winston Evans. At first it was just a followup reviewing approving mentions of the Faith from notables. Evans was first mentioned in an advertisement 3 days later and was mentioned in articles of quotes and a meeting at the News and Observer Building plus other contact address on through mid-October. Walter Wootten was mentioned in October as director of the Alamance Battleground State Historic Site during the transfer of a Regulator Movement statue. Later in October a notice of Bahá'ís holding a peace prayer service for UN Week at 2402 Van Dyke Ave was published. In November Falvey spoke at the observance of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh and looked forward to the 1963 World Congress. And December closed with a mention of the Bahá'í observance of Human Rights Day at the 2402 Van Dyke Ave as well as the Brodie home with another observance set for the United Church and their speakers.

In January 1963 Matthew Bullock returned and gave talks at 2402 Van Dyke Ave and the Brodie home on Hadley, Rd. In March the Bahá'ís gathered to hear Dwight Allen in Durham including: Jean Brodie, Fereydoun Jalali, Samuel Brodie, Debabra Robinson, Clementine Wright, Marcia Merritt, Lizzie Philyshaw, and Frank Selfidvash. In Mary the Bahá'ís Falvey, Quance, Elah Cowart, and Jalali, so far positively identified, were among many cosigners (840) of a pledge to support businesses that abolish segregation. It is unknown how big the Bahá'í community was but this may be a majority of the non-black Bahá'ís of Raleigh at the time. In 1963 there were 4 Assemblies, 8 groups, and 5 isolated believers or around 85 Bahá'ís in the state but only Greensboro's assembly specially stated - the others included Raleigh and Durham the last remains unknown, possibly Charlotte, (Asheville's formed in 1964.) In June the Bahá'ís held a Race Amity Day picnic in Umstead Park with a talk by Jean Brodie. In September the Bahá'ís held World Peace Day at a meeting at the News and Observer Building, with panel of Rev S. Collins Kilburn and Terah Cowart Smith. In October it was mentioned that Quance was chair of the Assembly and that the UN Day community observance was to be held in the Reedy Creek State Park. That December Kathryn Potter and Carolyn Wootten spoke at the community observance of Human Rights Day at 2402 Van Dyke Ave.

January 1964 opened with the World Religion Day observance hosted with a talk by Ethelynne Thomas of Durham at 2402 Van Dyke Ave on “Unity in Religion”. In earlier March William Allison of Winston-Salem gave a fireside at the 2402 Van Dyke Ave home - he had been a pioneer in the Philippines. A week later the Bahá'ís held Naw Ruz at the 2402 Van Dyke Ave home. In May, Richard Groger, then chair of the San Francisco Assembly and of the Geyserville Bahá'í School Program and Maintenance Committee, spoke at meeting in News and Observer Building, and in July Ann Hayes and Margaret Jensen of Chicago gave a talk at 2208(?4?) Van Dyke Ave and at the Brodie home on Hadley Dr. Also in July it was mentioned in an article that Quance was president of the Raleigh Toastmistress Club, and she also attended a wedding. In October David Jurney gave a talk at 2402 Van Dyke Ave for UN Day.

In January 1965 Carlotta Holmes gave a talk “The Oneness of Religion” at the Student Union at NC State for World Religion Day. and in February came the obituary notice of Clarice McGee Tucker, mother of Bill Tucker, and listed as a Bahá'í in the Bahá'í News. A month later William Tucker was set to speak twice in Raleigh at the NC State student Union and at 242 Van Dyke Ave. home A week later came a notice that the state senate had taken up a bill for legal recognition of the Bahá'í wedding ceremony, was given a favorable report by the Judiciary Committee and was forwarded to the general senate after being introduced by Wake-and-Chatham senator Ruffin Bailey. The Bill was opposed by Foryth Representative Claude Hamrick in the House of Representatives. The bill passed in April. A week later Aux. Board member for propagation Albert James from Jessup, Maryland, spoke at the Brodie home on Hadley St. In mid-July the Baha’is (“Baha’i B’rith”) hosted Vedad Jurney giving a talk about the Holy Land at 2402 Van Dyke Ave, and late in July Thelma Allison of Durham gave a talk for the Bahá'ís at a meeting at the News and Observer Building. Andrew Allison of Durham gave a talk at the 2402 “Center” in August. A month later the Bahá'ís held World Peace Day with a talk by Coretha Lovell of Concord, Barber-Scotia College school nurse, at 2402 Van Dyke Ave home. Another month later F. Kimball Kinney of Greensboro gave a talk at the Lily of the Valley Baptist Church on Bloodworth St. for UN Day. In November the Bahá'ís observed the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh at the 2402 Van Dyke Ave home, and in December the Bahá'ís held Human Rights Day at Brodie home.

