Biographies

Roy Wilhelm’s life story is a rich and varied one that takes the reader from the coffee farms of Costa Rica to Wall Street to the picturesque environs of the properties that remain associated with his life and the Faith he held so dearly. He was a shrewd businessman with a keen intellect and a wide range of interests. The extent of his services to the Faith and the establishment of its institutions in North America is hard to overstate. A pivotal figure in laying the groundwork for the establishment of the Bahá’í Administrative Order, Roy was also a dynamic and effective teacher of the Faith who shared its message with many people, including Martha Root and Curtis Kelsey. Shouldering massive responsibility for the well-being and functioning of the early American Bahá’í community throughout the years of the first World War and the Great Depression, he was called upon time and time again by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and later Shoghi Effendi to rise to numerous roles and challenges. When one reads of his wisdom, discretion, and generosity, it is no surprise that the beloved Guardian described him as an “immovable pillar” and a “Herald of the Covenant,” and posthumously appointed him as a Hand of the Cause of God.

This book shines a light on a remarkable heroine of the Bahá´í Faith. Alma Knobloch (1864–1943) one of the three Knobloch sisters, raised up the first African-American community in North America, and was instrumental in the growth of the Bahá’í community in Germany. In His Tablets of the Divine Plan, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá wrote: ‘Likewise Miss Knobloch travelled alone to Germany. To what a great extent she became confirmed!’ Besides pioneering to Germany for thirteen years, Alma also taught early believers in Switzerland, Austria, and the Czech Republic, as well as future Hand of the Cause Hermann Grossmann, and the first European martyr, Adam Benke. Many of the Tablets from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to Alma and other believers in Germany from 1908 to 1920 are published in English in this book for the first time.

A biogrpahy of Agnes Alexander, the only Hand of the Cause of God to be mentioned in the Tablets of the Divine Plan. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá wrote of her: "I declare by the Lord of Hosts that had this respected daughter founded an empire, that empire would not have been so great," and described her as "the daughter of the Kingdom, the beloved maid-servant of the Blessed Perfection." During her 70 years of service to the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh, Agnes Alexander opened Hawaii, Japan, and Korea to the Bahá’í Faith, travelled with Martha Root in China and served across the Pacific Ocean. This book is based on Agnes Alexander’s own accounts of the establishment of the Bahá’í Faith in Hawaii and Japan, but more especially on the 40 years of research by Duane Troxel into her life. This is the story of an exceptional life.

The story of a well-connected, wealthy woman from the West whose devotion to a spiritual leader from the East transformed her life into one of selfless service to humanity. This biography traces the journey of Laura Barney from her pampered childhood to her life as a feminist, global-thinker and peace-builder who was twice decorated by the French Legion of Honor.

Having an inquisitive mind searching for spiritual awakenings, as a young woman Laura learned about the teachings of an eastern spiritual leader and traveled to ‘Akká to meet Him, attracted to the teachings of oneness of humankind, gender equality and world peace. She put questions to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the son of the prophet-founder of the Bahá’í Faith, Bahá’u’lláh. The result was the publication of a unique book, Some Answered Questions, which is considered part of the sacred texts.

Her travels to Palestine, Egypt, and Iran and to Japan, Indochina and India as well as her travels across North America provided her with insights into the reality and challenges experienced by others. She served on different committees with the League of Nations, the United Nations, and the International Council of Women for 50 years. She was a pioneer in many areas, championing the rights of women, advocating for world peace, providing tools for the education of young people, and supporting humanitarian activities around the world.

Warrior Grandma: The Story of Patricia Locke by Littlebrave Beaston is the latest title in the Change Maker series. Patricia Locke—whose Lakota name, Thawáchin Wašté Win, means “Compassionate Woman”—courageously fought for the equality of Indigenous people in the United States and around the world. She was not only a staunch advocate for the rights of Indigenous people but a loving mother and grandmother.

This book teaches the values of generosity, selflessness, and the importance of building strong family relationships. Readers will learn about how prejudice affects American Indians and how Patricia advocated for equal rights for Indigenous people during her lifetime. The book also discusses the qualities of leadership, the principle of consultation, and the importance of courage and perseverance in the face of oppression and attempted assimilation. Patricia acted as a bridge between two cultures—white and Indigenous—and, even in the face of overwhelming difficulties, she always demonstrated compassion toward others. She embodied the qualities of a true Change Maker.

See other books in the Change Maker Series

This book tells the story of a unique life, of one who was part of a turning point in history and left his indelible imprint on it. It encompasses the sweeping story of the development of the North American Bahá’í community between 1914 and 1959.

Horace Holley spent his energies and talents on building a better world, one he knew he would never live long enough to see. Yet this is not simply the story of someone who was exceptionally farsighted, it is the tale of a man who developed an unusual ability to read the times, to perceive and understand what was happening around him in the world and, through putting his thinking into words and action, set in motion revolutionary changes. He stood at the centre of many transitions: in the arts, in war and peace, but most of all, in the development of a new religion – the Bahá’í Faith.

Perhaps there is no more fitting occasion to revisit this beloved book by one of the great Bahá’í authors than the centenary of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s passing. Within the pages of The Sheltering Branch Marzieh Gail offers a tribute to the life and teachings of the Master, highlighting His words and actions, and giving the reader a fleeting glimpse of the days in which He lived. Gail presents passages from the writings and talks of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and draws on the memoirs of her mother, Florence Breed Khan, who spent time in His presence as a pilgrim, to craft this lovingly rendered portrait.

This book turns a searchlight on the services and sacrifices of one of the Hands of the Cause of God who is less known in the West, but whose life story is unique. From a young age he had the honor of serving on Bahá’í administrative organizations in Iran, including the National Spiritual Assembly from its inception in 1934. He travelled internationally on several continents, particularly in Asia, presenting the essential contribution of the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh to universal peace, justice, education, and development. Shu‘a‘u’lláh ‘Alá’í’s many gifts of intellect and spirit, his candour and simplicity, as well as his sunny disposition, endeared him to many during his lifetime and will be newly appreciated by present-day readers.