Macy, Nebraska

Macy
City in the United States
Location of Macy
Official Website		http://omahabahai.org/
Related media

Macy is a census-designated place in the U.S. State of Nebraska. The Bahá'í community of Macy is notable for electing an all-Indian Local Assembly in 1948. It happened after about a decade of work primarily by the first Omaha Nation Bahá'í, Mary Farley Stevison. After about 3 years many of the elder Bahá'ís had passed on and though there was a declaration the assembly was lost about 1953. The group of Bahá'ís remained functional at some level and activity picked up after the national Indian Service Committee made it a priority goal for pioneers. Major events were held in 1962, when a cooperative pow wow was held with Bahá'ís from Sioux Falls, and in 1966 when a Bahá'í Center was established.

Early days

‘Abdu’l-Bahá wrote a series of letters, or tablets, to the followers of the religion in the United States in 1916-1917; these letters were compiled together in the book Tablets of the Divine Plan. Publishing the tablets delayed in being presented in the United States until 1919—after the end of the First World War and the Spanish flu. They were published in Star of the West magazine on December 12, 1919. After mentioning the need for the message of the religion ‘Abdu’l-Bahá continued:

Attach great importance to the indigenous population of America. For these souls may be likened unto the ancient inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula, who, prior to the Mission of Muḥammad, were like unto savages. When the light of Muḥammad shone forth in their midst, however, they became so radiant as to illumine the world. Likewise, these Indians, should they be educated and guided, there can be no doubt that they will become so illumined as to enlighten the whole world....

Some time later Amelia Collins, who joined the religion in 1919 and was appointed a Hand of the Cause still later, "sent a teacher" to Macy, Nebraska and was herself a frequent visitor there (in the 1930s? 1920s?). A few Bahá'ís are known to have travled through nearby Omaha: Albert Vail and Keith Ransom-Kehler.

Mary Stevison, noted by Paula Bidwell as the first Omaha Nation Bahá'í in August 5, 1937, was mentioned occasionally in the Bahá'í News. She first appears as a member of the national Race Unity committee in 1943. She served along with Dorothy Baker, Sarah Walrath, Louis Gregory, Elizabeth Cheney, and Clarence Niss. According to research by Paula Bidwell, Stevinson was was born around 1884 to Rosalie LaFlesche Farley and Edward Farley. She married Bahá'í Dudley J. Stevison. She died on August 1, 1959 in Sioux City, Iowa. Other Stevison's were known as Bahá'ís as early as 1917 in Star of the West.

Stevison was hosting meetings and coordinating tours of Indians to the grounds of the developing House of Worship in Wilmette at least as early as 1943. She is also published making a trip to Omaha Reservation before July 1944 and was well received with some meetings going late into the night.

October 22, 1947 marks several simultaneous declarations noted by Bidwell:

• Grace “Hoo la ha mone” Walker Thomas Cline, daughter of Noah “Lifting Tail” Walker and Mary Walker, Omaha Nation, and husband Eddie “Wahte” Cline. She was 65 years old.
• Jennie Woodhull Merrick Turner with her husband Henry Furnas Turner.
• Levi (He'-con-thin'ke or White Horn) Levering
• Paul Lovejoy
• Amelia Tyndall Lovejoy (Amelia married Paul after they joined the religion)
• Paul “He-gra-gha” Thomas

First all-Indian Assembly

First All Indian Assembly, Macy, Nebraska, Omaha Nation, 1948 With help from Karen Jentz, Paula Bidwell names the members of the assembly as Left to right - Front row -Daisy Tyndall, Frank Tyndall, Paul Lovejoy, Henry Turner and Jennie Turner
Left to right - back row - Suzette Morris, Paul Thomas and Eliza Thomas, Madeline Lovejoy.

Following this, in 1948, Stevison writes to the Bahá'í News that things are going well in Macy - she visited in February and March. A quote is offered without naming the source: "We are pleased to think that we have another messenger to come - that if we could only hae another way of meeting you people. In our lives we need the help of God through His Messenger that we may get understanding. That through our lives we are sorely in need of God's help towards us in this little assembly on this Omaha Indian reservation. this is my request to you people that we may still continue serving Him and to help others who are coming to understand."

