User:Smkolins/sandbox11

Places Louis Gregory was, did and said, and said about him, through 1921

Born and raised

Gregory's family history enters into memory and story crossing into the era of the Civil War (1861-1865) and the end of slavery. Gregory's mother and grandmother were slaves of the George Washington Dargan Plantation in Darlington, SC, and Chanellor Dargan was his birth-grandfather, while a kin(not wife of Dargan), Louise Dargan, possibly Louis Wilson Dargan, taught Gregory's mother and grandmother Christianity in mystery and practice. Gregory says:"The Dargan family are outstanding and distinguished for their work in the field of religion and education. They accepted the end of slavery cheerfully and stimulated the progress and en­lightenment of humanity. I did not choose them as my fore­ bears, but in justice must acknowledge my obligations to them.” Meanwhile the first era of the KKK in South Carolina killed a grandfather of Gregory. That era began in Tennessee in 1866 and by 1871 was being actively opposed by federal law and practice. and didn't recover into being an organization again until the 1910s. Gregory himself was born June 6, 1874, in Charleston, SC.

Mid-June, 1880, the US Census has him living at home with his mother, Elizabeth George, with an older brother Augustus and a tenant Mary Bacon on the south side of Burns Lane, Charleston, South Carolina. Augustus had had some schooling and Elizabeth was a dressmaker. She had been without work 3 months of the previous year. Today it is a single-lane road alley at the corner of Meeting St. and new buildings are all around.

Laws on equality passed in the Reconstruction era after the Civil War began to be repealed by 1875. Nevertheless Gregory played with children of white troops stationed in the South and rode unsegregated street cars in Charleston as a youth around the 1880s and 1890s, however by 1898 South Carolina adopted Jim Crow Laws.

Gregory’s father died of tuberculosis circa 1879 or so. His grandmother was still around in his life for many years and made him laugh heartily. His mother remarried to George Gregory and Louis took his name. George had been born free in 1842, and joined the Union side in the Civil War. George was First Sergeant in Company C of the 104th in 1866. Thornton Chase, decades later the first Baha'i of the western world, had sought out a second opportunity to serve in the Civil War and in 1865 was promoted to captain and commanded Company D of the 104th United States Colored Infantry. That unit was organized at Beaufort, S. C., April–June, 1865, and did guard duty at various points in South Carolina till February 1866.

Gregory was afforded public education by the beginning of the school system after Reconstruction in South Carolina however unequal the facilities and resources, and faulty and inadequate even for the time. One school he attended was Simonton School with an exConfederate principal. Yet by step-father George’s means, he "gained more." Gregory attended the Avery Institute in Charleston run by American Mission Association (AMA) by underpaid but enthusiastic staff, and graduated in 1891.

Gregory had been apprenticed to a tailor during this schooling. Gregory's biographer says:"Thus from his stepfather, as well as from his mother and grandmother, he learned the qualities necessary to overcome a black man’s humiliating lot in racism’s revanchist era: self-respect, love of learning, assurance, dignity, resourcefulness, and a sense of humor."

1891 - 1897

George paid for his first year at Fisk University in Nashville, also founded by the AMA. 1891 was Gregory's first year at Fisk, about when he met Caroline Sadgwar of Wilmington, North Carolina, (sister and daughter of later Baha’is Felice and Frederick Sadgwar.) Coverage of events at Fisk in April 1893 included mentioning that Gregory had the Mumps among others. Gregory and Sadgwar were both at Fisk for four years; she was a year ahead of him. Gregory was listed as a freshman from Charleston for 1891-2, graduating in 1896, and teaching at a public school in Nashville in 1896-7.

Between 1897 and 1902 Gregory returned to teach at the Avery Institute in Charleston for perhaps a year and then he attended Washington DC’s Howard University for an advanced Law degree program which he finished in 1902.

1902 - 1906

Mid-May 1902, 'Lewis' Gregory was among the Howard University committee that asked President Roosevelt to bestow diplomas to the graduating class, which he declined to do. Late in May he received his law degree. It was an LLB. Gregory gave a talk at his commencement entitled "The Growth of Peace Laws", partially quoted in The Washington Bee, which traced ideas of international and peace-centered law, wherein he praised the Hague Conference and a tendency towards peace in "the spirit of Christianity" and other developments. Gregory passed the DC Bar exam by October. Gregory had a law-practice partnership with James Adlai Cobb for 1902-1906 in DC before starting with the Treasury Department even though at the time an overall decline of black employees was underway in the government. He was remembered well posthumously by his old law partner who in the meantime became a DC municipal judge in 1926.

During this period of practice, Gregory began to be mentioned in legal actions in the local newspapers. In September 1903 Gregory wrote an editorial on the Giles v Harris court case which was published in The Washington Post. In January 1904 Gregory was a lawyer for the plaintiff in a case. That same time Gregory wrote a letter to Booker T. Washington and received a response within the week. In the letter, Gregory spoke of a presentation at the Bethel Literary and Historical Association (BLHA) by an individual which was against Washington's approach which was answered in the meeting as well. Gregory makes the suggestion to maintain a dignified silence about wrongs and wrongful attitudes in the South "rather than use words which may be construed as an approval.” Washington wrote back his aim has been to take the course of action one thinks right "regardless of whether for the time being it meets with cheers or condemnation" and that "I will under no circumstances get down in the mud and wallow with the people who are trying to draw me into a controversy." Washington also speaks of coming to DC, hoping to meet Gregory, and shared a copy of Up from Slavery with him, and other talks of his that have been published. Across the same days Gregory was part of the legal team representing Barney McKay in the treatment he was given at a liquor bar including raising the price fivefold on the spot and then physically ejecting McKay from the bar, and by March Gregory was a defense attorney in a trial on breaking and entering. That same month Gregory was visible as one of the financial supporters of a reception for Booker T. Washington held at the Odd Fellows meeting. Mid-April Gregory was reported as a possible candidate for a political office ticket in DC as an alternate to Joseph H. Stewart among Rosevelt Club meetings. A letter by Louis Gregory is quoted in an article in The Washington Bee reports a challenge for black candidates to appear on a Republican ticket for debate. Gregory was invited to speak at a meeting of the Blaine Invincible Republican Club in DC in mid-July as part of their district conference before their national meeting in Chicago. In Gregory was invited to give a talk "Power of Divine over human laws” at YMCA organizational meeting in August. The same month Gregory wrote a Letter to Editor of The Washington Post (one of many) on recent lynchings that had made the news out of Georgia.

In January 1905 Gregory was president of the Bethel Literary History Association(BLHA) during a debate on the situation with the South's representation in Congress. Mary Church Terrell lead the talks of the session, historically the position served by Frederick Douglass. Gregory presided over the Bethel meeting of March 1905 at which "The Church and the Nation,” was the talk by W. E. Andrews: "We must not consider the church or the state as dominant in our country," he said. "They must work side by side for the benefit and elevation of both. The nation as well as the church is called into by social qualities of human life and each will always exist in some form." In May Gregory attended the Mu-So-Lit Club informal meeting held at the Washington Conservatory of Music.

