Abstract
The African Presence at the Genesis of Baha’i History
One of the facts that has been unappreciated and understudied by historians is the presence of Africans at the genesis of Baha’i history. These early black Babis and Baha’is are sometimes mentioned in passing in Baha’i histories. But their lives have not been taken seriously, nor has their influence on Babi and Baha’i history been appreciated. This presentation will focus on two Africans in the household of the Bab who were present from the first days of the Revelation, Haji Mubarak and Fezzeh Khanum. These two servants, who were profoundly important in the lives of the Bab and his wife, Khadijih Bagum, have been largely ignored in Baha’i sacred history. While it is understandable, and even forgivable, that the nineteenth-century Iranian men who were the early chroniclers of Baha’i history would overlook the crucial parts played by women and slaves, it is no longer acceptable for contemporary Baha’i historians to do so. This presentation will attempt to restore them to their rightful place.