The Universal House of Justice in 2012 described the Bahá’í Black Men’s Gathering as “a vibrant and spirited enterprise, which has assisted contingents of African American men to deal with certain obstacles confronting them, to foster a sense of fellowship and kindle their faith and commitment to Bahá’u’lláh, and to encourage them to find an effective part to play within the recent series of Plans.”
Done Made My Vow to the Lord: The Bahá’í Black Men’s Gathering 1987–2011, a video presentation produced under the auspices of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States.
It provides reminiscences of the annual conclaves that over the years drew in large numbers of believers from the far corners of the nation, supporting each other in the process of overcoming the grievous and slow-healing wounds of several hundred years of oppression. It follows some of those men’s many services and global travels to spread the unifying teachings of Bahá’u’lláh.
Many regular participants in the Gathering have shifted the focus of their activities to greater involvement in the community-building work at the cluster level. Done Made My Vow to the Lord shines a light on the accumulated knowledge and experience that continues to enrich these endeavors.
Interested in learning more about the Black Men's Gathering? Please visit the BMG channel on Vimeo for dozens of additional interviews with participants!