Gregory was listed as employed with the Treasury Dept by July 1905. In August Gregory was listed as having moved to 1942 11th St NW.

In October, Gregory was among those that participated in the BLHA meeting devoted to the presentation of Dr. Norman, Dean of Shaw University, Raleigh, North Carolina. In November, Gregory, now ex-President of BLHA, gave a talk at the Lyceum of 3rd Baptist Church on "Thou shalt not steal". In December Gregory was party to a suit over a bank that failed, and took part in another 3rd Baptist Church Lyceum debate on “Modern Conversation”.

In January 1906 Gregory was appointed as a Notary Public for DC, and was among those at the BLHA meeting at the Lincoln Temple discussion following the presentation by House Representative George H. White of North Carolina. At a reception in March before the Bar for Thomas L. Jones, Gregory was one of many who spoke and was somewhat quoted in the newspaper on the subject of "Conflict of Laws - especially on international and or peace oriented law" saying “Peace can only be permanent when supported by justice and equal rights.” In April Gregory earned a promotion at Treasury, and in September Gregory was noted in Harrisburg, PA, for several days or weeks. In October Gregory was part of a chain of land transactions. and was elected a vp of Howard Law School Alumni.

1907 - 1909

In March 1907 Gregory and ex-judge E. M. Hewlett wanted service at a segregated cafeteria in the US Capital building. The white woman who served them was fired. By April Gregory was first vp of Bethel Literary and Historical League. That month Gregory also served on the Howard Law School Alumni Association committee to memorialize Reuben S Smith, class of '82. In August Gregory was proposed as the superintendent of the DC public schools to succeed W. V. Tunnell, profiling his background and successes.

In the Treasury Department Gregory worked with two white clerks - one a very elderly Civil War veteran with one arm from Massachusetts, the other from Maryland, Thomas H. Gibbs, well educated with a culturally Southern sympathy; ‘unreconstructed’ Gregory called him. And the two of them were intensely differentiated by their attitude toward the Civil War, but interestingly enough it was Gibbs who invited him to a home dinner at his residence. On the other hand the elder veteran “used playfully to call him­self my grandfather”. It was Gibbs who in late 1907 invited Gregory to hear about the Baha’is offering a talk; he had attended some meetings though he was not very interested in the religion himself. There Gregory heard a talk by Lua Getsinger assisted by Pauline Hannen, and Gregory was joined by Millie York and Nellie Gray at the old Corcoran building which was across from the Treasury Department building but torn down since then. Afterwards he attended meetings at the York-Gray home with presentations by Pauline Hannen and then to meetings at the Hannen home at which Joseph Hannen led studies. Pauline and Joseph Hannen become spiritual parents in the coming months and years. Gregory saw it as an answer to the prayer penned by DuBois.

In December Gregory earned another raise working in the Treasury Department in a section devoted to South Carolina auditors. At the time and into 1908 he was still a vp of the BLHA. By March 1908 Gregory was visible as treasurer of the Washington Conservatory run by Harriet Gibbs Marshall. In an odd mention, in November Gregory is described as “eyes turned westward and his heart southward” which might speak to arenas of attention.

In January 1909 Gregory have a talk at the Mu-So-Lit Club for the inauguration of President Taft in 1909 and briefly quoted describing the Club: "The Mu-So-Lit is essentially an organization of quip and jest, of light and laughter; of song and story; of wit and eloquence; of whist and tobacco smoke. No intoxicating liquors stimulate our brains and darken our counsels. Our meetings are sober, yet not grave; enjoyable, but not boisterous.” In February Gregory gave an address on Lincoln and Douglas for the Centennial of President Lincoln's birth that was held at the Armstrong Manual Training School - one of many activities of the community that day. Gregory was also a member of the auditing committee for the events for President Taft’s inauguration organized under Wilson Bruce Evans, Richard R. Horner, and many others. Gregory was the keynote speaker at the Mu-So-Lit Club “Smoker” which is partly quoted on the subject of being welcome in diverse ways.

Around later 1908 into 1909 the Hannen home had had bricks thrown and damage done to the house probably because of interracial meetings. In early 1909 the Hannens went on pilgrimage while Gregory "retreated into other concerns”. During their pilgrimage Pauline sought for Joseph to gain confidence in the face of segregation and hatred in the work of race unity and promoting the Faith; 'Abdu’l-Bahá affirmed and Joseph was confirmed in the work.

By March Gregory was a member of the committee that arranged for the reception of retiring Ohio Senator Joseph Benson Foraker, held at the Metropolitan AME Church. That May Gregory was elected president of the Bethel Literary and Historical Society again. In June Gregory attended a Howard University Alumni meeting. That June Gregory also accepted the Baha’i Faith after "learning how to pray". However after he did so he found a “twilight” in society including segregation among some Baha’is and criticism (thinking he had become mentally unbalanced) and pressures from the black community because the Baha’i community, which still lacked much of an administration, mostly had individualized relationships with the Head of the Faith though there was written guidance from ‘Abdu’l-Baha on unified meetings as early as February 1909 Undated, (1909?) the Hannens arranged for Gregory to consult with the “Working Committee” that organized events after it became apparent that the Baha’is were not consistently unified over not supporting segregation practices. Personally he remained enthusiastic about the Faith still in July and planned for a large meeting to hear of the Faith at the Bethel Literary and Historical Association(BLHA), and also worked within the community to address segregated meetings.

Baha’i, Bethel Literary and Historical Association

In October Gregory was transitioning out of the office of President of BLHA, and the mid-October list of speakers for the season was announced and included “Can the Great Religions of the World be United? If so Upon What Platform” by Joseph H. Hannen, Lua Getsinger, and Howard MacNutt.

In November ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s letter to Gregory arrived and was translated and became the point of devotion of his life’s work. It included the hope that Gregory would be “the means whereby the white and colored people shall close their eyes to racial differences” and “the cause of the guidance of both races.” which Gregory digested into three missions: a spokesman to African Americans for the Baha’i Faith, to raise Baha’i administration to raise the standard of interracial unity. A couple of weeks later Gregory was congratulated for his work with BLHA as "bringing his society back to its former popularity. This is to be some lively papers this month." In December Gregory was in a BLHA honoring of Gen. Oliver Howard and the event was well reviewed.

January 1910 Gregory among many supporting Associated Charities and Citizens' Relief Association. Another odd mention in the Bee was that Gregory has "decided to remote East”, (is this an oblique mention of early hopes of pilgrimage? attached to eastern religion? literally moving east?) In February Gregory was listed as a member of Fisk University Club chapter in DC, which would have been a means of a network of contacts as well as being natural to his associations, but now when he already being active in the community and a Bahá'í.

Following the guidance of February 1909, on March 1910, the DC Baha’i community held its first intentional interracial community meeting at the Hannen’s home and follow-up regular monthly meetings and additional weekly meetings were held the Dyer home 1937 13th Street NW, as well as every fourth Feast to be intentionally interracial “Unity Feast". That first Feast was hosted by Fanny Knobloch and Gregory spoke at the event. "Unity Feast”s continued and Gregory hosted one of them and spoke at another. Despite progress there were Baha’is who remained in opposition to practical mingling and equality of the races. Amid these, Gregory also appeared at a Treasury Dept function.

