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Naomi Simmons

From Bahaipedia
Naomi Simmons

Naomi Irene Hill Harris Simmons (September 1, 1892, Richmond, Virginia - May 17, 1959, Greensboro, North Carolina) was an African American woman who publicly served her community for decades rising to local leadership in YWCA circles in Greensboro and beyond and joining the Bahá'í community of Greensboro in 1942 after bearing some four children during her first marriage and two during her second and was part of electing the fist Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Greensboro in 1943, indeed the first in North Carolina. She served on each assembly, through the available record as of 2018, to 1948. The same year she was president of the Susie B. Dudley Branch YWCA in 1951 she attended her first regional Bahá'í meeting.

In 1952 while her service on the YWCA leadership ebbed with her retiring she was elected to be the North Carolina delegate to the national Bahá'í convention and probably saw her first meeting of thousands of Bahá'ís in April, 1953 which was timed with the dedication of the Bahá'í Temple and an "All-America" intercontinental conference into early May. It was the close of the Jubilee Year, the centenary of Bahá'u'lláh's experience of revelation. Simmons would also have aided in the by-election for the national assembly as three members decided to pioneer - Dorothy Baker, Wm Kenneth Christian, and Matthew Bullock - during the Ten Year Crusade. She attended the growing Blue Ridge Bahá'í School at least in 1955 and 1958, during which time she would have seen attendance more than double, and stood with a granddaughter at the laying of the cornerstone of a YWCA branch in Greensboro.

Her second husband had retired after a lauded 30 years of service to the state and black farmers but died just 4 years later, and she just two years after him. Children from each family recognized each other as brothers and sisters. She was married to each man about 20 years.

Early Life[edit]

Naomi Irene Hill's father, Rubin T. Hill, was born 1852, and her mother, Irene Robinson, in 1857. It is unclear if one or both were slaves or free. They married in 1885 in Richmond, Virginia.[1] Naomi was born September 1, 1892, a few months after the Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh, to the Hills.[2] In 1910 Naomi was the 4th of five children living in the Hill family on W. Leigh St, Richmond VA. Her father was a bank cashier.[3]

First marriage[edit]

Naomi's first husband was Harrison Llewellyn Harris Jr.[4] Harris was a doctor and in 1920 they were renting space in a home on S. Vernon Ave. Chicago. They were married approx 1915 and had two sons and a daughter by 1918 all born in Virginia. Sr. Harris was Harrison Llewellyn Harris born 1855,[5] who wrote Masonic Text-book: A Concise Historical Sketch … Especially of Masonry Among Colored Men in America.[6] Junior Harris was born 1888. Harris registered for the WWI Draft but claimed an exception for wife and 2 children.[7] It is unclear what developed, but she won a divorce from Harris August 5, 1935, in Greensboro,[8] while he remained or returned to Chicago,[9] and then Naomi married Sydney B. Simmons five days later, August 10, 1935.[10]

Second marriage[edit]

Sydney B Simmons had been an assistant state supervisor of vocational agricultural education in black schools of North Carolina since 1924.[11] He had been born in Mecklenburg county, attended Fayetteville State Teachers College, graduated from A&T State College in Greensboro, earned an advanced degree from the University of Illinois, taught at Downington Industrial school in Pennsylvania, Topeka Industrial School in Kansas and at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama before coming to North Carolina and would serve more than 30 years.[11] While working in the Office of Administration and Instruction of A&T as a recorder,[12] Naomi was let go as part of a mass firing,[13] but re-hired in 1937.[14] Most of Naomi Simmons' coverage would appear through her society work. It begins with a purely social event reported in the Carolina Times in 1939 when Simmons and ladies visited in Durham.[15]

Community service and the Bahá'í Faith[edit]

Red Cross, YWCA, Episcopal Woman's Auxiliary, and joining the Bahá'í Faith[edit]

Simmons work in society takes on more serious commitment in 1940 when she is reported to be a business committee representative for the negro division of the Red Cross in Greensboro.[16] In February 1942 she was on a planning committee for a YMCA Mother-Daughter banquet,[17] and hosting the Episcopal Church Woman's Auxiliary.[18]

