African American Baha'i
Helen Underhill, Long-Time Civil Rights Advocate, Poet, Teacher, Age 103, Dies in Peace in Montgomery County, PA Nursing Home, on February 10, 2001
On Saturday, February 10, 2001 at 12:18 a.m. Ms. Helen Underhill, beloved poet, teacher, civil rights advocate, Baha'i Faith member and dear friend, died peacefully, surrounded by friends and prayers at her home in the St. Joseph's Manor Nursing Home in Meadowbrook, PA, near Huntington Valley.
Born August 23, 1897, daughter of Eva Crawford, a Caucasian woman and Irvin Underhill, an African-American and Native -American man, known to many as "Philadelphia's Blind Negro Poet," Helen went on to become a prominent poet and speaker in her own right. Helen is survived by her niece, Helen Jeffers.
Helen's love of poetry began as a little girl. As a teenager she edited her blind father's first book, "Dad's Love and Other Poems" which she also read with her father at church and social programs throughout Philadelphia.
Helen was a contemporary of Marian Anderson's and used to share memories of Marian as a teenager. She also shared wonderful stories of experiences like dancing with the late Paul Robeson. Despite her early exposure to prose, Helen's first book of poetry, entitled "God Speaks," was not published until she was 88. At age 90, her second book of poems, "Lotus Flower" was published. Helen taught at elementary and junior high schools in Philadelphia and New York City. She graduated from the Bessie Hicks School
of Dramatic Arts, took classes at the University of Pennsylvania, and received her teaching certificate from Columbia University. In 1950, she was the first Negro teacher at the Abington Friends School.
Helen became a member of the Baha'i Faith in 1957, and after her retirement as a school teacher, she served as a Baha'i traveling teacher, spending four months in this capacity in Europe, then traveling to Israel, Africa, Iran
and throughout North America. She first heard about the Faith after delivering an impassioned speech at a Quaker forum in Swarthmore, PA on integrated housing. When Annamarie Honnold, a Baha'i in the audience at that speech, heard Helen talk about considering herself a "world citizen" but suffering in segregated America, Mrs. Honnold approached her to tell her about this new religion that stood for the oneness of humanity under one God. The two immediately became friends and remained close until the end of Helen's life.
Anyone who met Helen, either as a personal friend, or through her many poetry readings and presentations to area school children, will recall her charisma, smile, compassion, sense of style and eloquence. Many in the Philadelphia region met her more recently through the various birthday and poetry parties held in honor of Helen's 99th, 100th, 101st and 102nd birthdays at such venues ranging from Border's Bookstores, her nursing homes and Boston Market restaurant, her favorite.
For more information on Helen's life and perspective, please see the attached article from August 17, 1997 in the Philadelphia Inquirer Neighbors section by Kay Raftery, which headlines: "Helen Underhill, soon to be 100, finds herself in the spotlight. A life of pain and joy drawn in verse."
A funeral service was held on Monday, February 12, 2001, at the Swartz-Givnish Funeral Home in Newtown, Bucks County, PA, burial took place immediately following, at the Makefield Friends Cemetery. [provided by Homa Tavangar]
Helen Underhill, Long-Time Civil Rights Advocate, Poet, Teacher, Age 103, Dies in Peace in Montgomery County, PA Nursing Home, on February 10, 2001
On Saturday, February 10, 2001 at 12:18 a.m. Ms. Helen Underhill, beloved poet, teacher, civil rights advocate, Baha'i Faith member and dear friend, died peacefully, surrounded by friends and prayers at her home in the St. Joseph's Manor Nursing Home in Meadowbrook, PA, near Huntington Valley.
Born August 23, 1897, daughter of Eva Crawford, a Caucasian woman and Irvin Underhill, an African-American and Native -American man, known to many as "Philadelphia's Blind Negro Poet," Helen went on to become a prominent poet and speaker in her own right. Helen is survived by her niece, Helen Jeffers.
Helen's love of poetry began as a little girl. As a teenager she edited her blind father's first book, "Dad's Love and Other Poems" which she also read with her father at church and social programs throughout Philadelphia.
