Baháʼí Faith in Zimbabwe

National Spiritual Assembly in 1964.^[5] Though Rhodesia declared independence in 1965, succeeding political developments and wars changed the status of the country and the National Assembly was reformed and has continued since 1970 ^[3] while Zimbabwe regained independence in 1980. By 2003, the 50th anniversary of the Baháʼís in Zimbabwe, a year of events across the country culminated with a conference of Baháʼís from all provinces of Zimbabwe and nine countries. There were 43 local spiritual assemblies in 2003.^[2]

Star of the West magazine on December 12, 1919 after the end of World War I and the Spanish flu.^[6]

Matopos, and Bulawayo.^[2]

Knights of Baháʼu'lláh for Southern Rhodesia^[2] and were under strict instructions by the Guardian to attempt to spread the religion among the indigenous peoples, not the settlers. However the Christians knew Sylvia and "Sue" (Salvator) Benatar, who though Sephardic Jews, became Baháʼís after the Christians left Zimbabwe when they came in contact with Larry and Carol Hautz who were succeeding pioneers. Later Mrs. Benatar performed with Norman Bailey.^[8] The Hautz' established a motel, service station, and a snake farm for venom^[9] on the Bulawayo road just outside Harare. The school was initially for the 20 indigenous children of the staff, but it eventually expanded to a total enrollment of 400.^[2]

Sub-Saharan Africa was observed to begin in 1950s and extend in the 1960s.^[11] By the end of 1963 there were several communities of Baháʼís including nine Baháʼí Local Spiritual Assemblies:^[4]

National Spiritual Assembly in 1964, and Hand of the Cause Enoch Olinga represented the Universal House of Justice at the first national convention.^[5] Though Rhodesia declared independence in 1965, succeeding political developments and wars changed the status of the country and the National Assembly was reformed and has continued since 1970.^[3] In October 1979 some 60 members of the religion from nine communities in Matabeleland participated in the first regional conference at Bulawayo.^[12] In April 1980 more than 50 attended the four-day summer school at the national Center in Salisbury.^[13] Zimbabwe regained independence in 1980. In 1983 the national convention had 67 delegates.^[14] In 1985 182 local assemblies were elected^[15] and some one hundred women attended a National Baháʼí Women's Conference.^[16] Baháʼís estimated the Zimbabwean community at 20,000 in 1985, a 20 fold increase from 1971.^[17]

Mhondoro, with approximately 200 attending. The drama group from Murewa and the Epworth children's choir won in their respective categories. The second major event was in December with participants 30 different countries for the Zimbabwe Baháʼí International Summer School and Music and Drama Festival. In the music competition of that event, a group called Voice of the Youth, from Bulawayo, walked away with the first prize, the Murewa Choir came second, and the Epworth Choir came third.^[26]