But July of 1942 Simmons joined the Bahá'í Faith during a summer teaching conference organized by Ruth Moffett.[19] It was held in the Sawyer home from the 4th through the 6th starting 9 or 10am and into the evening past 8pm each night often with dinner over at the Goodwin home - both were homes of white families. Esther Sego from Atlanta, Georgia, joined the group and led several of the sessions. African American Amy Bailey, Mary Ann Lefler of Kannapolis, NC, and Louise Sawyer each led a session. At the end of this series of meetings Simmons was also recognized as a Bahá'í. Exactly what contact(s) brought Simmons to this meeting of intensive study is uncertain. Simmons worked in association with the L Richardson Memorial Hospital at least from 1946 (see below) - Amy Bailey was Dean of Nurses at the hosptial and worked as a dietitian/nutritionist from at least 1940.[20] The Bahá'í community in Greensboro at this time also held another African-American, Alice Higginbotham.[21] Moffett's first program to the public in Greensboro was at the African-American Hayes-Taylor YMCA back March 1,[21] followed by another at the African American HBCU Palmer Memorial Institute March 19 where she was introduced by Amy Bailey.[22] Moffett was not the first Bahá'í to speak there - Dorothy Beecher Baker spoke there about December 1941.[23] And during this period of activity led by Moffett the Sawyers hosted a racially integrated meeting in their home March 29 - according to Moffett this was the first such meeting she was aware of in North Carolina.[21] African Americans homefront pioneers Adrienne Ellis (later Reeves) and Eva Flack (later McAllister) were in the Greensboro community about November, (see Coverage of North Carolina in Bulletins of Regional Teaching Committees.)

In early 1943 Simmons was a guest at a Durham Club social,[24] and a week later mentioned as a co-chair instructor for making Red Cross surgical dressings for soldiers,[25] which continued through the summer.[26]

First spiritual assembly of North Carolina - Simmons is standing on the far left

The membership of the first and the each annually elected Spiritual Assemblies of the Bahá'ís of Greensboro available from 1943 through 1948 included Simmons in all of them.[27] Counter to her experience with the compromised integration of the YWCA and funding agencies, the Bahá'ís were already integrated and growing, though tiny in comparison. In 1944 Shoghi Effendi oversaw a census review of the Faith. A ”directory” of the locations of Bahá’ís in North Carolina for 1943-4 was published in Bahá’í World volume 9 and noted one assembly, no registered groups, and 9 places with isolated Bahá’ís in the state. That’s about 20 people[28] - up from less than 10 over the last decade. A photo of a youth symposium take in 1943 shows the integrated nature of meetings and Simmons is behind the head of Charles McAllister on the left.

Greensboro NC Youth Symposium 1943

The achievement of a racially integrated Assembly and the documentation of integrated social meetings does not mean there wasn't a learning curve of the implications of equality as held up by Shoghi Effendi, then head of the religion, that in the space of a few months equality had been achieved. Fellow assembly member Adrienne Ellis says: “We forged ourselves into a Spiritual Assembly after overcoming some real difficulties because of race, local customs and our immaturity in the Faith.”[29] Whatever the "local customs" and "immaturity in the Faith" means there was certainly room for inequality in a society very segregated and unequal. Another Assembly member Eva Flack was named, in the words of Emogene Hoag of Greenville SC quoted in a PhD by Louis Venters, as pushing for all meetings in Greensboro to reflect total equality between black and white, which the community seems to have adopted despite it, “had prevented many of the better class (of whites) from investigating the teachings and caused no end of criticism.”[30]

S. B. Simmons' service during the war earned him a citation during WWII and served on State Appeal Board for Selective Service, various boards and founded groups.[11] As the war was winding down a son from her first marriage visited,[31] and a couple months later a brother of hers died in Durham.[32]

New YWCA, L Richardson Memorial Hospital, Community Chest[edit]

From 1946 Simmons' work had a more concentrated circumstance and would lead to the main body of visible work of Simmons across the next couple of decades.

