Kansas City, Missouri

Kansas City
City in the United States
Recently incorporated Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Kansas City, Missouri, 1945.
Location of Kansas City
History: Firsts
-	Local Assembly	1935
Official Website		https://kansascity.local.bahai.us/
Related media

Kansas City is a city in the U.S. state of Missouri.

History

Perhaps the first Bahá’í in Kansas City was Mrs. Hatch registered in 1896. No further information is available.

A Syrian [now Lebanon] doctor, Ibráhím “George” Khayru’lláh, converted to the Faith in Cairo, moved to Chicago in 1892 and began to teach actively and systematically. In 1897 he visited Kansas City as well as other cities and was able to win a number of followers in those cities.

Clockwise from upper left: Thornton Brown Chase, Mary Hanford Ford circa 1898, Reverend Albert Ross Vail, Reverend Leon Milton Birkhead

In 1899, Thornton Chase wrote to P. M. Blake that he had visited Kansas City. It was about this time that Ibráhím Khayru’lláh was separated from the Faith. In 1902 Thornton Chase reported to Mirza Asadu’lláh that Dr. Hazzard of Kansas City was torn between Khayru’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Thornton was planning to visit Kansas City again in October or November of 1902 but was delayed in Chicago. He probably skipped other cities he planned to visit and went straight to Denver. Thornton probably did visit Kansas City again in March or April of 1904.

Perhaps, Mary Hanford Ford (November 1, 1856 to February 2, 1937) was the next Bahá’í known to be in Kansas City. Mary was an American lecturer, author, and a critic of the arts, music, and literature. Mary took a course on comparative religion in the winter of 1900-1901. The ninth lesson was a presentation on the Bahá’í Faith. She further studied the Faith at Green Acre in the summer of 1901. Mary accepted the Bahá’í Faith and began giving talks in Boston. In 1906 she moved with her son to Kansas City. She then began giving talks in Kansas City and the area. In 1907, Mary went on pilgrimage to Haifa. After her pilgrimage, she continued to give talks in Kansas City and the area. Mary probably left for other areas in 1910.

Thornton Chase was in Kansas City for about two Weeks in late August of 1908. In those days blacks and whites did not interact. Louis Gregory visited Kansas City in 1908 and gave literature to some friends, even before enrolling in the Faith. One of these was Edith May Chapman who would some 20 years later enroll in the Bahá’í Faith.

In 1909, Roy C. Wilhelm visited Kansas City on business. While in Kansas City Mary Hanford Ford invited Roy to her home to meet some friends. There were about 30 guests there. The guests included Bahá’ís and seekers. In 1910, Mary published her first book on the Bahá’í Faith, The Oriental Rose.

Although the specific dates are unknown Mrs. Hugo Brecklein (Brecklin) and Mrs. Carrie C. Haines received tablets from 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Kansas City indicating that had joint the Faith.

There were a number of articles in the Kansas City papers covering ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s travels in the west. On September 18, the Kansas City Journal reported that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was on his way to London to visit with the Bahá’ís. On October 5, another article mentioned that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was traveling through Europe. On November 23, an article commenting on the establishment of temples for various non-Christian religions in the Americas mentioned the future Bahá’í Temple to be built in Wilmette, Illinois.

In December of 1913, the Western Christian Recorder, an African American newspaper, published an article “Black, Brown, White And Yellow” on the first page which stated that Bahá’u’lláh stated “The world of humanity is one. The difference in color in the human kingdom is similar to the differences of the flowers…” The quote appeared again in the March 19 issue of the paper. In January, 1914 an article in the Kansas City Post was titled “The ‘Most Great Peace’ Shall Come” based on statements of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Other articles mentioning the Bahá’í Faith also appeared during this time.

Mary Hanford Ford spent some time traveling the world, but in January through March of 1915, she gave a series of talks in Kansas City. Counter Aurelia Bethlen also gave a series of talks in March and April.

In 1916, Mason Remey of Washington and George Latimer of Portland Oregon gave a lecture at the Hotel Baltimore.

In 1917, Mrs. Mary Hanford Ford represented Kansas City at the annual Bahá’í Temple Unity Convention,

On October 30, 1918, The Kansas City Times ran a lengthy article about ‘Abdu’l-Bahá being found in good health by the British when they retook the city of Haifa, Palestine. In December 1918, the Reverend Albert Ross Vail of Chicago spoke at the All Souls Unitarian church on the Bahaist movement.

