The Bahá’í community of Washington, D.C., annually commemorates the 1912 call to promote race unity by Abdu’l-Bahá, son of the Founder of the Bahá’í  Faith, who made his remarks at Howard University. The talk by James Makawa was the centerpiece of this year’s commemoration.

Watch the "Connecting Hearts and Minds to Africa" program from Comcast's "On the Red Carpet".   The video shows this year's commemoration of Abdu'l-Baha's talk at Howard University's Rankin Chapel on Saturday April 7, 2007 featuring Mr. James Makawa, CEO and co-founder of The Africa Channel .

Additionally, the wonderful introduction by Ms. Weslie Ellison can be found in its entirety.
 

 

Remarks by Weslie Ellison - Introducing James Makawa at Howard University

April 7, 2007

In 1912, Abdu’l-Bahá, son of and chosen successor of Bahá’u’lláh who was the Founder of the Bahá’í Faith, while on an 8 month tour of many cities across the United States and Canada, visited Washington, DC. Within this city he spoke to audiences large and small on topics relating to the spiritual transformation of society. His visit to Howard University Rankin Chapel on April 23, 1912 - almost 95 years ago – was commemorated by His historic address to a racially mixed audience on the reality of the oneness of mankind and the profit that would come to Blacks and Whites should they both recognize their collective strength in their harmonious interaction.

At this time Washington, DC was a rapidly growing metropolis attracting large numbers from across the United States and particularly from Southern region. According to the 1910 Census approximately 300, 000 (roughly half of the current DC population) lived within the District. Seventy-one percent of residents were White, 28 percent Black, and a remaining 1% from other racial groups. Of these residents more than half had moved to the District from somewhere else. Those attending Rankin Chapel that day most certainly represented not only a racial mix but also a broad spectrum from other regions of the U.S where concepts such as “racial integration” and the practice of questioning predominant social customs - new and challenging. Nonetheless, the opportunity to hear ‘Abdu’l-Bahá speak had a very broad appeal as it was reported “over 1,000 people filled Rankin Chapel that day” and as he finished his speech he received a standing ovation and a request for a recall.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s message to those present was to focus on the light within each other’s hearts rather than make the diversity in skin color as a reason to mistrust or even a relevant source of distinction. He compared humanity to a garden of many different colored flowers all complementing the beauty in each other. This emphasis alone would be the cause of removing social barriers that hindered their interaction. In fact, seeing the harmony between Blacks and Whites in the audience was a source of great joy for him as he said,

“Today I am most happy, for I see here a gathering of the servants of God. I see white and black sitting together. There are no whites and blacks before God. All colors are one, and that is the color of servitude to God. Scent and color are not important. The heart is important. If the heart is pure, white or black or any color makes no difference. God does not look at colors..”

Finally, he provided a glimpse of the economic and social progress that had been and will increasingly be enjoyed by people of African descent and that the progress in opportunities of those living in the African continent was intricately linked to the progress made by those living in the United States. This reality could only be achieved when race relations in the U.S. between Blacks and Whites improved.

The primary ingredients needed for this new spiritual and social transformation in the U.S was an unreserved showing of continual love and gratitude. From this new ethos - characterized by positive associations and good will - would emerge a culture of unfettered search for truth, understanding, and reconciliation - opening possibilities towards social progress previously undreamed of in human history.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá was acutely aware of the dangerous racial climate that had been brewing in the United States as well as the pernicious psychological, emotional, and spiritual damage this ideology of racial superiority and inferiority had afflicted generations of Americans. Like a skillful and loving physician he instead of accentuating the numerous symptoms, fears, and risks of living in a society obsessed with race chose to emphasize our inherent unity and outlined approaches each member could individually take towards the path of wellness. Like the patient having been given “the good news” that he already had the necessary antibodies to fight the disease and that there was high expectation in his future health and recovery - the hopes and confidence of the audience of 1,000 were revived.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá provided in words and in action that day of how one soul could completely change the momentum of any racial situation by first - believing in our innate connectedness and then - wholeheartedly taking action steps that reflect the spirit of oneness. That afternoon, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá continued to demonstrate this principle, by a simple measure, one way this spirit of reconciliation could be actualized. - At a luncheon given in his honor by the Washington, D.C elite he invited an early believer of African descent named Louis Gregory to sit next to him…at the table on his right which, as social custom dictates, is reserved as the seat of honor. To the dismay of the guests at the table he, in one sweep, had neutralized a social custom in which it was widely considered distasteful and unseemly by White people to share food at a table with members of the Black race.  

‘Abdu’l-Bahá made no remark about his intent nor asked permission from the host but carried on as if this was actually - “the appropriate custom”. This demonstration also ultimately disencumbered those present with the expectation of maintaining the yoke of this oppressive and morally reprehensible social practice.

When I reflect on ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s speech and example that day I take away 3 thoughts:

 1.     As was demonstrated at the luncheon - ‘Abdu’l-Bahá had the extraordinary ability to recognize the opportunities to teach principles in very practical yet impactful ways. Time was not wasted as at every moment he was present in mind, body, and spirit and always selected the most appropriate response demanded by the circumstances around him. Once one has committed to a principle of racial harmony - it will most certainlyagile on ones feet” in responding the need for racial healing. attract circumstances that will require one to also as be as “

2.     In 2007 in the city of Washington, DC the demographic is twice as large but similar in its composition of newly arrived although with a higher proportion of African Americans. We are similar to our residential forbears but infinitely more blessed too with far more opportunities to demonstrate this spirit of oneness as conditions in our neighborhoods have brought the races living, working, and socializing closer than ever before. Rather than continuing to focus on racial differences we are discovering that the true “spiritually enlightened human being” - with all its multifaceted identities - can become our eternal imprint. We can give ourselves and each other permission to continually question, repair and discard if need be patterns, beliefs, and behaviors that prevent us from, as Bahá’u’lláh describes, “Seeing with our own eyes and hearing with our own ears..”

3.     Finally, as I look around me I am humbled by the sound of the collective spirit that hungers for a world united in its recognition of the oneness of humanity. Sometimes the voice of this spirit is soft and subdued or sometimes it is tumultuous and fierce as people across the globe demand to be seen, heard, understood and to be given the same rights and respect enjoyed by those of us here. Today, as we commemorate ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s visit to Howard, we are reminded that the way to honor his cause is to help advance it.

Having said that, I am pleased to introduce James Makawa, Co-Founder and CEO of the Africa Channel, and our speaker this afternoon.

James Makawa, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of The Africa Channel and originally from Zimbabwe, for more than 10 years worked as a local news reporter and anchor with leading local stations before joining NBC News as a correspondent in New York and Chicago.

Mr. Makawa returned to South Africa and co-founded the first Barter syndication company ever launched in Africa called the African Barter Company (ABC), in partnership with Grey Advertising Worldwide. Mr. Makawa cleared hundreds of hours on TV stations across the continent reaching an audience topping 150 million.  In 2000, Mr. Makawa co-founded the African Broadcast Network, a pan African network of television stations with affiliates in 18 countries throughout sub-Saharan Africa.

We asked Mr. Makawa to speak in large part because his work is an outstanding example of what can be done to connect people of different races and cultures and, by association, advance our experience as one human family.

As Mr. Makawa will tell you, if we are to eliminate prejudice and forge racial unity, we must expose ourselves to people of all different racial and ethnic backgrounds. We must demystify what is foreign, and this, of course, is the goal of the Africa Channel.

Please join me in welcoming James Makawa.