In March Gregory was part of a reception via the Wilberforce Club bringing in President Taft and others. Gregory recalled three sessions before, and then one on, April 5 with Joseph Hannen and 'Abdu’l-Fareed made a presentation to the BLHA and another meeting was invited by a Howard professor’s wife (Cook?) given by Roy Wilhelm and Percy Woodcock. In The Washington Bee the first was noted on April 2; Joseph Hannen and Ameen Fareed spoke to the BLHA on "The Race Problem in the light of the Bahai Revelation" April 9 Fannie Knobloch, Joseph Hannen, Dr. Fareed and Lua Getsinger talk at BLHA. In mid-April the 1910 US Census had Gregory boarding at 1553 4th St NW with Charles and Emma Cushingberry. The Cushingberrys were from Virginia and also black, many years his senior. Gregory and Charles were listed as messengers working for the government and had been all the previous year. The address is a private residence, possibly dating to the period. Broadly in early 1910 Gregory wrote for permission to go on pilgrimage but was asked to postpone it - at the time 'Abdu’l-Bahá was restricted in his situation which by late 1910 was changed with his freedom to travel. In May Gregory introduced Dr. John T. Layton at Metro AME Church service for the musical programs of schools. In August Gregory sold part of 'South Brookland' property to Richard J. Flood for $10. There was publicity in September that Gregory joined the Baha’i Faith. Gregory was noted as involved with the Faith while BLHA president and that he “would be a power. He is earnest, impressive, convincing and indefatigable in the pursuit of a purpose.” Gregory, now ex-President of BLHA in early October, was with DuBois on presentation to BLHA. DuBois roundly criticized the situation of the race and its leadership and got a standing ovation though later speakers objected. DuBois proposed a new organization beyond the NAACP and a general revision in the situations of the race which sometimes protests the very means of being lifted up. By mid-October Gregory and others discussed a presentation for the BHLA about manual training for skills for both men and women.

Late in 1910 ‘Abdu’l-Baha invited Gregory to come on a pilgrimage (“in the Spring”) that had been delayed earlier.

First trip - including SC

Gregory’s first teaching trip for the religion included Richmond, Virginia; Durham, North Carolina; Charleston, South Carolina; Macon, Georgia; and four others. This would have been across later October into December 1910, that in Gregory’s estimation reached an audience altogether of some 900 people. Echoing The Charleston Messenger there was coverage of Gregory and Alfonzo Twine giving talks in South Carolina. Twine gave a talk on the founder of the Young People's Union, Dr. S. H. Jenins, while Gregory gave a talk at the Morris Brown AME Church Nov 21. On November 8, Louis Gregory's Carpenter Union step father George Gregory helped organize a talk on the "Baha'i Revelation," at the Carpenters' Hall. He also spoke to the Young People's Union at the New Tabernacle Fourth Baptist Church both in Charleston.

Louis Gregory shared that he had many engagements to speak, including gatherings and at churches. He recalled that in every city people were found who accepted this great message... but the system of follow up work was not then developed. Amongst the Baha'is from this teaching trip is the founder of the Richmond Baha'i Community Susan Catherine Stewart. Also the lawyer Alonzo Twine, the first Baha'i residing in Charleston, South Carolina.

As for the other four cities, they include Enfield, NC and Wilmington, NC for certain and possibly Aiken, SC; North Augusta, SC; Augusta, GA together with train transfers in Atlanta, GA and Florence, SC.

Back in DC

An article writer said he “had a talk with Louis Gregory recently…” opening January 1911 highly complementary of Gregory but cynical of the religion. Gregory was aware of the column and declined to address it. Late in January Gregory visible as treasurer/financial secretary of the DC Conservatory of Music. and was among many present at a meeting at which Edward H. Morris of Louisiana was very opposed to Booker T. Washington. In February Gregory was going to speak to the Men's Club at St. Luke's P. E. Church. That month Gregory was also elected to fill a vacancy on DC’s Baha’i ‘Working Committee’ with some degree of administrative responsibilities for the community(which also meant a plurality of support in the community.) Lastly February 23, 1911, Gregory filed for a passport. He was 5' 11" tall, employed by the Treasury Department and planned on a 3 month trip. His witness was W. B. Carrol of 1714 4th St NW. Gregory was still living at 1553 4th St NW.

Pilgrimage

Gregory now was set to leave on his pilgrimage trip, a fact reported in a couple of newspapers - in West Virginia, and Indiana. On March 22 the regular Dyers-hosted interracial meeting became a surprise farewell dinner for Gregory's pilgrimage; Gregory sailed on pilgrimage from New York Mar 25, 1911. A number of leading individuals gave talks at the meeting: "Dr. W. B. Evans, Principal of the Armstrong Manual Training School; Judge Gibbs, former U. S. Consul to Madagascar; Professor W. H. H. Hart, of Howard University; Professor G. W. Cook, of Harvard University; Mr. Edward J. Braithwaite; Mr. Duffield; Miss Murrell, of the faculty of Armstrong Manual Training School; Miss Grace Robarts; Mrs. Claudia S. Coles; Mr. Charles Mason Remey; Professor Stanwood Cobb; Mr. and Mrs. Hannen.” More than 50 Baha’is and guests attended. March 25 Gregory sailed on the Koenigen Luise for Naples and Genoa with James & Mrs. Hill. Gregory had been a guest of the Hotel Maceo in New York at 213 W 53rd St seems to be an office building that might date back to the period. The ship carrying Gregory landed at Ramleh, Egypt, on the African continent. One take-away from the pilgrimage was to never again doubt that the black community belonged in America and to be fully integrated into the community too. During the pilgrimage, Gregory and 'Abdu’l-Bahá traveled to Palestine where Gregory went to the Shrines, and met members of the Holy Family including young Shoghi Effendi. Louisa Matthew was also on pilgrimage from England at the time. And meeting ‘Abdu’l-Baha was itself transformative and magnetizing, and that progress on racial unity was necessary. Another pilgrim from Britain arrived with TB and died a few months later. There was also comment while Gregory away on pilgrimage, though called “Rev". At the same time Gregory was advertised as Financial Secretary of the Washington DC Conservatory of Music from April 1911. While Gregory was away, someone reported in Chicago in April about activities in the African-American community DC at the Frederick Douglas Center.

Gregory returned via Stuttgart, Paris, and London. There were also letters from those communities to Abdu’l-Baha to which He replied commending Gregory. In London he visited Baha’is there for four days, crossing paths with Marion Jack. Last leg back to US from Britain was accompanied by Qudsiyyih_Khanum_Ashraf (often Ghodsieh in the period). His occupation was listed as “Good Service”. He arrived on the SS Amerika.

The praise of Abdu’l-Baha about Gregory’s visit did not immediately translate into any public change.