Helen was a contemporary of Marian Anderson's and used to share memories of Marian as a teenager. She also shared wonderful stories of experiences like dancing with the late Paul Robeson. Despite her early exposure to prose, Helen's first book of poetry, entitled "God Speaks," was not published until she was 88. At age 90, her second book of poems, "Lotus Flower" was published. Helen taught at elementary and junior high schools in Philadelphia and New York City. She graduated from the Bessie Hicks School
of Dramatic Arts, took classes at the University of Pennsylvania, and received her teaching certificate from Columbia University. In 1950, she was the first Negro teacher at the Abington Friends School.
Helen became a member of the Baha'i Faith in 1957, and after her retirement as a school teacher, she served as a Baha'i traveling teacher, spending four months in this capacity in Europe, then traveling to Israel, Africa, Iran
and throughout North America. She first heard about the Faith after delivering an impassioned speech at a Quaker forum in Swarthmore, PA on integrated housing. When Annamarie Honnold, a Baha'i in the audience at that speech, heard Helen talk about considering herself a "world citizen" but suffering in segregated America, Mrs. Honnold approached her to tell her about this new religion that stood for the oneness of humanity under one God. The two immediately became friends and remained close until the end of Helen's life.
Anyone who met Helen, either as a personal friend, or through her many poetry readings and presentations to area school children, will recall her charisma, smile, compassion, sense of style and eloquence. Many in the Philadelphia region met her more recently through the various birthday and poetry parties held in honor of Helen's 99th, 100th, 101st and 102nd birthdays at such venues ranging from Border's Bookstores, her nursing homes and Boston Market restaurant, her favorite.
For more information on Helen's life and perspective, please see the attached article from August 17, 1997 in the Philadelphia Inquirer Neighbors section by Kay Raftery, which headlines: "Helen Underhill, soon to be 100, finds herself in the spotlight. A life of pain and joy drawn in verse."
A funeral service was held on Monday, February 12, 2001, at the Swartz-Givnish Funeral Home in Newtown, Bucks County, PA, burial took place immediately following, at the Makefield Friends Cemetery. [provided by Homa Tavangar]
African American Baha'i
Helen Underhill, Long-Time Civil Rights Advocate, Poet, Teacher, Age 103, Dies in Peace in Montgomery County, PA Nursing Home, on February 10, 2001
On Saturday, February 10, 2001 at 12:18 a.m. Ms. Helen Underhill, beloved poet, teacher, civil rights advocate, Baha'i Faith member and dear friend, died peacefully, surrounded by friends and prayers at her home in the St. Joseph's Manor Nursing Home in Meadowbrook, PA, near Huntington Valley.
Born August 23, 1897, daughter of Eva Crawford, a Caucasian woman and Irvin Underhill, an African-American and Native -American man, known to many as "Philadelphia's Blind Negro Poet," Helen went on to become a prominent poet and speaker in her own right. Helen is survived by her niece, Helen Jeffers.
Helen's love of poetry began as a little girl. As a teenager she edited her blind father's first book, "Dad's Love and Other Poems" which she also read with her father at church and social programs throughout Philadelphia.
Helen was a contemporary of Marian Anderson's and used to share memories of Marian as a teenager. She also shared wonderful stories of experiences like dancing with the late Paul Robeson. Despite her early exposure to prose, Helen's first book of poetry, entitled "God Speaks," was not published until she was 88. At age 90, her second book of poems, "Lotus Flower" was published. Helen taught at elementary and junior high schools in Philadelphia and New York City. She graduated from the Bessie Hicks School
of Dramatic Arts, took classes at the University of Pennsylvania, and received her teaching certificate from Columbia University. In 1950, she was the first Negro teacher at the Abington Friends School.
Helen became a member of the Baha'i Faith in 1957, and after her retirement as a school teacher, she served as a Baha'i traveling teacher, spending four months in this capacity in Europe, then traveling to Israel, Africa, Iran
and throughout North America. She first heard about the Faith after delivering an impassioned speech at a Quaker forum in Swarthmore, PA on integrated housing. When Annamarie Honnold, a Baha'i in the audience at that speech, heard Helen talk about considering herself a "world citizen" but suffering in segregated America, Mrs. Honnold approached her to tell her about this new religion that stood for the oneness of humanity under one God. The two immediately became friends and remained close until the end of Helen's life.