In April Simmons was secretary of a new YWCA especially raised by and for the black population.[33] Forming this Y was a challenge to the segregation in Greensboro.[34] She was also a secretary of the ladies auxiliary for the African American L Richardson Memorial Hospital.[35] The new Y was recognized and supported by the Greensboro Community Chest,[36] a fund-raising organization that collected money from local businesses and workers and distributed it to community projects, and in which Simmons acted as a laison. In September Simmons was on the program committee for a USO function.[37] In October Simmons was among many in the residential section of the now segregated "Negro Unit" of the Greensboro Community Chest coordinating fundraising.[38] Amidst all these segregated systems in November Simmons joined the county inter-racial committee.[39]

By the end of the year Simmons was on the North Carolina Bahá'í state convention commiittee - the chair was Catherine Whitmore, Simmons was the secretary, and John A. Goodwin was a member.[40] So not only was this a committee with men and women but a woman in charge, and it was integrated.

In 1947 Simmons was the associate leader for a black women's medical clinic held at Carnegie Negro Library,[41] located on Bennett College campus.[42] Simmons continued as secretary of the Susie B. Dudley Branch YWCA in 1947,[43] and attended a management committee meeting in July.[44] Another brother died in Cleveland, Ohio.[45] In October Simmons was program leader of the business committee of the Dudley YWCA.[46] There were some 200 members and guests at the fall session of the Dudley YWCA with Simmons chairing the program committee that organized the membership day.[47] The 1948 Dudley YWCA fundraiser committee included Simmons,[48] and Simmons was on the program committee for the Dudley YWCA open house in April.[49] In May Simmons presided at L Richardson Memorial Hospital (nurse) Training School graduation,[50] and was the chair of the program planning committee for membership event of the Dudley YWCA.[51] That winter of 1948-9 Simmons was the convening secretary of the Bahá'í state convention that elected Mildred Danforth of UNC as the delegate to the national Bahá'í convention.[52]

In the fall of 1949 Simmons was one of the co-incorporators of Metro Council of Negro Women in Greensboro,[53] and chaired the planning committee on Dudley YWCA holding a class series.[54] Simmons was also secretary of the North and South Carolina Regional Teaching committee with Louise Sawyer as chair.[55] In November Simmons was a member of the Juvinile detention committee for the YWCA.[56]

In 1950 Simmons was committee planning the annual business meeting of the Dudley YWCA,[57] and introduced the keynote speaker for the YWCA annual membership meeting.[58] In February Simmons was a nursery steering committee chair for the Metro Council of Negro Women fundraiser,[59] and a month later she was the only Greensboro representative on the program at a regional YWCA meet in Danville where she led the devotions.[60] In fact she led two devotions when she was there.[61] In April Simmons represented L Richardson Memorial Hospital for public health sessions on TB for a Negro Health Education Institute.[62] In May Simmons was secretary of the Dudley YWCA membership drive,[63] and in June she was the chair of the Dudley YWCA management committee and a Central YWCA board member, (part of the regional administration.)[64] This position of chair of the management committee was soon called the president of the YWCA.

That summer Simmons also attended the conference of the Bahá'í Regional Teaching Committee in Atlanta with Louise Sawyer,[65] and again was on a residential committee for the "Negro Division" of the Community Chest,[66] and in November Simmons, as chair of the management committee, accepted a $1000 gift for the Dudley Branch YWCA.[67] In addition to being the president of the Dudley YWCA Branch and a member of the board of the Central Y, Simmons was named as a director of YWCA.[68] This would be the capstone of her achievement in the regional YWCA environment.

