Gertrude Blum
Gertrude Blum | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Born | December 9, 1909 New York City, New York, USA |
| Declared | January 1930 |
| Died | June 5, 1993 Solomon Islands |
| NSA member | Australia & N.Z. 1953 - 1954 South Pacific Islands 1959 - 1960 South West Pacific Ocean 1964 - ???? |
| ABM | Australasia 1968 - 1973 |
Gertrude Blum (December 9, 1909 - June 5, 1993) was an American Bahá’í who pioneered to Australasia where she served as a National Spiritual Assembly member and she notably pioneered to the Solomon Islands with her husband, Alvin, for which they were named Knights of Bahá’u’lláh.
Biography[edit]
Blum was born Gertrude Gewertz into a Russian Jewish family in New York City in 1909.[1] She was introduced to the Bahá’í Faith in 1929 by attending talks given by Orcella Rexford and Keith Ransom-Kehler and she declared in January 1930.[2]
In 1939 Blum attempted to pioneer to South America but was unable to secure a visa, investigated pioneering to Vermont but was unable to secure a residence, and ultimately pioneered to Birmingham, Alabama. In 1941 she met Alvin Blum and they decided to marry but were unable to as Alvin served in the military during the Second World War.[2]
In 1945 Blum married Alvin and they settled in Little Rock, Arkansas, and had a daughter, Keithie, in 1946. In July 1947 the family moved to New Zealand and established a clothing business. They were active members of the Bahá’í community with Blum trading a diamond ring for land which was used to establish a Summer School for New Zealand in 1949 and making a teaching trip to Fiji in 1951 with her daughter. Blum also served on the National Spiritual Assembly of Australia and New Zealand while living in New Zealand.[3]
In 1953 the Ten Year Crusade was launched and the Blum's pioneered to Honiara to open the Solomon Islands to the Faith arriving on March 1, 1954, on a two month visa.[3] In early 1955 two people declared though the Blums' efforts and in 1957 the first Local Spiritual Assembly was established. The Blums were able to remain in the Solomon Islands for the rest of their lives helping to firmly establish a Bahá’í community and Blum served on the National Spiritual Assembly of the South Pacific Islands and the National Spiritual Assembly of the South West Pacific Ocean.[4] In 1968 she was appointed to the Auxiliary Board of Australasia serving until 1973.[5]
In addition to supporting the Bahá’í community Blum was active in general community activities of the Solomon Islands and in 1989 she was awarded the Member of the British Empire medal by Queen Elizabeth II. She passed away in the Solomon Islands in 1993.[6]
Further Reading[edit]
- The Knights of Baha'u'llah by Earl Redman.
- Of Wars and Worship: The Extraordinary Story of Gertrude and Alvin Blum by Keithie Saunders.
References[edit]
- ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1994). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 22 (1993-1994), Pg(s) 319. View as PDF.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Redman, E. The Knights of Bahá’u’lláh, George Ronald Press, London. p 194
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Redman, E. The Knights of Bahá’u’lláh, George Ronald Press, London. p 195
- ↑ Redman, E. The Knights of Bahá’u’lláh, George Ronald Press, London. p 196
- ↑ Baha'i News (1969). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 461, Pg(s) 16. View as PDF.
- ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1994). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 22 (1993-1994), Pg(s) 319. View as PDF.
