Racial Equality

Born of the need to address the plight of men of African descent in the United States, and the unique afflictions imposed upon them, the Black Men's Gathering was founded in 1987 as an individual initiative. From its humble origins in a Greensboro hotel room where the original twelve participants met, the Gathering would grow and evolve over the course of a quarter-century to embrace hundreds in an atmosphere of love, fellowship, and devotion to the Cause of God. Anchor of Faith gives us a glimpse of the vibrant spirit of the Gathering; details its history, evolution, and influence; and brings to light the countless avenues of service pursued by its participants both at home and across the globe.

Winner of a DeRose-Hinkhouse Memorial Award, honoring excellence in religious communications and public relations.

Readers' Favorite® 5 Star Award Winner

Hazel Scott was a champion for civil and women’s rights. Born in Trinidad in 1920, she moved with her family to the United States in 1924. She was a musical wonder— studying and performing on the piano from the time she was a child. She became an accomplished singer as well, and appeared in Broadway musicals, films, and recorded her own albums. She also made headlines by standing up for the rights of women and African Americans, and she refused to play for segregated audiences. When Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led the March on Washington, Hazel led a march in Paris, where she was living, in front of the American Embassy. She learned about the Bahá’í Faith from Dizzy Gillespie and became a Bahá’í on December 1, 1968. She passed away in 1981.

We invite you to learn more about this “Change Maker” and the enduring impact she had on race relations through her performing arts.

See other books in the Change Maker Series

At 14, Richard (Ricky) Abercrombie was besieged by prejudice because of his multi-racial background and angered by unsatisfactory answers to his heartfelt questions about religious truth. The time was 1960, and the place was Greenville, South Carolina. Ricky began carrying a gun, skipping school, and numbing his painful emotions with alcohol. His parents were worried and his future looked bleak. What happened next – an invitation to a birthday party at the home of a Bahá’í family – changed his life forever. Ricky became intrigued by Bahá’í teachings on racial equality, peaceful strategies for social justice, and the fundamental unity of religion. As he investigated these teachings, Ricky experienced a profound spiritual awakening that led him to give up the gun, stop drinking, and engage in life with hope and joy. His friends and family initially opposed his dangerous new association with racially integrated groups, but Ricky’s steadfastness drew them into investigating his new beliefs themselves. This true story of how a rebellious teenager transformed his own character and affected the lives of dozens of friends and family members is a cover-to-cover delight.

Winner of Best Multicultural Non-Fiction from USA Book News.com, the Unsung Hero Award presented by an Australian Aboriginal radio station and newspaper, and received Honorable Mention at the London Book Festival.

Despite a life filled with discrimination and hardship, Aboriginal Elder Banjo Clarke never lost his faith in the human spirit and the goodness of people; his dedication to kindness and forgiveness made him a beloved teacher and inspiration to all whom he met. Wisdom Man covers Banjo’s life from his childhood on a mission, through the grim years of the Depression, his solo travels in search of work, his marriage and children, and his embrace of the Bahá’í Faith, which he found very close to Aboriginal spirituality.

A compilation of stories by American Indians who are members of the Bahá’í Faith, written in their own words. Being free to write and share in their own words and formats, seven American Indian Bahá’ís tell the story of their backgrounds, how they became Bahá’ís, their life adventures, and how this Faith works for them. These stories are meant to show the unique personal stories of Bahá’ís coming from American Indian backgrounds, including the many challenges and joys they’ve faced when accepting and integrating a new religion into their traditional cultural and spiritual beliefs and practices.

This book serves as an excellent reference guide or research tool for anyone looking to deepen on the history of American Indians role and involvement in the Bahá’í Faith and community.