Retiring[edit]

Retired president of Dudley YWCA, Naomi Simmons, 1953

The next year, 1951, Simmons retired from the Dudley YWCA management committee.[69] She was among many in bureau level leadership of the Community Chest,[70] also called a chair.[71]

The Bahá'ís of Greensboro organized a series of meetings and Simmons, as "publicity chair" shared the news of the event.[72] That winter Simmons chaired the constitution committee for the Central Y following recommended changes from the national organization,[73] and was co-host for a meeting about a new YWCA branch house.[74] In early April 1952 Simmons's committee on the constitutional changes organized a mock convention at the regional meeting.[75]

That summer Simmons was secretary of the ladies auxiliary of L Richardson Memorial Hospital on a fund drive.[76] She was a co-chair of the residential area fundraising for Negro Division of the Community Chest.[77]

In November Simmons chaired a projects committee for bringing an International Study Conference for the YWCA,[78] and signing on as a sponsor of a Bennet College fundraising.[79]

In December 1952 Simmons was elected delegate to the national Bahá'í convention at the state-wide convention of Bahá'ís of North Carolina..[80] Bill Tucker was the chair of convention that year.

In January 1953 Simmons was gathered among the past presidents of the board of management of the Dudley YWCA,[81] and a retiring secretary of the Central Y.[82] Among her final actions was reviewing the work of Korean Ok-Joo Kim who was studying YWCA work for her country,[83] and gave her a "shower" as a sending off gift.[84] Kim did continue the work in Korea.[85]

The national Bahá'í convention she was a delegate for was late in April, 1953 and timed with the dedication of the Bahá'í Temple and an "All-America" intercontinental conference into early May,[86] all timed with the close of the Jubilee Year, the centenary of Bahá'u'lláh's experience of revelation.[87] Just before the convention meetings, it was announced that Bahá'í meetings in Greenville, SC, would not be legally segregated and that it had taken 10 yrs to achieve in Greenville.[88] Rúhíyyih Khánum presented the message of the Guardian.[89] There was also the announcement of the Ten Year Crusade. During the year three members of the national assembly decided to pioneer - Dorothy Baker, Wm Kenneth Christian, and Matthew Bullock - and as a delegate Simmons would have been asked to vote for replacements in September.[90]

In 1954 S. B. was honored for his 30 yrs service for North Carolina's black farmers.[91]

There is no mention of Simmons attending the 1954 first Blue Ridge Bahá'í Conference at which some 75 Bahá'ís attended, (see North Carolina in the ''Baha'i News''.) She might well have. She did advertise that she went to the 1955 Second Blue Ridge Bahá'í Conference along with F. Kimball Kinney and Ella Cowart.[92]

There is no mention of Simmons in 1956 yet found. In 1957 comes the obituary of her husband, Sydney Britton Simmons.[11]

In 1958 Simmons represented the board of the Central Y reading the litany at the laying of the cornerstone of a new YWCA branch.[93] She attended with a granddaughter.[94] That summer Simmons again attended the Blue Ridge Bahá'í meeting - now called a school and about double in size (see North Carolina in the ''Baha'i News'') - along with Daniel Morris, Betty Thompson, Frances Pearce, and Jack Davis.[95]

That fall Simmons co-chaired the YWCA hosting World Fellowship Day.[96]

Death[edit]

Simmons died May 17, 1959, after two weeks of being ill.[97][98] The obituary in the local newspapers was brief noting mostly that the funeral arrangements were being handled by the Spiritual Assembly of Greensboro.[99] Her gravestone has been identified.[100]

Though she had been in the state at a time when Bahá'ís were few, she lived to see a time of gathering of many dozens of Bahá'ís as well as specifically African-Americans from Raleigh and Durham as well as the burgeoning coverage of the Faith in the Carolina Times.