After a break in coverage of some months, in June 1966 there was a mention the Bahá'ís were holding a picnic at the Brodie home. In August there was coverage of the CBS show Lamp Unto My Feet episode “His Name Shall Be One” on the Faith echoed through UPI along with availability of magazines and books and a few of the teachings. A week later Falvey as Chair of the Assembly announced that Rachel Bell was heading a committee that was going to hold the community World Peace Day with assistance from Margaret Quance, noted living at 2402 Van Dyke Ave, Bruce Barick, then an NCState Senior, and Nancy Hockenbury. It was at a NC State Union and Governor Dan Moore had made a declaration of the day. Terah Cowart Smith was the speaker. In November Bill Tucker’s father died. George and Eleanor Rowland had a son at Rex Hospital later in November - they lived at 2402 Van Dyke Ave. at the time. Early December was the Bahá'í community observance of UN Human Rights Day at 2402 Van Dyke with a talk by Jean Norris (later Scales). And closing December Florence Mayberry gave a talk at the Student Union at NC State.

January 1967 opened with Van Sombeek showing slides of her trip to eastern Europe and Holy Land and spoke for the World Religion Day observance at the NCState Student Union building. Falvey was chair of the community at the time. In March Chapel Hillian Mrs William Maxwell gave a slide show about the New Year at the home of Bruce and Mrs. Barick on Lyon St. A month later Bruce Barick gave a talk at the Raleigh Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. Barick was called a computer programmer. After the summer, in October, there was notice that attending the Chicago Intercontinental Conference were: Bruce and Mrs Barick, of Lyon St, and Jalali and Falvey of 2402 Van Dyke Ave. A couple weeks later Key Mays of Woodbridge Virginia gave a talk at the Reedy Creek Park for the community observance of UN Day on “A United World - An Emerging Reality", and closing October came news of Fereydoun Jalali now at teacher at Greensboro A&T would give a talk at the Downtowner Motel on Bahá’u’lláh.

Raleigh Mayor Travis Tomlinson declared January 21, 1968, as World Religion Day and a statement about it was published and that the Baha’is would join in. The observance was a talk by Carolyn Wootten on “Many paths - one God” at 2402 Van Dyke Ave. A Bahá'í quote campaign was started in January as well, posted sometimes with a phone number or not was placed in the Personal Notices section and continued just in that format through August, when it changed alittle in September during the period at the State Fair with the Bahá'í booth. These Personals continued on their own and then back to mention of the booth into October, After a break they returned with ""Why Baha'i? The most CHALLENGING question of the 20th Century" in November. before going on to other quotes and themes starting in late November carrying on into mid-December. While all that was going on other notices occurred as well. A meeting was held at the 2402 Van Dyke Ave “Center” many times from April. A few days later a profile of Dizzy Gillespie mentioned he had joined the Faith and an anecdote of an exchange with his wife about it and goes on to review a few teachings and appears to refer to God Loves Laughter. In May Wayne Hoover from Portland, Maine (incorrect in article), spoke at 2402 Van Dyke Ave. In June Ali K. Kalantar talk at the home of C. A. & Mrs Ellingham on St. Mary’s St. The Bahá'ís were observing the centenary of the arrival of Bahá’u’lláh to the Holy Land at the Brodie home on Hadley Rd, at which Quance would talk on Bahá’u’lláh’s banishments. In September Jalali gave a talk for the World Peace Day observance at the 2402 Van Dyke Center - he had begun teaching at A&T. Things were then quiet until December when Clifford and Mrs. Ellingham on St. Mary’s St. hosted a talk by Ellen Parmelee coming from Winston-Salem on UN Human Rights Day, and an article of questions and answers had a summary of Vic Damone and his then new relationship with the Bahá'í Faith.