After Gregory's return, an account was published later in 1911. Meanwhile Gregory offered a talk on the pilgrimage at Lincoln Temple 11th & R St NW in DC on Monday evening - "Glimpses of Three Continents" and relate experiences with 'Abdu'l-Bahá. He had been away about 10 weeks. Reports of the talk were carried to other states in a positive light. Gregory spoke of ’The Master'. The building is still standing. Unfortunate a writer cynically relates to Gregory’s sense of faith, if he calls Gregory “a fine fellow”. Later in June, Gregory was visible escorting Sallie M. Jones Downs to an meeting in government offices in DC, one of many receptions and meetings. That July Gregory was noted as a financial supporter to the Camp Pleasant summer camp for black children.

Second tour: New England/Chicago

In August Gregory was on a speaking tour to New England - and it was news in Minnesota, where Gregory visited Green Acre for the first time. Later in August, Gregory gave a talk at the Douglass Center in Chicago on "Life in the Far East”, and for a talk for the Bahá'í meeting in Chicago too. On his way back to DC he stopped in Buffalo to talk at the home of John Harrison Mills at the end of August on two evenings.

Back in DC

Another brief negative comment on Gregory was published in October in DC. In November, coming out the traditional date of the Birth of Baha'u'llah, and article by Louis Gregory was published in The Washington Bee reviewing the Faith. A couple weeks later came a story of Alonze Twine in South Carolina who was noted involved with the Baha'is and committed to the Hospital for the Insane after becoming involved with Louis Gregory and the Baha'is. In December there was again negative commentary about how Gregory: “Baha'i when you meet him, Bahai when you leave him, and Bahai all the time”, and noted as still unmarried.

Opening 1912 Gregory and other black Baha’is attended a talk by Mary Hanford Ford at 1219 Connecticut Ave. in DC. In 2022 the address is a sweets store. In February further followup on Alonzo Twine being committed as insane after committing to the Baha’i Faith after meeting Louis Gregory was published in Savannad. In February a writer included a cynical reference to Gregory’s sense of faith again. In February Gregory was portrayed as an un-credible reference in cynical review of greed.

Expectations that Abdu'l-Baha will speak to the BLHA, timeline, and other appearances planned, appeared in March.

Gregory published an article

Article authored by Gregory was published April 4, 1911 in The Independent, an abolitionist and Congregationalism newspaper then published by Clarence Winthrop Bowen and founded by his father. This article was also published a year later through The Christian Commonwealth, and then through the Persian-American Educational Society.

Gregory 3rd tour on and off with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Gregory wrote of Abdu'l-Baha in route to America, profile, invitations, published on the front page of The Chicago Defender

There are second hand comments of Gregory in Connecticut mentioned in Hartford, possibly via a letter. Initial coverage has not been found. A couple of days later, there is a mention of him in Arkansas City, Kansas, via his article in The Independent that had been published a year earlier.

April 23 Gregory was noticed in association with Abdu’l-Baha in DC and “was instrumental” in invitations to speak for the BLHA, at Howard University, this was followed by a diplomatic luncheon and a second reception at the Parson’s home at which Gregory was seated at ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s right side which disrupted social rules in high society but was unscathed. The evening of April 24 Abdu’l-Baha attended the regular Wednesday evening integrated meeting at the Dyer’s home which was largely for African Americans but which Abdu’l-Baha praised for its interracial quality.

Abdu'l-Baha noted speaking for the NAACP meeting in Chicago session hed at the Sinai Temple.

Gregory was mentioned, known as an advocate for the religion and recent pilgrim, in The Advocate of West Virginia - the article covers Abdu’l-Baha's talk at Metropolitan AME Church for the BLHA.

Warm reception of Abdu'l-Baha by POC at Metropolitan AME Church, prominence of Louis Gregory and his pilgrimage, brief review of teachings.

Gregory was a delegate from the DC community, gave two talks at the national convention and April 30 was elected to the Executive Board of the Bahá’í Temple Unity for the first time, a precursor of the National Spiritual Assembly, breaking a tie vote.

Gregory returned to DC for responsibilities after the national convention and while ‘Abdu’l-Baha continued His travels.

Gregory advertised as Financial Secretary of Washington Conservatory of Music.

Gregory attended the graduation ceremony of the Washington Conservatory of Music in June.

In July 1912 Gregory was visiting Leslie Pinckney Hill who was teaching at the Manassas Industrial School for Colored Youth in Virginia and Gregory spoke before Hill's class twice. First Gregory spoke of his trip to the Holy Land and secondly on the theme of universal brotherhood.

The Gregory-Matthews marriage arranged for Sep 27 and held in New York City at an Episcopal Church with a ceremony of the Anglican Church "at the residence of Rev. Everard W. Daniel, just nine persons were present, including the minister and his wife, the bride and groom.” and they were allowed to utter the Baha’i marriage vows. Among those present were Howard MacNutt, Mr. Braithwaite, Mrs. Botay, Mrs. Nourse, representatives of New York, Philadelphia, Washington DC, and Atlantic City communities. They went to Atlantic City for their honeymoon and were able to join with Mrs. Nourse in community activities there, and spent the summer in Maryland.

The marriage announcement of Gregory and Mathews was made by The Chicago Defender’s correspondent on DC news and later in the Indianapolis Freeman. It detailed Louise was of Kent, England, and that both were Baha'is although mis-typing the name of 'Abdu'l-Baha.

Nov 6-10 Abdu’l-Baha returned to and spoke in DC for several talks to which Gregory attended. Abdu’l-Baha left the US from New York in December.

Chicago, DC, and NY

There are several repeated articles from late December 1912 to late February 1913 in The Washington Bee about Baha'is "making inroads in the most select circles” with specific mention of Gregory. Amid these, Gregory arrived in Chicago about Feb 15. Within days Gregory spoke on "Lincoln, the Great Emancipator" at a meeting at The Institutional AME Church at 3825 Dearborn St, Chicago, then under Rev. Archibald J. Carey, Sr. Gregory was scheduled to talk in Chicago in a week.

Gregory was a guest of Thomas W. & Mrs. Fleming the previous week and spoke at a reception they hosted and at Mrs. Dr. Barton Peake's 3606 Prospect Ave home to an audience of whites and some blacks.

Gregory was advertised the Financial Secretary for the DC Conservatory of Music across January-May 1913. Gregory handed out scholarships at DC Music Conservatory in later May.

In mid-June, Louis & Mrs. Gregory attended a show of “The Merchant of Venice” at the Howard Theater - a public show of integration amidst segregated DC. In New York, Gregory spoke at the US National Convention, and was still advertised with the Conservatory of Music.

The Gregorys were among those listed donating to the Persian-American Society’s (the name later changed to the Orient-Occident Unity) education scholarships for Iran in later 1913 which continued regularly until 1917.