Decades later one of her daughters' by S. B. mentions the Harris kin as brothers in her obituary.[101]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ "Reuben T. Hill Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940". FamilySearch.org. 5 Nov 1885. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(registration required)
  2. ↑ "Irene N. Hill Virginia Births and Christenings, 1584-1917". FamilySearch.org. 1 Sep 1892. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(registration required)
  3. ↑ "Irene N Hill United States Census". FamilySearch.org. 1910. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(registration required)
  4. ↑ "Harrison L Harris Jr. United States Census". FamilySearch.org. 1920. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(registration required)
  5. ↑ Howard University. Medical Dept; Daniel Smith Lamb (1900). A Historical, Biographical and Statistical Souvenir. Beresford. pp. 175–6.
  6. ↑ Harrison Llewellyn Harris (1902). Harris' Masonic Text-book: A Concise Historical Sketch of Masonry, and the Organization of Masonic Grand Lodges, and Especially of Masonry Among Colored Men in America ... Masonic visitor Company.
  7. ↑ "Harrison Llewellyn Harris United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918". FamilySearch.org. 1918. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(registration required)
  8. ↑ "Divorce decrees in 15 cases are allowed by jurors". Greensboro Record. Greensboro, NC. Aug 5, 1935. p. 10. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  9. ↑ "Harrison Llewellyn Harris United States World War II Draft Registration Cards". FamilySearch.org. 1942. Retrieved Sep 4, 2018.(registration required)
  10. ↑ "I. N. Harris North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979". FamilySearch.org. Aug 10, 1935. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(registration required)
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 "Negro farm leaders dies in hospital". Greensboro Daily News. Greensboro, NC. Jul 31, 1957. p. 32. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  12. ↑ "Office of administration and instruction of the Agricultural and Technical College". Bulletin of A&T College. 27 (3): 10. July 1936.
  13. ↑ "Times representative finds deplorable condition at Greensboro College". The Carolina Times. Durham, NC. Jul 17, 1937. p. 1. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.
  14. ↑ "Office of administration and instruction of the Agricultural and Technical College". Bulletin of A&T College. 28 (1): 10. July 1937.
  15. ↑ Wyvette Holloway (Nov 18, 1939). "Durham Social notes of interest; Mrs Naomi Simmons…". The Carolina Times. Durham, NC. p. 2. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.
  16. ↑ "Leaders are named for negro division". Greensboro Daily News. Greensboro, NC. Nov 6, 1940. p. 15. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  17. ↑ "Mother-Daughter Banquet arranged". Greensboro Record. Greensboro, NC. Feb 5, 1942. p. 4. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  18. ↑ "Mrs Simmons hostess". The Future Outlook. Greensboro, NC. February 21, 1942. p. 8. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.
  19. ↑ Ruth J Moffett (July 1942). "First North Carolina Bahai (sic) teaching conference held in Greensboro, NC". Email courtesy of Edward Sevcik, Archivist, U.S. National Bahá’í Archives, 1233 Central Street, Evanston, Ill. 60201, Email: archives@usbnc.org, to Steven Kolins Sep 21, 2018
  20. ↑ * "Stewart to speak at hospital event". Greensboro Daily News. Greensboro, NC. May 10, 1940. p. 3. Retrieved Sep 22, 2018.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 Ruth J Moffett (May 1942). "Lecture and Teaching program of Ruth J Moffett in North Carolina - Feb and March(sic - actually goes to April) 1942". Email courtesy of Edward Sevcik, Archivist, U.S. National Bahá’í Archives, 1233 Central Street, Evanston, Ill. 60201, Email: archives@usbnc.org, to Steven Kolins Sep 21, 2018
  22. ↑ "Baha'i speaker heard at Palmer". Greensboro Daily News. Greensboro, NC. Mar 19, 1942. p. 9. Retrieved Sep 9, 2018.
  23. ↑ * Baker was there: "Current Bahá'í activities (1943-1944)" (PDF). Bahá’í World. Vol. 9. Baha'i Publishing Trust. 1981 [1945]. p. 71.
    • Baker left on this trip in later November, 1941: "Race Unity". Baha'i News. Nov 1941. p. 5. Retrieved Sep 13, 2018.