In January 1969 an advertisement opened the last year of the decade including quote and contact PO Box began that would continue until mid-September. Among those mentions there were others. In March Jalali wrote a letter to the editor about the treatment of people that had been evicted from a neighborhood. Also in March a youth program and talk was held at the Clifford and Mrs. Ellingham St Mary’s St home with college students from New York and Massachusetts. In June the Bahá'ís held Race Unity Day in Umstead Park with a talk by Henry Ginn of Savannah. In August a doctor's license for Ezzatollah Rassekh was listed. The Baha'is held World Peace Day with a program by Reuben E. and Mrs. Busby from Maryland on “Peace On Earth” at the News and Observer Building. The United Methodist Fairmont church hosted a Wesley Foundation invitation talk of the Bahá'í Faith in early October. Starting in mid-October the Bahá'ís had a booth at the State Fair. In November, the film A New Wind was continuously being shown at the NC State student union as an observance of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh, which has been posted to Youtube. It was mentioned again for the next few couple days. A few days later Dian Rassekh was quoted in the newspaper about commenting about Iranian senses of astrology but how it isn't popular any more. Then the Bahá'ís hosted panel of women at 2402 Van Dyke home. In December Dian Rasskeh and Larry Miller among attendees at a magazine producers reception party.

1970s

January 1970 has Jay Scales gave a talk at the King Religious Center at NC State on “World Religion - basis for world education” for World Religion Day. Quance was hosting a weekly fireside in February at 2402 Van Dyke Ave, with a talk by Robert Crocker of Dunn. The next one was on “Unity of Religion”, and Jalali of NC State spoke on “What’s new in Religion”. In March came the news of the engagement of Dian Rassekh and Guy Edgar Olson. Jalali returned to give other talk in early March. From then until September there is no coverage noted. Then there is an AP article discussing black Americans including Bahá'í Eulalia Barrow Bobo and their challenging experiences connecting with Africa. The next local mention of the Faith comes in March 1971 when the Bahá'ís led the services at the Community United Church of Christ along with a race-relations group, There is then again a gap until in the fall mention of Jalali returned with opening a Persian restaurant named “Shiraz” to help finance his education with funding from brother Jamshid still in Iran, mentioned as Bahá'ís. The article also notes there are 50-60 Bahá'ís in the city. Their father was dead and mother and brother were planning on moving to the area. The restaurant had been mentioned a few times. In September Dwight Allen returned to the area and gave a talk “Universal Education - hope for mankind” at the NC State Bahá'í Club meeting. In October Seals and Crofts performed at the Dorton Arena with Bahá'ís meetings scheduled afterwards.

After 1971 there is a prolonged low period of mentions of the Faith in the News and Observer. The only 1972 mention was the announcement of Bahá'í Naw Ruz plans by Assembly Chair Greg Dahl to be held at the Center at 203 Chamberlain St. Ali Kalantar came in February 1973 to give a talk at the King Religion Center at NC State. In May two unnamed films would be viewed for an evening meeting though no contact information is included. There was then another gap in mention until mid-September, 1974, when the Bahá'ís advertised holding World Peace Day at the YWCA on East Hargett St. with a panel Then another break of coverage persisted until January 1975 when Bahá'ís held the World Religion Day observance at St. Augustine’s College amphitheater in the afternoon, the 2402 Van Dyke Ave home was for sale in May, and in September the Bahá'ís held World Peace Day at a home on Blenheim Dr. with a contact phone number.

Following that rise of reported activity in 1975 there was continued visible activity in 1976. A Baha’i meeting was set to be held in February though without mention of address - just a phone number to call. In March the Bahá'ís had a notice of the observed New Year in Umstead Park with a phone number for contact. In April the Bahá'ís were going to hold an introductory group discussion on Blenheim Dr again and the same contact phone number. A showing of And His Name Shall Be One was held at the same address and phone number contact as well as at the NC State Library theater. The same Blenheim Dr home hosted a meeting in mid-May. In July the Bahá'ís were holding weekly firesides at a Cameron Court Apartment.

In February 1977 Tom Moore wrote a letter to the editor about being reminded of words of Bahá’u’lláh. About a week later the then dean of the School of Education at California State University at Fresno, William Maxwell, spoke at the Alumni Memorial Building on “Human Evolution: the Next Steps”. In August there was coverage of the events at the Bosch Bahá'í School. In September the Bahá'ís hosted World Peace Day but the location was not advertised.

In February 1978 there was a notice the Raleigh assembly and the NC State Bahá'í club were sponsoring a period of Ayyam-i-Ha of “feasting, rejoicing, and charity”. In August the Bahá'ís were called a sect in Iran and “feuding" with the Shiite Moslems. Thomas Moore, chair of the Raleigh Assembly, wrote a letter to the editor to correct the article - that the religion is not a “sect” of Islam and that the Bahá'ís don’t feud with Islam but have just been persecuted. The same day there was a screening of The Green Light Expedition of Rúhíyyih Khánum at the Ogburn Realty Community Room on US 70. At the end of the month the Bahá'í Assembly sponsored a magic show at the Methodist Children’s Home on Glenwood Ave. In November among coverage of the military government of the Shah in Iran there was news of retired General Ali Mohammed Khademi who had been dismissed as the director of Iran Air because he was a Bahá'í and had been shot with claims by the family that unnamed youths had attacked his house and shot him in such a way as to appear to be suicide. A couple days later the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh was observed - no contact information was provided. In December there was another review of Moslems battling Bahá'ís, “linked with Iran’s elite”, is covered in a context of the rise of Ayatollah Khomeini.

January 1979 opens with a profile of Bernard Leach, mentioning he was a Bahá'í. In February the national Bahá'í community, through the Raleigh Assembly, had a paid advertisement summary of the religion in the newspaper with a contact phone number and noting the persecution in Iran. The next mention of the Faith came in August with coverage of developments in Iran before the revolution of the Shah dismissing his Bahá'í doctor and three four-star generals claiming they were Bahá'ís. In June the Raleigh Assembly held Race Unity Day in Umstead Park, and in November the Raleigh Assembly organized a forum “Communicating Values: The Essence of Culture” for the International Year of the Child at the Senior Services Center.

1980s

In January 1980 Pauline Paul was mentioned on the island of Saba of the Windward Islands was noted in a review of culture and events. Pauline was described as a “Auntie Mame character” who ran an evening radio program “The Voice of Saba”. In May Ezzatullah Rassekh of Cary and African American Robert Barnes of Williamston were state delegates to the national convention. In June came news of the increased arena of persecution in Iran including of the Bahá'ís In July the Bahá'í weekend conference (summer school?) was held at HBCU Livingstone College in Salisbury, supported by officers of the then 24 assemblies of North Carolina. The assemblies were not named and are not identified. The Raleigh Bahá'ís held World Peace Day potluck picnic without an advertised location but contact information for Tom Moore at a phone number. In October an AP article from Los Angeles outlined the persecution of the Bahá'ís in Iran through particular life stories during the Iranian Hostage Crisis. Darian Smith wrote a letter to the editor about the Bahá'ís in Iran amidst the Iranian hostage crisis.

The next mention of the Faith came briefly mentioning Bahá'ís fasting in early March. Three unnamed Bahá'ís were going to attend the national convention in late April. Though there are mistakes in the article, in late June a mention came of Bahá'ís among executed in Iran. Another review of Iranian politics came in mid-July including brief mention of the persecution of the Bahá'ís. A couple weeks later news came that Bahá'ís were among the recently executed in Iran. In September the Greensboro and Guilford County assemblies sponsored a World Peace Day in the Hagen-Stone Park in Greensboro. In October Bahá'ís of Orange County sponsored a children show in Umstead Park in Chapel Hill.