Anyone who met Helen, either as a personal friend, or through her many poetry readings and presentations to area school children, will recall her charisma, smile, compassion, sense of style and eloquence. Many in the Philadelphia region met her more recently through the various birthday and poetry parties held in honor of Helen's 99th, 100th, 101st and 102nd birthdays at such venues ranging from Border's Bookstores, her nursing homes and Boston Market restaurant, her favorite.
For more information on Helen's life and perspective, please see the attached article from August 17, 1997 in the Philadelphia Inquirer Neighbors section by Kay Raftery, which headlines: "Helen Underhill, soon to be 100, finds herself in the spotlight. A life of pain and joy drawn in verse."
A funeral service was held on Monday, February 12, 2001, at the Swartz-Givnish Funeral Home in Newtown, Bucks County, PA, burial took place immediately following, at the Makefield Friends Cemetery. [provided by Homa Tavangar]
Helen Underhill, Long-Time Civil Rights Advocate, Poet, Teacher, Age 103, Dies in Peace in Montgomery County, PA Nursing Home, on February 10, 2001
On Saturday, February 10, 2001 at 12:18 a.m. Ms. Helen Underhill, beloved poet, teacher, civil rights advocate, Baha'i Faith member and dear friend, died peacefully, surrounded by friends and prayers at her home in the St. Joseph's Manor Nursing Home in Meadowbrook, PA, near Huntington Valley.
Born August 23, 1897, daughter of Eva Crawford, a Caucasian woman and Irvin Underhill, an African-American and Native -American man, known to many as "Philadelphia's Blind Negro Poet," Helen went on to become a prominent poet and speaker in her own right. Helen is survived by her niece, Helen Jeffers.
Helen's love of poetry began as a little girl. As a teenager she edited her blind father's first book, "Dad's Love and Other Poems" which she also read with her father at church and social programs throughout Philadelphia.
Helen was a contemporary of Marian Anderson's and used to share memories of Marian as a teenager. She also shared wonderful stories of experiences like dancing with the late Paul Robeson. Despite her early exposure to prose, Helen's first book of poetry, entitled "God Speaks," was not published until she was 88. At age 90, her second book of poems, "Lotus Flower" was published. Helen taught at elementary and junior high schools in Philadelphia and New York City. She graduated from the Bessie Hicks School
of Dramatic Arts, took classes at the University of Pennsylvania, and received her teaching certificate from Columbia University. In 1950, she was the first Negro teacher at the Abington Friends School.
Helen became a member of the Baha'i Faith in 1957, and after her retirement as a school teacher, she served as a Baha'i traveling teacher, spending four months in this capacity in Europe, then traveling to Israel, Africa, Iran
and throughout North America. She first heard about the Faith after delivering an impassioned speech at a Quaker forum in Swarthmore, PA on integrated housing. When Annamarie Honnold, a Baha'i in the audience at that speech, heard Helen talk about considering herself a "world citizen" but suffering in segregated America, Mrs. Honnold approached her to tell her about this new religion that stood for the oneness of humanity under one God. The two immediately became friends and remained close until the end of Helen's life.
Anyone who met Helen, either as a personal friend, or through her many poetry readings and presentations to area school children, will recall her charisma, smile, compassion, sense of style and eloquence. Many in the Philadelphia region met her more recently through the various birthday and poetry parties held in honor of Helen's 99th, 100th, 101st and 102nd birthdays at such venues ranging from Border's Bookstores, her nursing homes and Boston Market restaurant, her favorite.
For more information on Helen's life and perspective, please see the attached article from August 17, 1997 in the Philadelphia Inquirer Neighbors section by Kay Raftery, which headlines: "Helen Underhill, soon to be 100, finds herself in the spotlight. A life of pain and joy drawn in verse."
A funeral service was held on Monday, February 12, 2001, at the Swartz-Givnish Funeral Home in Newtown, Bucks County, PA, burial took place immediately following, at the Makefield Friends Cemetery. [provided by Homa Tavangar]
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