    By January 1942 Baker was in elsewhere:
  24. ↑ "D K Club entertained". The Carolina Times. Durham, NC. March 6, 1943. p. 3. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.
  25. ↑ "A & T College makes dressings for military use". Greensboro Record. Greensboro, NC. Mar 12, 1943. p. 8. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  26. ↑ "Need for surgical dressings greater". Greensboro Record. Greensboro, NC. Aug 10, 1943. p. 12. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  27. ↑ various (each year's secretary) (1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947). "Assembly Roll". Email courtesy of Edward Sevcik, Archivist, U.S. National Bahá’í Archives, 1233 Central Street, Evanston, Ill. 60201, Email: archives@usbnc.org, to Steven Kolins Sep 21, 2018
  28. ↑ (one big download of the whole text at present - "Baha'i Directory (1943-1944)". The Bahá’í World (PDF). Vol. 9. Bahá'í Publishing Trust. 1981 [1945]. pp. 661, 665, 670.
  29. ↑ Adrienne Ellis Reeves (2013). "Dr. Adrienne Ellis Reeves". In Heather Cardin (ed.). The Bright Glass of the Heart : elder voices on faith. Oxford, UK: George Ronald. pp. 161–9. OCLC 853246173.
  30. ↑ Venters, Louis E., the III (2010). Most great reconstruction: The Baha'i Faith in Jim Crow South Carolina, 1898-1965 (Thesis). Colleges of Arts and Sciences University of South Carolina. pp. 238, 249, 259–260. ISBN 978-1-243-74175-2. UMI Number: 3402846.{{cite thesis}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  31. ↑ "Mr Lewellyn Harris…". The Future Outlook. Greensboro, NC. July 14, 1945. p. 7. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.
  32. ↑ "NC Insurance official dies". The Pittsburgh Courier. Pittsburgh, PA. 1 Sep 1945. p. 14. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.
  33. ↑ "Negro Y Branch elect officers". Greensboro Record. Greensboro, NC. Apr 24, 1946. p. 4. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  34. ↑ William H. Chafe (1981). Civilities and Civil Rights: Greensboro, North Carolina, and the Black Struggle for Freedom. Oxford University Press. pp. 31–2. ISBN 978-0-19-502919-2.
  35. ↑ "Student Nurses hear Dr Brown". Greensboro Daily News. Greensboro, NC. May 29, 1946. p. 9. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  36. ↑ "City Community Chest admits negro YWCA". Greensboro Daily News. Greensboro, NC. Jun 15, 1946. p. 12. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  37. ↑ "Several events planned by USO". Greensboro Record. Greensboro, NC. Sep 18, 1946. p. 7. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  38. ↑ "Community Chest drive off to surprising start". Greensboro Daily News. Greensboro, NC. Oct 5, 1946. p. 12. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  39. ↑ "Officers elected by racial group". Greensboro Daily News. Greensboro, NC. Nov 23, 1946. p. 12. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  40. ↑ "State and Province election committees". Baha'i News. No. 190. Dec 1946. p. 8. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.
  41. ↑ "Negro opinion clinnics slated Monday night". Greensboro Record. Greensboro, NC. Apr 30, 1947. p. 13. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  42. ↑ Chip Millard (March 5, 2009). "Lee Street Corridor, Greensboro, NC;". Carnegie Negro Library. Retrieved Sep 4, 2018.
  43. ↑ "Happenings at the Susie B. Dudley Branch YWCA". The Future Outlook. Greensboro, NC. June 21, 1947. p. 2. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.
  44. ↑ "News of Susie B. Dudley YWCA". The Future Outlook. Greensboro, NC. July 19, 1947. p. 10. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.
  45. ↑ * "Hill…". Richmond Times Dispatch. Richmond, VA. Aug 3, 1947. p. 37. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  46. ↑ "Dudley Branch has roll call". Greensboro Record. Greensboro, NC. Oct 14, 1947. p. 6. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  47. ↑ "News from the Susie B. Dudley Branch YWCA". The Future Outlook. Greensboro, NC. October 18, 1947. p. 3. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.