In January 1982 a political cartoon mentioned the Bahá'ís, followed by another echoed from the Miami News was reprinted briefly mentioning the Bahá'ís in Iran among a list of troubles spoken of at the UN. In April there was brief mention of Bahá'ís in the Falkland Islands crisis by Douglas Moore mentioning there were 21 Bahá'ís with nine children on the islands. In May the Bahá'ís held a prayer service at a mall community room. In June UPI owners backgrounds of Douglas Ruhe and William Geissler’s reference they were members of the Bahá'í Faith. In September NC State Bahá'ís held a panel discussion, and a World Peace Day in the Raleigh Little Theater Rose Garden Amphitheater. In October a television show “Spiritual Revolution: The Bahai (sic) Faith” was on WPTF (now WRDC) channel 28 on the weekends around noon or 1pm from October 1982 through August 1983. Amidst these the Bahá'ís of Orange County sponsored a Universal Children's Day in Umstead Park in October 1982.

In January 1983, while the television show continued, the Bahá'ís held a discussion on the film Gandhi at the NC State student center. In May an article echoed the NY Time on President Reagan’s condemnation of Iran which was mostly about the persecution of Bahá'ís. The Ayatollah Khomeini responded to the defense of the Bahá'ís in a UPI story printed in the N&O. In July came an advertisement that drew attention to the hanging of ten women in Iran, including Mona Mahmudnizad. About a week later the AP carried a story printed in the N&O of a prolonged exploration of the issues of Bahá'ís in Iran primarily through an interview with Firuz Kazemzadeh and Robert Blum. In September, now after the television programming, the NC State Bahá'í Club sponsored a World Peace Day event in the Student Center Courtyard. A couple weeks later Bahá'ís were listed among an interfaith pilgrimage to Fatima, Portugal. In November the NCState Bahá'í Club hosted Gary Reusche giving a talk. In December the NC State Bahá'í Club followed up with another meeting led by Dr. Jim Turpin, and in a review of some foreign policy issues noted the persecution of Bahá'ís in Iran amidst a list of issues.

January 1984 opens with A profile of the Brodie family with a picture who spoke of the community memorial for the Bahá'ís in Iran and stating there were about 100 Bahá'ís in the communities in Wake County and 1100 in the state. Others named included Dairan Smith and Debbie Jeffress. In February a US State Department report on human rights briefly mentioned the persecution of Bahá'ís in Iran. In May a UPI article of the House of Representatives condemnation of the persecution of Baha’is in Iran was published in the N&O. June was a particularly busy month. Carolyn Reuche wrote a letter to the editor about the persecution of Baha’is in Iran, followed by a discussion held at a Glenwood Ave home on “Family Unity", another UPI story on the US government about the persecution of the Bahá'ís in Iran, and another meeting was held at the same Glenwood Ave home on the topic of “Elimination of Prejudice". In July there was a similar number of articles. Firuz Kazemzadeh was mentioned in an article on the persecution in Iran via his testimony to a Senate committee on 19 deaths by torture, followed by a weekly meetings at the Glenwood Ave home into August. However after that there is no mention until December when Firuz Kazemzadeh's comments on the persecution in Iran were summarized that more than 185 Bahá'ís had been executed or died and 759 imprisoned since 1979.

January 1985 opens with a list of world problems in a letter to the editor included the Faith in Iran. A week later Raleigh Mayor Avery Upchurch proclaimed World Religion Day and that the Bahá'ís were going to have an events but the mention didn't include locations or contact information. At the end of the month a syndicated article profiled Mildred Mottahedeh and mentioned she was a Bahá'í. In March Carolyn Reusche wrote another letter to the editor from Cary about the ongoing persecution of Baha’is in Iran. In May the persecution of Bahá'ís in Iran was again listed amidst the world's problems though amidst political arguments. A couple days later some history of Bahá'ís Douglass Ruhe and William Geissler was aired amidst chapter 11 filing of UPI. Bahá'ís in Cary were noted holding an observance for the unnamed Declaration of the Báb. In September the Bahá'ís held a UN Day of Peace at the Cary Arts Center. Closing the year an AP story carried news of the persecution of the Bahá'ís and protests of the US State Department after Azizu’llah Ashjari was executed.

