April 6, 2025, 2 p.m. Eastern time
In 1861, two remarkable women were born into vastly different circumstances: Corinne True, into a family of enslavers, and Coralie Franklin Cook, into a family of freedom seekers. During Reconstruction, both attended segregated schools just miles apart near the Virginia/West Virginia border. Despite their divergent beginnings, both women found their paths converging through the transformative power of the Bahá’í Faith. This talk will explore the lives of Corinne True and Coralie Franklin Cook, highlighting how their unique experiences and the Bahá’í teachings propelled them into lives of profound service and contribution to the Faith in America.
As Louis Gregory eloquently stated in his letter to W.E.B. Du Bois in 1943, “…when a person accepts the Faith he must abandon all prejudices… the Bahá’í Faith’s mysterious power is indicated by its ability to transform people whose views are diametrically opposed to its ideals and to give them new minds and new hearts. It is here in the South uniting the races as nothing else has ever done or can do. It is creating the bond that is permanent, not the ephemeral bond of the old order…” This quote encapsulates the essence of how the Bahá’í Faith inspired both Corinne True and Coralie Franklin Cook to transcend their circumstances and work towards the betterment of humanity.
This presentation will delve into the historical contexts of their lives, the educational paths they pursued, and the pivotal moments that led them to embrace the Bahá’í Faith. It will also examine how their contributions have left an indelible mark on the Bahá’í community and the broader American society.
By juxtaposing the lives of Corinne True and Coralie Franklin Cook, we gain valuable insights into the diverse ways the Bahá’í Faith can inspire individuals to transcend their circumstances and work towards the betterment of humanity. This exploration is particularly relevant to Bahá’ís in 2025, as it underscores the enduring power of the Faith to unite people from all walks of life in common purpose and service.
Lex Musta is a co-founder of the African American Historical Alliance of South Carolina, a Project Director working on restorative justice initiatives with the History, Arts, and Science Action Network (HASAN), and an independent researcher whose work focuses on the role of social meanings in shaping race relations. Lex’s research and efforts have been pivotal in the discovery and restoration of tombstones from the Columbian Harmony Cemetery, a historic African American burial ground that was relocated in 1960 to make way for commercial development. Lex is a frequent lecturer and author on the history and contemporary challenges of the struggle for racial amity in the United States, with a particular call to allies to honor others and work for mutual advancement. Lex co-authored This Noble Destiny: ‘Abdu’l-Baha, the Early Baha’is of Washington, D.C., and the Struggle for Racial Unity. Lex holds an MBA from Schiller International University and is currently restoring the Mausoleum of Coralie Franklin Cook while writing her biography. (Donations for the mausoleum restoration can be sent to the DC Bahá’í Assembly, earmarked for the Coralie Franklin Cook Mausoleum.)
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