From 1947 to 1951 a monthly roll of communities (assemblies and groups) contributing to the national fund are listed in editions of the Baha'i News. Among the 179 communities noted, the Macy community begins to show up in June 1948 through the last entry in March 1951. Note the main goal of the period was the completion of the Bahá'í House of Worship at Wilmette.

Across this time there was a declaration noted by October 1948.

The Guardian included mention of Macy Assembly in 1949 message to the national convention of the Bahá'ís of the United States.

Shortly five Bahá'ís are noted passing in Macy over the next few years:

• Henry Turner in March 1948.
• Levi Levering August 1949.
• Paul Thomas (March 25, 1951) and Jennie Turner (April 7, 1951).

Activity in the Macy community is noted before March 1952 with a "teaching mission". The Macy Omaha community is still listed as hosting one of the 164 assemblies across the United States in October 1952.

Period of smaller community

However the assembly status of the community lapsed by early 1953 - it is listed as a goal for re-activation by later 1953. The goal was reiterated in 1954, calling for pioneers.

Earl H. Christensen was the first known pioneer to move to Macy but he described local Indian Bahá'ís are "all old and ill".

The goal of the Macy community was reiterated in early 1955. Francis Johnson, chair of the Indian Service Committee, made a trip to many communities - Macy in particular - on his way to the national Convention of 1955, reports there were Bahá'ís there.

A Bahá'í from Macy participated in a forum by the Public relations committee of the Chicago assembly in November 1955.

Macy remains a goal area in early 1956.

Public teacher positions advertised in Macy in April, 1956. Tim Ross next volunteered to move to Macy. But it was still listed as a goal area in the Fall of 1956. Edna Atkins became visible as a Bahá'í from Macy in a couple newspaper articles - one from nearby Lincoln, and later in 1959 in Iowa. However Frank Tyndall was reported to have passed in Macy in the December 1956 issue of Bahá'í News. An unnamed pioneer was invited to dance in an Omaha Nation event in Macy.

Macy was still a goal area early 1957.

Accelerated levels of activity

A World Religion Day observance was held in January 1960 at Macy with six Indians among the nine people present - a study class was asked by four of them though roads were impassible and phone contact non-existent.

Madeline Lovejoy from Macy was welcomed to the 1960 Convention.

Edna Atkins noted hosting Sunday classes for the Faith for children from the reservation by March 1961.

March 1962 a major event was held at Macy and covered in local newspapers and radio shows. A cooperative pow wow was held and noted as a large prayer meeting that included a round dance. Color slides were also shown of other Bahá'í Indian gatherings. The event was a cooperation of Sioux Falls Indian Baha'is and local women club and the tribal councils of both reservations.

A UN Day observance was held in late 1962.

A Peace Day observance was held in Sept 1965. Amelia Lovejoy passed April 11, 1965.

Regional Bahá'ís gathered for the building of the Bahá'í Center in July 1966 - some 300 attended with talks by Bea Bechtold, Michael Jamir, Edna Atkins, Ina Mae Brown - the Snyder family is listed as new pioneers to the reservation. Jamir worked on the reservation and was visible in nearby Lincoln on occasion too. A meeting in December was held at the Center with Hand of the Cause Mr. Khadem, and Aux Board members Velma Sherrill, Beth McKenty giving talks.

Richard Meier pioneered to the reservations working as an English teacher circa 1968 and then finished his degree in Lincoln.

In 1969 Carla Rethwisch was listed in Macy as the secretary of the community.Secretaries of state goals committeess 1968-1969, National Baha'i Review, February 1969, p. 11

Further reading

• Omaha Bahais, by Paula Bidwell, nativebahais.com

See also

Bahá'í Faith and Native Americans

External links

• Omaha Baha'i Community, Welcome to the website of the Baha’is of Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa