United States

"America" redirects here. For other uses, see America (disambiguation).

United States
North American House of Worship, Wilmette, Illinois
Location of the United States
National Office		Evanston, Illinois
National Assembly		United States
-	Chairman	David Young
-	Vice Chairman	Nanabah Kahn Foguth
-	Secretary	Kenneth Bowers
-		Rabi Musah
-	Treasurer	June Manning Thomas‎
-		Robert C. Henderson
-		Kevin Trotter
-		Muin Afnani
-		Fariba Aghdasi
Statistics:
Total Population
-	UN 2021	336,997,624
Bahá'í pop.
-	Bahá'í source	156,892
-	Non-Bahá'í source	558,658
Local Assemblies		1,163
History: Firsts
-	Bahá'í to visit	Anton Haddad
-	Local Bahá'í	Thornton Chase
-	National Assembly	1925, with Canada 1948, independently
-	National Convention	1909
How to contact:
-	Phone	847-733-3559
-	Fax	847-733-3430
-	Email	See here
-	Address	1233 Central Street Evanston, IL 60201
Official Website		Bahá’ís of the United States
Atlas    Related media
Categories: United States • People

The United States of America (USA) is a country located in central North America that plays a significant role in the modern world, not only materially but also, according to the Bahá’í Writings, spiritually as well. The third-largest country in the world by area, it is comprised of 50 states, the federal district (and capital) of Washington D.C., over 300 Indian reservations, and a number of territories. Bahá’ís live in all 50 states of the country, their affairs administered by three National Spiritual Assemblies: those of Alaska, Hawaii, and the United States (for the 48 contiguous states). The latter 48 states are further divided into 12 regions administered by Regional Councils, each grouping together one or more states. Bahá’í population was estimated at over 150,000 believers in 2006, residing in over 7,000 localities including over 100 Indian reservations, with South Carolina, South Dakota and Alaska each having relatively significant proportions of believers.

The Bahá’í Faith was first mentioned publicly in the United States in 1893, resulting in an initial group of believers including Thornton Chase, who became known as the first American to declare his belief in Bahá’u’lláh. Groups were established throughout the country in the following years, and, hearing news from Ashkabad where the Bahá’ís were building a House of Worship, the fledgling community petitioned ‘Abdu’l-Bahá for permission to build one of their own. Under the leadership of Corinne True, the project was approved and the Bahá’í Temple Unity was formed at the first National convention in 1909. The community continued to develop, with a focus on raising up administrative institutions, on publishing literature, and on supporting racial harmony and amity in the country. In 1927, the National Spiritual Assembly framed its constitution, which has served as a model for many other institutions throughout the world. In 1944, the centennial year of the Bahá’í Faith, every state in the nation had at least one local Bahá’í administrative body.

History

The Bahá’í Faith was first mentioned publicly in the United States in 1893, during a presentation by a Presbyterian missionary at the World's Parliament of Religions held at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The following year, Thornton Chase, a Chicago insurance manager, became the first American Bahá’í. By the end of 1894 four other Americans had also become Bahá’ís. The Bahá’í Faith spread quickly and groups formed in cities across the country. In 1909 the first National Convention was held and 39 delegates from 36 cities attended.

In the 1920's, Bahá’í communities representing more than 60 localities increased their activities in several areas. Most notable were Bahá’í efforts in the struggle for racial harmony in the United States. Racial amity conferences were hosted in several major cities throughout the country with the cooperative participation of the NAACP, the National Urban League, U.S. congressmen, and college presidents. In 1927, the National Spiritual Assembly framed its constitution, which has served as a model for the formation of more than 160 National Spiritual Assemblies throughout the world.

By 1930, eighteen books of Bahá’í scriptures were available in English. Scores of other compilations, expository works, and pamphlets were published. By the mid-1930’s, Bahá’ís resided in more than 200 localities. In 1944, the centennial year of the Bahá’í Faith, every state in the nation had at least one local Bahá’í administrative body. By 1963, Bahá’ís resided in more than 1,700 localities, and by 1968, in more than 3,300. Currently more than 150,000 Bahá’ís reside in over 7,000 localities throughout the United States, including over 100 Indian reservations.

Administration

The thirteen Regional Councils operating within the contiguous United States as of 2024.

The affairs of the Bahá’í community of the United States are administered at the national level by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States, on the regional level by thirteen Regional Councils, and on the local level by individual Local Spiritual Assemblies.

Based in Evanston, Illinois—not far away from the Wilmette House of Worship—the National Spiritual Assembly oversees and coordinates a number of offices and committees, including ones for public affairs and discourse, teaching, Bahá’í funds, social and economic development, and more.

Regional Bahá’í Councils have been established in thirteen regions of the contiguous United States, each comprising one or more states. As of January 2024, these include the Northwest, Northern Plains, Heartland, Midwest, Northeast, California, Four Corners, Prairie States, South Central, Appalachia, Atlantic, Southeast, and Florida Regional Bahá’í Councils.

Contact

To request information about the Bahá’í Faith or to meet Bahá’ís:

• 1 (800) 22-UNITE

Media and Public Information:
For any media-related inquiries and general questions about the Bahá’í Faith.

Phone: 847-733-3559
Fax: 847-733-3578
Email: See here

Address:
1233 Central Street
Evanston, IL 60201

Media Inquiries about National and International Affairs
For media inquiries regarding persecution of Bahá’ís in Iran or other Muslim countries, Bahá’í involvement at the U.N., in promotion of human rights, advancement of women, sustainable development, religious freedom, and other public policy issues.

Phone: 202-833-8990
Fax: 202-833-8988
Email: See here

Address:
1320 19th Street, NW Suite 701
Washington, DC 20036

External Affairs Office
For government affairs, public policy issues and issues related to the persecution of the Bahá’ís in Iran and other Muslim countries.

Phone: 202-833-8990
Fax: 202-833-8988
Email: See here

Address:
1320 19th Street, NW Suite 701
Washington, DC 20036

For Bahá’í House of Worship activites in Wilmette Illinois.

Phone: 847-853-2300
Email: See here

Address:
112 Linden Avenue
Wilmette, IL 60091

See also

• National Spiritual Assembly of the United States
• American Bahá’í Communities by location
• List of U.S. states and territories

External Links

• Official Website
• Bahá’í communities in the United States at Curlie (formerly DMOZ)

United States