  48. ↑ "Tea being planned at Dudley Y Branch to aid conferences". Greensboro Record. Greensboro, NC. Feb 28, 1948. p. 3. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  49. ↑ "Public invited to YWCA tonight for special program". Greensboro Record. Greensboro, NC. Apr 26, 1948. p. 9. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  50. ↑ "Training school class gets diplomas tonight". Greensboro Daily News. Greensboro, NC. May 25, 1948. p. 11. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  51. ↑ "Susie Dudley Branch sets program today". Greensboro Daily News. Greensboro, NC. Oct 17, 1948. p. 32. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  52. ↑ "Baha'i Assembly chooses delegate". Greensboro Daily News. Greensboro, NC. Feb 7, 1949. p. 7. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  53. ↑ "Negro women here get incorporation charter". Greensboro Record. Greensboro, NC. Sep 23, 1949. p. 18. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  54. ↑ "Susie B. Dudley Branch of Y to begin six interest groups". Greensboro Daily News. Greensboro, NC. Oct 27, 1949. p. 9. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  55. ↑ * "Directory additions and changes; Regional Teaching Committees; North & South Carolina". Baha'i News. No. 224. Oct 1949. p. 7. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.
    • "RTC Officers". Baha’i Regional Bulletin for North & Sout Carolina. No. 1. Greensboro, NC. Dec 1949. p. 4. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  56. ↑ "Subgroups selecgted to conduct studies". Greensboro Record. Greensboro, NC. Nov 10, 1949. p. 9. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  57. ↑ "Highlights of year will be discussed". Greensboro Record. Greensboro, NC. Jan 27, 1950. p. 8. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  58. ↑ "Panel participants for annual meeting have been selected". Greensboro Record. Greensboro, NC. Jan 30, 1950. p. 11. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  59. ↑ "Determination gaining in battle for nursery". Greensboro Daily News. Greensboro, NC. Feb 4, 1950. p. 7. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  60. ↑ "Large local group attending meeting of YWCA area". Greensboro Record. Greensboro, NC. Mar 9, 1950. p. 23. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  61. ↑ "Observance plans presented session of YWCA Board". Greensboro Record. Greensboro, NC. Mar 15, 1950. p. 10. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  62. ↑ * "Negro Health meet will open here today". Greensboro Record. Greensboro, NC. Apr 3, 1950. p. 18. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
    • "Institute leaders". Greensboro Record. Greensboro, NC. Apr 5, 1950. p. 28. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  63. ↑ "Drive reaches goal". Greensboro Record. Greensboro, NC. May 17, 1950. p. 19. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  64. ↑ * "Miss Carolyn Ownes joins Y staff as teen-age director". Greensboro Record. Greensboro, NC. Jun 22, 1950. p. 21. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  65. ↑ "Attend meeting". Greensboro Daily News. Greensboro, NC. Sep 6, 1950. p. 14. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  66. ↑ "Pendergrast head of negro unit for drive; Hughes heads schools unity". Greensboro Record. Greensboro, NC. Sep 27, 1950. p. 36. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  67. ↑ "Local YWCA Dudley Branch presentex thousand dollar gift". Greensboro Daily News. Greensboro, NC. Nov 29, 1950. p. 9. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  68. ↑ "Greensboro YWCA re-names president; elects new directors". Greensboro Daily News. Greensboro, NC. Jan 30, 1951. p. 9. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  69. ↑ "Y Branch holds anniversay meet". Greensboro Record. Greensboro, NC. May 24, 1951. p. 35. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  70. ↑ Dorothy Benjamin (Sep 6, 1951). "Mrs Lewis will head Chest speakers unity". Greensboro Record. Greensboro, NC. p. 13. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  71. ↑ "Dr Miller will head Negro Unit for Chest drive; Meet set Thursday". Greensboro Record. Greensboro, NC. Oct 3, 1951. p. 20. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  72. ↑ "Baha'i group to hold meetings for public". Greensboro Daily News. Greensboro, NC. Oct 5, 1951. p. 35. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  73. ↑ "YWCA Directos name Mrs Illman planning chairman". Greensboro Record. Greensboro, NC. Dec 7, 1951. p. 19. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  74. ↑ "YWCA board reports series of book reviews to begin soon". Greensboro Daily News. Greensboro, NC. Jan 19, 1952. p. 5. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  75. ↑ "Mock convention to brief local Y on national plans". Greensboro Daily News. Greensboro, NC. Apr 6, 1952. p. 47. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  76. ↑ "Goal reached". Greensboro Daily News. Greensboro, NC. Jun 19, 1952. p. 28. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  77. ↑ "Whitley is chairman of Negro Chest drive". Greensboro Record. Greensboro, NC. Oct 2, 1952. p. 28. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  78. ↑ * "YWCA calendar; Monday". Greensboro Record. Greensboro, NC. Nov 1, 1952. p. 2. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
    • "YWCA calendar". Greensboro Record. Greensboro, NC. Nov 8, 1952. p. 2. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  79. ↑ "Bennett College drive leaders are named". Greensboro Daily News. Greensboro, NC. Nov 18, 1952. p. 13. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  80. ↑ "Delegate eleced to Baha'i meet". Greensboro Daily News. Greensboro, NC. Dec 8, 1952. p. 18. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  81. ↑ "Happy Birthday YWCA; 1946-1953 Branching Out". Greensboro Record. Greensboro, NC. Jan 17, 1953. p. 3. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  82. ↑ Joan Taylor (Jan 21, 1953). "Local YWCA celebrates 50 years of service". Greensboro Record. Greensboro, NC. p. 10. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  83. ↑ "Korean visitor gives opinions of local YWCA activities". Greensboro Daily News. Greensboro, NC. Feb 20, 1953. p. 20. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  84. ↑ "Shower is farewell honor paid Korean girl by YWCA group". Greensboro Daily News. Greensboro, NC. Feb 17, 1953. p. 6. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  85. ↑ "Appendix I - 2". ReligionDocBox.com. Retrieved Sep 5, 2018.
  86. ↑ * "Jubilee Year". Baha'i News. No. 265. Mar 1953. pp. 6–7. Retrieved Sep 21, 2018.
  87. ↑ "Jubilee Celebration" (PDF). Bahai-Library.com. Bahá'ís of the United States. May 6, 1953. Retrieved Sep 21, 2018.
  88. ↑ "Greenville, SC group wins right to hold non-segregated meetings". Baha'i News. No. 266. Apr 1953. p. 8. Retrieved Sep 21, 2018.
  89. ↑ Ruhiyyih Khanum (May 1953). "The Guardian's message to the forty-fifth annual Baha'i convention". Baha'i News. No. 267. pp. 1–3. Retrieved Sep 21, 2018.
  90. ↑ "Election of National Assembly members to fill vacancies". Baha'i News. No. 272. Oct 1953. p. 2. Retrieved Sep 21, 2018.
  91. ↑ "S B Simmons…, (phots and captions)". The Carolina Times. Durham, NC. November 27, 1954. p. 3. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.
  92. ↑ "Mrs Naomi Simmons…". Greensboro Record. Greensboro, NC. Sep 10, 1955. p. 21. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  93. ↑ "Y Ceremony is postponed until Monday". Greensboro Daily News. Greensboro, NC. Jun 27, 1958. p. 22. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  94. ↑ "Lay cornerstone". Greensboro Daily News. Greensboro, NC. Jul 1, 1958. p. 11. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  95. ↑ "Baha'i summer school". Greensboro Daily News. Greensboro, NC. Aug 20, 1958. p. 4. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  96. ↑ "Annual International Dinner set by YMCA". Greensboro Daily News. Greensboro, NC. Nov 6, 1958. p. 22. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  97. ↑ "Naomi Irene Simmons North Carolina Deaths, 1931-1994 (death certificate)". FamilySearch.org. May 19, 1959. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(registration required)
  98. ↑ "In memoriam". US Supplement to Baha'i News. No. 17. July 1959. p. 2. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.
  99. ↑ "Mrs Naomi Simmons". Greensboro Daily News. Greensboro, NC. May 19, 1959. p. 7. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
  100. ↑ Mark Dixon (26 May 2016). "Irene Naomi Simmons". findagrave.com. Retrieved Oct 3, 2023.
  101. ↑ "Mrs Sidella S Carter". Greensboro News and Record. Greensboro, NC. May 6, 1985. p. 19. Retrieved Sep 3, 2018.(subscription required)
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