1914 - 1916 tense and quiet

In early 1914 the DC community’s efforts for explicitly integrated meetings was disrupted - the Gregorys undertook cross-racial apologetics. The community gave up using the Studio Hall at 1219 Connecticut Ave. at which integrated meetings had been featured. There were three “camps”: anti-integration, pro-integration, and against using a public space for meetings when individual efforts were primary. As the divide deepened, however, the Gregorys were relatively isolated. The division of the community remained deeply divided with some segregated meetings at the Pythian Temple and 'colored' meetings at the Conservatory of Music, and integrated meetings at the home of one or another white family. The 'colored' meetings were ended because the black community seekers refused to attend a segregated meeting for blacks only. Another integrated meeting at an apartment on T Street was tried but the place was public enough to cause tensions.

Despite these troubles in DC Gregory attended and spoke at the 1914 national convention on the oneness of humanity(both in terms of equality of the sexes and in interracial unity.) He also was on a committee that performed an audit of the national fund. Perhaps on the way home from the national convention, Louisa is known to have stayed with an African American family in Kalamazoo, Michigan, in May in one of her few trips in America. Nearer the end of the month, the Gregorys bought a plot of land in DC.

1 October 1914, the four meeting groups of DC gathered in one meeting and tried to set aside the anonymous letters upholding segregation in the Baha’i community which had been circulated from meetings at the Pythian Temple. Oct 25 the Pythian Temple group public disavowed the segregated stance again. Communications with Abdu’l-Baha were largely blocked for an extended period roughly later 1914 mostly through 1919 save for a few cases in 1916.

Gregory gave a well-received talk at the BLHA meeting Feb 20, 1915. Circa Ridvan, Gregory is visible, very near center back near Howard Colby Ives and Joseph Hannen in a picture of the national convention, termed an International Bahá'í Congress, held in San Francisco as part of the Panama–Pacific International Exposition. There are other people of color visible, as yet unidentified. COme May, Gregory gave an evening talk at the Institutional Church of Chicago.

Amidst these conditions, Gregory undertook a trip promoting the religion in fall, including Nashville (meeting George W. Henderson) and spending a week in Atlanta (where he met up with Fred Mortensen, who had contact with blacks Bishop Flipper and Dr. Ponton, and the white James Elmore Hays.) In Atlanta he spoke at Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Morris Brown University, Clark University, Gammon Theological Seminary, Spelman College, and the First Congregational Church accompanied by Hays.

See also from now through 1920s for wider community and other issues

• In March 1915 President Wilson had a showing of Birth of a Nation inside the White House and there were riots in the streets.
• The next generation of the KKK itself was reborn in 1915 and grew in Atlanta and other places and grew significantly from 1920 and by 1923 had a national office in DC, publishing a newsletter and working to control its affiliates across the nation.
• In 1926 it moved its national headquarters to DC
• By 1925 and 1926 there were national marches of the KKK in DC.

• Agnes Parsons was involved in some activities centered more around women, her husband died in 1915, and she was more reclusive until 1919-1920 when she was tasked with the initiation of the first Race Amity Conference.)
• Joseph Hannen was run down by an automobile event in 1920 for which no one was found responsible (a woman was questioned and she testified her car which struck Joseph itself had been hit by a truck.)

Note that Parsons went on pilgrimage in August 1919 and was there when Zia Bagdadi reported on the race riots of 1919. Parsons was tasked with the Race Amity Convention in the spring of 1920 while Joseph Hannen had been killed. Agnes Parsons herself was in a car accident and died in 1934. (again, see Parson’s biography.)

Also

The situation was still distressing until in May 1916 when the Pythian Temple meetings were abandoned and integrated meetings were initiated in the fall.

In June Gregory wrote a letter to Parsons trying to maintain his admiration for her spirit of action, her "noble efforts to serve the cause and pro­mote harmony."

1916

Gregory listed as an alternate delegate to the national convention in Chicago and one of its speakers. And wrote about it as a convention reporter for the Star of the West.

Gregory handled an estate settlement in DC in August.

In early September Gregory spoke in Boston at the St. John’s Congregational Church while visiting Fisk classmate Rev. Dr. William N. DeBerry. His talk was "The Unity of Mankind”. He had come from Green Acre on his way back to DC. A summary was published as well. A few days later he was at the Talcott St. Congregational Church in Hartford, Connecticut, giving a talk "Principles of the Bahai Movement” which was summarized in the local paper.

The Executive Board of the Baha’i Temple Unity responded to the initial arrival of some of the Tablets of the Divine Plan by asking Gregory to travel to the South, and set the date for him to leave to November 1, but he had already left. Gregory was in Columbia SC, in late October, with a talk entitled "Bahai (sic) Spirit and Universal Peace" and during the trip he had been in Atlanta, GA, before making it back to DC. He was in Tallahassee, Florida by October 31, speaking to audiences of thousands and going on to including at Florida A. & M. College, and then was in Jacksonville where he gave six addresses in schools, churches, and the Y.M.C.A. He spent six more weeks or so traveling in the South. By late November Gregory was in Tulsa, Oklahoma, including a Methodist Church with room to hold 500 people. He reached perhaps fifteen thousand people among the three months, mostly students. During this tour Gregory visited his alma mater Fisk University in December 1916. A brief blurb reported of Gregory on this second visit at Tuskegee and the tour of 14 states in The Washington Bee, at the invitation of Booker T. Washington.

It is known Gregory typed a letter to President Wilson in Jan stating "Within the past three months, as an advocate of universal peace, I have visited the fourteen Southern States,…" and advising of the troubled nature of relations across the South.

1917

In March Gregory gave a talk in Wilmington DE at Thomas Garrett Settlement (301 E 7th St, Wilmington, DE 19801) on 'Universal Peace' with quotes in newspaper. The Baha'i Faith was scheduled to be presented to the DLHA via Joseph H. Hannen, William P. Ripley, Juliette Thompson, and Ellen V. Beecher. Followup of the Baha'i presentation at the BLHA was further coverage mentioning Juliet Thompson, Ellen V. Beecher, and Joseph Hannen. In particular Juliet spoke of "Personal Reminscences of Abdul Baha" and Mrs Beecher "The Great Invitation" and Mr. Hannen on "Bahai Principles". There was an enthusiastic audience and Gregory was asked for many answers to questions. Present were also Rev. W. C. Brown of John Wesley AME Church, Rev. Stepteau, Rev. Tate, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Moten and Frank B. Williams. Additionally a poem was read by Caroline W. Harris and a quintet performed. S. M. Dudley called for a motion of thanks. A brief summary of the events at BLHA with the Baha'is mentions Joseph Hannen, William O. Ripley, Juliette Thompson, and Ellen V. Beecher.

Meanwhile by Spring Gregory was in touch with white Baha’is and seekers in Atlanta - James Elmore Hays and Dr. James Charles Oakshette.

Gregory served as alternate delegate (a practice no longer followed) to the national convention for Ridvan. Gregory attended the national convention held in Boston at the Brunswick Hotel, spoke at the convention, and gave a public talk on equality of the sexes. He then gave another on "The Harmony of Religion and Science". By spring the American regions of the Divine Plan had had at least one teacher. Rising from the summer of 1916 and building up to the April 1917 national convention, there had been a growing division in the Chicago community between those that supported the Baha’i Temple Unity and the “Baha’i Reading Room” who were following Bostonian W. W. Harmon’s teachings represented and supported by Chicagoan Luella Kirchner. Both groups sent delegates to the 1917 convention and both were accepted despite this being irregular from accepted practice, but there was no formal procedure to delineate delegates.