In November 1919, Mrs. Edwina Powell of Brookline, Massachusetts gave a lecture at All Souls Unitarian church. In December, Mary Hanford Ford gave a talk for the Women’s City Club.

Clockwise from upper left: Hand of the Cause Louis G. Gregory, Siegfried Schopflocher, Ruth J. Moffett, Matilda “Betty” Becker

In December 1920, the unitarian minister, Reverend Leon. Milton Birkhead (April 28, 1885 - December 1, 1954) invited Jenabe Fazel Mazandarani of Tehran and a professor of philosophy to speak at his church in Kansas City. Jenabe gave two talks at the All Souls Unitarian church. The afternoon talk was on the future of women and Qurratu’l-‘Ayn, “Comfort of the Eyes” given name Táhirih, The second talk was titled “The New Educational Movement in Persia.” He was assisted by his interpreterMirzahmad Scharf and Dr. Albert Vail of Chicago. Jenabe was a personal friend of Abdul-Bahá.

In November 1919, Mrs. Edwina Powell of Brookline, Massachusetts gave a lecture at All Souls Unitarian church. In December, Mary Hanford Ford gave a talk for the Women’s City Club.

In December 1920, the unitarian minister, Reverend Leon. Milton Birkhead (April 28, 1885 - December 1, 1954) invited Jenabe Fazel Mazandarani of Tehran and a professor of philosophy to speak at his church in Kansas City. Jenabe gave two talks at the All Souls Unitarian church. The afternoon talk was on the future of women and Qurratu’l-‘Ayn, “Comfort of the Eyes” given name Táhirih, The second talk was titled “The New Educational Movement in Persia.” He was assisted by his interpreterMirzahmad Scharf and Dr. Albert Vail of Chicago. Jenabe was a personal friend of Abdul-Bahá.

On December 10, 1921, The Kansas City Sun announced the passing of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. The article said that he was “one of the greatest men of the day and the leader of the Bahaist movement.” The article went on to mention his banishment from Iran, imprisonment in Akka and his travels to the United States. It also claimed that there were 50 million followers of the Bahá’í Faith at a time when there were less than 2 billion people in the world.

There were a few minor references to the Bahá’í Faith in period between 1922 to 1929. Also in 1929 Mrs. Edith May Chapman enrolled in the Bahá’í probably as an isolated believer. Edith first received literature on the Faith from Louis Gregory in 1908.

In 1930 with a small circle of believers Mr. Louis G. Gregory (June 6, 1874 - July 30, 1950) visited Kansas City for 12 days. Mrs. Edith May Chapman (April 29, 1869 - March 10, 1957) arranged for Louis to speak at the Unitarian church and at the church of a successful, young, colored minister, Dr. Gomez, with a large congregation. Her husband, Dr. Thomas Curtis Chapman a friend of the Faith, arranged for a meeting with the joint alumni of Fisk and Wiberforce Universities and Meharry Medical College. Additional teaching meetings were held at the home of Dr. and Mrs. Chapman. The Faith was presented to a number of “most progressive colored people.” His visit resulted in renewed interest in the Faith. Following the visit the Chapmans organized a study group meeting fortnightly.

Mr. Siegfried Schopflocher (September 26, 1877 - July 27, 1953)Siegfried Schopflocher while on a business trip Westward in 1930 also spoke in Kansas City.

In 1933, Matilda “Betty” Becker attended a lecture by Mrs. Orcella Rexford (possibly August in Topeka, Kansas) and enrolled in the Bahá’í Faith in November of that year.

Velma Sherrill and Mirzá Ali-Kuli Khan

In November 1933 Ruth J. Moffett of Chicago presented a series of lectures in Kansas City and assisted the Kansas City Bahá’ís to form a “permanent” organization. The article provides a summary of Bahá’í principles and history.

In early November of 1934, Ruth J. Moffett (January 19, 1880 0 July 5, 1978) returned to give a talk titled “History of the world written in the heavens” at the Kansas City Athenaeum.

In 1935, Velma Sherrill (June 27, 1911 - May 17, 1996)learned about the Bahá’í Faith in Kansas City from Bahá’ís including Imogene Hoagg, Orcella Rexford, and Ruth Moffett.

In February 1935, Dr. Ali-Kuli Khan (1879 - April 7, 1966) of Persia gave two talks discussing the “Message of Baha’u’llah.”

On April 21, 1935, Dr. Thomas Curtis Chapman, husband of Edith May Chapman, enrolled in the Bahá’í Faith. That same day, Kansas City was finally able to form a Bahá’í Assembly. Betty Becker was elected chairman of the newly formed Assembly.