In April 1986 came the table top book North Carolina Portraits of Faith: A Pictorial History of Religions coverage of which mentioned the Bahá'ís briefly noted near the end of the article discussing its diversity of people and ages in one picture of Bahá'ís of Wilmington. In May Lionel Gonzalez gave a talk on “Peace and Central America” at 4009 The Oaks of Avent Ferry, home of Eric Johnson and Gail Gonzelez-Johnson. In June the Bahá'ís held Race Unity Day in Cary at a home on Indigo Dr. Another execution of a Bahá'í in Iran was also mentioned that month, reported by Charles E. Redman, of Farid Behmardi. And Cable TV "access studio" coverage briefly mentions Bahá'ís using their facilities. In August the Bahá'ís held meeting at The Oaks home for Amnesty International, This was Mary Ann Wason giving the talk with a contact phone number published. In November coverage of Iran includes brief mention of Bahá'ís amidst turmoil Locally an Iranian group against Khomeini included mention of Bahá'ís too. In June an article reviewed Jonathan Beane’s progress in tennis noting he was a Bahá'í and taking the summer off to be a guide at the Bahá'í House of Worship in Wilmette, and another article noted Bahá'ís were holding “unity picnics" in parks across the Triangle; one in Carie Jones Park would have music by Gregory Paul. In October the Bahá'ís of Orange County were covered holding a fireside on “Progressive Revelation" at a home on Yorktown Dr, in Chapel Hill. In September the region’s Bahá'ís held a picnic at Holding Park in Wake Forest with a contact phone number mentioned in the article. A couple days later an article from the Christian Science Monitor was reprinted including mention of the persecution of Bahá'ís among many world problems.

January 1989 opens with mention of the Bahá'ís hosting a MLK Day observance at the Pirate’s Cove Clubhouse in Cary with a phone number for contact. In June the NCState Bahá'í club hosted a UN World Environment Day in Pullen Park. In September the Bahá'ís were also providing relief to Hugo victims in SC with Sheila Shenkman providing coordination and donations to Whitestone Rd home. December's mention closing the year was of an AP general review of different views of Christmas included a brief mention of Bahá'ís via a comment by Katharine Bigelow.

Beginning of 1990s

In March 1990 touring singer Billy Stevens had encountered the Bahá'ís about 1970. In July Bahá'ís of Durham and the Red Cross sponsored a Persian dinner fundraiser for relief for the earthquake in Iran recovery.

The next article comes in April 1991 when the Bahá'ís were included in page about freedom of religion for children included a set of religious symbols including a nine-sided star. In May the NCCU Bahá'í Club held a symposium of three workshops at the Phys. Ed building: “Universal Education”, “Racial Harmony”, and “Religious Conflict”, and the Bahá'ís were mentioned among the diversity of people offering prayers at the funeral of Rajiv Gandhi, son of Indira Gandhi, in India. The Bahá'ís held unity picnic in August in the Biltmore Hills City Park on Fitzgerald Dr. In October there was mention that Mehrdad Ahdieh was elected a delegate to the national convention.

In January 1992 the Bahá'ís were noted holding regular firesides with a contact phone number began in February and continued into later March. Meanwhile in other coverage there were other mentions of the Faith. In mid-February an article across several pages of the newspaper on interracial marriages included Bahá'ís Eric Johnson and Gail Gonzalez-Johnson. And in late February came mention of H. Radiance Hartman profiled for her year of service. She came from Vermont and served in Chapel Hill working with the Eastwood Rd. community - a predominantly black community. In March came a documentary of "Lotus Temple" shown at the Cary Arts Center. In May Jean Scales organized workshops on race amidst news of LA riots, and coverage continued at UNC with Richard Beane and Faika McNally in June. And closing the year there is coverage of a play on boxer Muhammad Ali by actor Bahá'í Geoffrey C. Ewing There was no mention yet identified covering the second Second Baháʼí World Congress.

See also

• Coverage of the Bahá'í Faith in Raleigh NC newspapers
• Coverage of the Bahá'í Faith and Bahá'ís in ''The Carolinian''
• North Carolina in the ''Baha'i News''
• The Bahá'í Faith at North Carolina State University at Raleigh