In later June, Gregory handed out scholarships for the DC Conservatory of Music. By Aug 20 he was in Boston giving a talk “The Equality of Men and Women” and pointed out that “thralldom rests heavily upon the oppressor as upon the oppressed.” A few days later Gregory returned for a talk in Wilmington, DE in the Thomas Garrett Settlement. By September Gregory was in Memphis supporting George Henderson’s community work and development of a college and the Baha’is amounted to 60 people, mostly colored and circa 1919 the entire student body wrote a letter to ‘Abdu’l-baha but relatively inactive by a return trip in 1929 though they responded to his renewed presence. In September Louisa was known to go to Berkley Springs, West Virginia, on another of her few trips in America, where she was again in contact with African Americans.

In October Gregory gave a talk in Brooklyn at the Nazarene Congregational Church at the corners of Troy Avenue and Herkimer Street. The location still existed in the 1920s, noted as a community center. Gregory talk "Oneness of Humanity and Human Brotherhood" spoke at the Brooklyn Nazarene Congregational Church. Nazarene.

Another planned tour for October involved a decision to close his law office, new realty business, turning down a faculty position offered at Howard University, and selling their home. by November, Gregory was reported visting Dr. J. E. Oster in Scranton, PA, and gave talks at Shiloh Baptist and Bethel AME Churches. Both churches still stand. In November he writes being on his way to Chicago while in Cleveland for a racially integrated unity Feast at a public hall.

Attempts at reconciling division in the Chicago area failed. A meeting was held at Mrs. True’s home after the observance of the Birth of Baha’u’llah in 1917, (where Gregory spoke on "The New Educational System of Bahá’-u-’lláh") and it became known that the group had grown a presence in other communities including Boston - though there wasn’t a final resolution of the facts and what to do in response. A second separate meeting of communities outside of Chicago was called but they too saw the necessity of a wide scope response to the issue. At this second meeting, "By unanimous vote a committee for investigation was appointed by the meeting to inquire into the matter and to report the findings to the Friends in America.” The Baha’i Temple Unity was also resolute this matter needed handling. This committee included Gregory and he was a signatory to the finished report. The group was formed to take a "firm stand in order to protect the Cause of God and keep inviolate the oneness of the Covenant, according to the command of Abdul Baha”. Meanwhile, the other group began to form their own “assembly” in Chicago competing with the House of Spirituality. This process unfolded through 1917 and a general meeting to report the results was called for Dec 9, 1917, at the True home in Chicago attended by about 50 people. There were still differences about how the committee was doing its work.

Gregory spoke at a Chicago YMCA meeting on Sunday on the Baha'i Faith.

The end of November he was in St. Louis.

1918

Gregory returned to St. John's Church in Springfield MA and spoke on "Some of the Fundamentals of Bahaism”. It still stands.

Gregory visited and stayed with the Baha’is in Buffalo starting with John Harrison Mills home for a week as well as the Church of the Messiah. At the Church his first talk was "The New Educational System of Bahaollah (sic) and the Real Education”. This stay was on his way to the National Convention. Today 494 Elmwood Ave is the Taste of Asia Restaurant The Church of the Messiah today… is the Fountain Plaza. By later April, near Ridvan, Gregory was in CLeveland giving a talk for the vesper services of the PWA.

Gregory was an arrival staying the YMCA in Chicago during the week up to Apr 27. Following activity started in 1916 in Harlem, Roy Williams, soon compatriot traveler with Gregory, appeared on a list of active Baha’is by April 1918. Gregory was at the National Convention, and was invited to speak to the YMCA Employed Boys Brotherhood for Sunday Breakfast, (and Camp Grant soldiers were also entertained who missed their train connection and had their expenses covered.) Gregory was accompanied by fellow Bahá'ís (?) Tate and Roy Williams(cite Hollinger). Again Gregory spoke at the convention on “The Underlying Unity of All Religions” The report of the committee including Gregory on the Chicago Reading Room group and its attempt to found a separate assembly was presented to the 1918 convention, was ratified, and began a process of national review of published materials on the Faith and to accredit delegates to the national convention rather than simply receive individuals from any ‘assembly’, which became formal with the 1918 convention. And Gregory was elected to the national leadership of the religion in the United States - there were other elections between 1912 and 1918 where he declined service as others had from time to time. Gregory spoke to the Hi-Y Boys Club for Sunday dinner at the Wabash YMCA approaching the end of the Convention.

In a letter written April 1919 Gregory tells of being in ’the South’ in May-June, 1918. In May he was in Nashville, TN.

By August in Philadelphia staying at the YMCA. Then New York.

Sep 12, 1918, Gregory registered for the Draft for WWI. He and his wife's address was 507 Castle Place NE, Washington, DC. He filled out his occupation as a self-employed teacher of the Baha'i Movement/Religion. The location is no longer residential. Later in September, Gregory was noted staying at the YMCA in Philadelphia "in the interest of the Bahia[sic] movement."

By the fall the Gregorys had spent their savings on travel teaching when they received a generous thousand dollars they used to extend his work another year while her income from family investments paid for her travels and work. After October, he accepted financial assistance. This would be about $19k in 2022 terms via inflation. By October, Gregory had given a talk in Philadelphia at the home of J Thomas Butler. who is that?

There is no mention of the 1918 pandemic, especially from August 1918 and June 1919 and, to a lesser degree, December 1919 - March 1920. A PhD in NC describes month-by-month closing of travel between counties followed in a couple of months by recognizing it had already spread.

By 1919 Roy Williams and Louis Gregory were in touch with James Elmore Hays (Hayes) in Atlanta who took pains to meet in private but spent hours with them despite segregation and Oakshette an active Baha’i definitely engaged with the black Baha'is.

Gregory part of legal case in DC across December 1918 - June 1919

1919

Undertook some legal procedures in DC

Early Apr 1919 it is known Gregory was in Wilmington NC, had been in Virginia, was going to SC, then NY for the National Convention and the announcement of the Tablets of the Divine Plan and then back and in Asheville, NC, by September before going on to Tennessee.

Red Summer - 25 riots in 3 dozen cities from April through November. In particular there was a July riot in DC.

Gregory attended the national convention giving the talk “The Power of the Holy Spirit” (which was also the convention which saw the unveiling of the complete Tablets of the Divine Plan.) It was the largest convention to date with perhaps 600 attendees and hundreds more couldn’t stay at the hotel.

Gregory and Albert Vail were recompensed for there expenses as promoters of the religion - though there was resistance to calling them salaried as they most had expenses of traveling covered, not saving up money. Roy Williams’ travels were in the summer and fall of 1919. By June, regularized reporting of travel activities of both Williams and Gregory were effected through Joseph Hannen. March 11 he was in Norfolk, Virginia with Roy Williams, and together they showed the film of Abdu'l-Baha. Gregory gave a talk at the First Baptist, St. Paul's AME, and Abury ME churches, in Lexington, KY. Gregory talk at the Men's Club at the Cathedral House at 421 South Second St in Louisville. In a letter from Aug 9 Gregory outlines other meetings in Louisville: Two lectures at a New Thought Center, six in a Methodist Church, one each in a Congregational, Baptist and two other Methodist Churches, one at a state university, two women’s clubs, a socialist group, two a socialist church, and other groups. He was there a month including meeting Baha’i Emma B. Stott there. Cathedral House still standing. Williams definitely reached southern Florida and Gregory in Helena, Arkansas, where he gave 6 talks. Williams reported the message of unity, “the Message of the Covenant”, was welcomed by all and dispelled mistrusts.

August 13 Gregory and Zia Bagdadi met with the Executive Board of the Bahai Temple Unity, the precursor of the national assembly, about the riots especially after Chicago and Washington and their consultations blamed white landlords in both cities trying to drive out the black residents. Alfred Lunt is recorded speaking to the responsibilities of the Baha’is to “proclaim the true principle which alone would alleviate race prejudice and urged a greater realization of our responsibility.”

Gregory had been reported in New York city A letter to the editor by Louis Gregory reviews the Baha'i engagement with the riots having taken place in Chicago. In particular he holds up the deeds of Dr. Zia M. Bagdadi at risk of his life interceding in the lives of the Clark family of Grand Boulevard. Mrs Clark was the former Mrs Byron. Gregory speaks of some experience some years ago being hosted by Bagdadi who was himself a border with a Christian minister of a Congregational Church to which Gregory had been a member, but the minister had evicted Bagdadi for having hosted Gregory and reported the words of Bagdadi about another occasion when a Christian minister "would rather eat with an atheist of his own race than with the most Christlike Negro." Gregory then goes on to promote the religion as one that destroys prejudice and offers a list of 12 of the teachings and its success bringing desperate people together. Gregory also states that he had visited 13 states over the previous five months and was present in DC for a brief stay. (cf then see Bagdadi’s pilgrimage and Star of the West letter back to US, then Race Amity Convention initiative.)

September 1919 Gregory wrote a letter to Joseph Hannen about the determined effort to remain high minded and prayerful in the face of trials.

By late September Gregory was in Asheville NC, on his way to Tennessee.

There was another Executive Board meeting in September which included letters from Gregory, Bagdadi, Hannen. Harlan Ober suggested an individual initiative on “consultative meetings” on race relations - and idea Gregory supported and suggested mass meetings be held.

Gregory talk at First Congregational Church Chattanooga TN. place probably still stands but isn’t advertising on Web.

November Gregory was in Helena, Arkansas, where he spoke from a church.

By late November Gregory was reported back in Boley Oklahoma, where he spoke at two sessions of the State Teachers Association. Then he was in Guthrie, then Gregory substituted for Clement Richardson at a Negro State Teachers conference in Oklahoma City A profile of the African American community of Boley, OK, outlines a variety of aspects of the town. Gregory was noted in Boley, OK speaking before two sessions of the State Teachers Association spreading “peace, harmony, co-operation throughout the state.”

Gregory talk at First Baptist and St. Paul ME Churches. First Baptist still stands.

1920

Jan 2, 1920, Census finds Gregory in Dallas, TX. He was a roomer with the Charles B & Elmira Terrell family at 3402 Thomas Ave. Charles was a self-employed barber and Gregory was marked down as a lawyer. The address was overrun by US 345/TX 75 and is no longer residential.

Gregory gave several talks In Dallas: at Congregational C M E, St James A M E, St Paul Baptist, New Zion, Mt Rose Churches, high school, and Dr & Mrs Dyson home. Dyson was a black dentist. address was 2816 State St St James AME.

Gregory is noted staying at the YMCA in Dallas, Texas, by mid-January and speaking in several churches.

Jan 15 he wrote Joseph Hannen that “…in Corpus Christi, Texas, when the lights went out for 'perhaps twenty to thirty minutes' while he was lecturing at a congrega­ tional church. Instead of stopping he 'tried to make the inner light bright,’ he wrote, 'and they listened with intense interest in the dark, so that there was no interruption.’"

Jan 1920 Gregory writes from Austin, Texas, following Roy Williams and speaking at Sam Houston College and Tillotson College. In Dallas Gregory spoke in a Holiness Church afterward objected to by the pastor, before 500 souls. There he also worked with Anna Reinke who came to see him speaking at a black high school amidst a torrent of rain. He spoke in Corsicana, Texas and held meetings in a home arranged for while there and formed a study class he was told. Around December 1919 or January 1920 Williams ran out of money while Gregory went on to Oklahoma City. -> Black High School in Dallas was probably the first for black students in the city; known as B. F. Darrell School or “Colored High School” became an elementary school when another opened.

Gregory expected to be in Shreveport, LA, by February, dealing with the news of the death of Joseph Hannen and the chain of communication was broken.

Gregory talk at St. James AME Church and schools in the week in New Orleans. still standing

Gregory attended the national convention. The Executive Board specifically approved that Gregory’s talks of “The Oneness of Humanity” at the national conventions of 1920 in light of the national tension following the 1919 race riots. In spring 1920 Abdul-Baha advanced the idea of mass meetings into a public commitment and this evolved to the Race Amity Convention circa spring 1921 directing Agnes Parsons at first privately to lead to which Gregory assisted. Planning began after Parson’s return from pilgrimage and intended in the summer. Gregory talk(s) with the Southern Sociological Society inter-racial conference after traveling 23 states the past fourteen months for the Baha'is, was in New York for the national convention.

During 1920 Gregory counted three active black Baha’is in the South (though he amended that in later years): Caroline W. Harris, who taught in a summer colony at Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia; Harriet Gibbs Marshall of Arkansas, who had become a Baha'i in Washington, D.C.; and George Henderson of Memphis, TN. At the same time, more white Baha’is than black lived at least part-time in the South.

Gregory spent a week in Wilmington DE and gave a talk "The Equality of Men and Women" at the Thomas Garrett Settlement House for the Mother's Club presided over by Blanche W. Stubbs.

Gregory was in Cambridge, Maryland, giving talks at the Waught M E and Bethel M E Churches and at a Children's Day event. Churches still standing: 425 High St, Cambridge, MD for Waught.

Gregory gave a talk in Lincoln Park, Louisville, KY down on the waterfront of the Ohio River.

Gregory writes of Louisville being a racially complex town with feuds and troubles of society dividing the Baha’i community. But a white woman Baha’i gathered some of white society to hear Gregory talk - something of a miracle - and a unity Feast was held upon his leaving. However by the winter of 1920-21 Ellen ‘Mother’ Beecher found the community divided again but worked with Dr. Moses L & Mrs Murphy there but the white socialite was unable to sustain further integrated meetings fearing only being ostracized and Beecher chose to let the assembly not be elected if it was segregated and Dr. Murphy died the summer of 1921 and by 1943 there were no blacks when the assembly was eventually elected.

Returned to the Thomas Garrett Settlement in Wilmington, DE mid-September.

Gregory back from tour while Mrs Gregory was in Maine (Green Acre) this summer. There is an inter-racial congress planned and will be giving free talks at 2822 Georgia Ave - a series of titles are listed. This was for a 10 day break in travels.

Back to Chattanooga, TN, where some of his talk was quoted from First Baptist Church of Rev. C. A. Bell and also spoke at the local “City Night School”.

1921

January 1921 noted in Columbia SC and recalled circa 1910 visit of Gregory to Charleston

Louise was in DC still and planned to return in February. Since 1919 they had not been together a few weeks at a time so Louise was hoping Gregory could remain in DC some time so he could relax from the rigors of travels.

Gregory on short list of names floated for possible judicial position suggestion.

After consultation with a 5 member committee of mostly DC community members, and supported by nineteen members of the broader society in name and economically as patrons, the Race Amity convention was scheduled for later May 1921.

Gregory wrote a series of columns on the Faith. First came the brotherhood of the Baha’is, then the equality of the sexes, and lastly on the "abandonment of prejudices".

A summary of the Baha'i national convention meeting at the Temple with Jenabi Fazel giving daily talks across the 6-day program, and many other speakers: Alma Knobloch, Martha Root, Zia Bagdadi, May Maxwell, Ahmad Sohrab, Louis Bourgeois, William Randall, Louis Gregory, Louise Boyle, Aldred Lunt, Corinne True, and Albert Vail. Gregory stayed at the YMCA in Chicago.

Briefly that Louis Gregory spoke at the national convention.

There is a summary review of the Race Amity Convention in Washington, DC. Speakers mentioned include Samuel McComb, Alfred Martin, C. Lee Cook, Jenabe Fazel, Coralie F Cook, Gabrielle Pelham, A. L. Locke, and Louis Gregory.

Gregory attended the convention at the Auditorium Hotel and will give a talk at the Appomattox Club Apr 29 coming with Fadil Mazandarani organized by the civics committee (yes the article came out after the event).

Gregory was received at the home of Dr. & Mrs Dexter Reynold of 3420 Vernon Ave while in town for the national convention. Gregory checked into the YMCA in Chicago. Private residence, might be from period.

The Executive Board specifically approved that Gregory’s talks of “The Oneness of Humanity” at the national conventions of 1921 and Gregory and Mabry Olgesby were appointed to the National Teaching Committee.

Profile, history and summary of talks, race theme and Gregory notable, travels of Fadil Mazandarani. More coverage of the race amity convention.

In the 1920s Louise Gregory was often off in Europe promoting the Baha’i Faith though she also returned to the States on occasion. There were rumors of both white and blacks saying the marriage was not sound but it was not so.

Gregory joined with a "Practical Christianity" study group to give a lecture held at the DC YMCA for Sunday May 15.

Coverage also began he was with the Race Amity Convention in DC of May 1921: Race amity meeting in DC. Speakers include Samuel McComb, Alfred Martin, C Lee Cook, Jenabe Fazel,(Fadil Mazandarani) Caralie F Cook (Board of Ed), Gabrielle Pelham, A L Locke, Louis Gregory.

Martha Root particularly aided the newspaper coverage of the convention. The affect of Baha’i speakers was picked up by non-Baha’i speakers. Abdul-Baha asked that the meeting become a series of meetings.

A talk of Gregory’s during the year became the basis of an article of his published in Baha’i World v1 on “Racial Amity”.

Summer of 1921 Gregory was in Green Acre.

June Gregory talk at Chauncy Hall on Boylston St in Boston. Mrs Copeland among talk at Baha'i Association. The Rainbow Circle had Abdu'l-Baha reading by Pastor Bolden, Louis Gregory talk as well as the race amity convention. Mr Benjamin and Feldman also spoke.

Gregory reported traveling to Boston second week of July.

Gregory in Rochester NY speaking at AME Zion Church.

Gregory sent a letter to The Washington Bee dated Aug 16, 1921, from Toledo Ohio which was published a week plus later. Louis and Louise Gregory were guests of Dr. and Mrs. P. M. Johnson in Toledo Ohio where he gave talks to many and was in the company of Alertus and Mrs. Brown.

Gregory started his longest tour the fall of 1921 - Enroute from Boston to the Midwest he vis­ited Oberlin, Cleveland, and Chicago and its nearby sub­urbs.

Gregory talks at SS John Hall Mason Temple in Chicago across September. Gregory talked at the DC Metropolitan Center and Wendell Phillips High School, and then at the Amity Conference, report on the meeting coming up at another meeting.

St Paul Minnesota talk at Pilgrim Baptist Church at Cedar and Summit Ave on "The Abandonment of Prejudices” across a week. He also attended the Sterling Club along with ex-Postmaster Otto N. Raths at which others spoke for their reception, and at the Bethesda Baptist Church for an NAACP meeting the previous Monday, and next week Monday and Friday at St. Peter’s as well as St. Mark's Church for the NAACP. and praised Dr. Orrol Woolson of St. Paul.

Gregory wrote a letter to the Duluth Herald Oct 21, 1921, published the 25th, which was also published in the Dallas Express Nov 12. He wrote in support of an editorial ‘Brotherhood’ and broadly of the spiritual importance of unity. He spoke to the Duluth NAACP.

Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Nov 4 1921. It would take some time for news to spread. Meanwhile Gregory was in Duluth, MN

Gregory talk at YMCA hosted meeting of Americanization Society, then NAACP of Omaha, amidst tour. Left Omaha by later November. November talk for NAACP meeting at AME Church in Lincoln, NE Probably still stands

Gregory stopped in Denver to talk at the Baha'i Center at 1548 California St on "The Mashrek 'Ul Axkar(sic) or Universal Temple"(sic) and then twice at the Shorter AME Church at East 23rd Ave & Washington St on "Four Stages of Man's Growth" and "The Oneness of the World of Humanity" and then lastly several talks at the Tabor Opera House building hosting the Universal Truth Center on "The Underlying Unity of All Religion", "The Seven Valleys" and "Universal Peace”. He was a guest of Harry L & Mrs McClaine, 2933 Welton St. And then was in Denver as a guest of Harry & Mrs McClai and gave a series of talks including the vesper services for the Church of the Redeemer and an evening and lauded talk for an integrated audience at the Shorter Church. Then he was in Pueblo. The McClaine house might be a private residence today.

Gregory talk at Steel Works YMCA on "Four Stages in man's Growth” in Pueblo. He spoke in Pueblo, Colorado at black churches and organizations and two white audiences including Central High School before 800 students, faculty, principal and the superintendent, though there was no Baha’i locally. YMCA and Central High still stand.

Gregory talk "Interracial Amity" at Continental Bank Building, 25 E. 2nd Ave South, Salt Lake City. to Theosophists, two black churches, and a women’s organization.

Roy William succeeded in assisting the Springfield, MA, race amity convention coming together.

Gregory writes personally of the passing of Abdu'l-Baha moved by Jackson's article on the 10th and expands on stances He took etc.

Continued

See https://bahaipedia.org/User:Smkolins/sandbox12