January 2. On this date in 1902, Julius Edwards, later named a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh for the Northern Territories Protectorate, was born in Jamaica.

 

January 2. On this date in 1902, Julius Edwards, later named a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh for the Northern Territories Protectorate, was born in Jamaica.

Julius was born in Cannon Hall District in St. Mary's, Jamaica, on January 2, 1902. He was active in the field of civil rights prior to becoming a Bahá’í, co-founding the Jamaica Economic-Socio Society, serving as chairman of the Universal Negro Improvement Association, acting as adviser to two Prime Ministers of Jamaica, and serving as Marcus Garveys personal secretary. He became a Bahá’í after being introduced to the Faith by William Mitchell, and began actively teaching the Faith in Jamaica, especially in Spanishtown, and also abroad in neighboring El Salvador. In his career, he worked as a tailor.

In 1953, at the opening of the Ten Year Crusade, Julius answered Shoghi Effendi's call for pioneers to areas that had not yet been opened to the Faith departing Kingstown on August 29, 1953, and arriving in the Northern Territories Protectorate, within the British colony of the Gold Coast, on September 29, 1953. He lived in Tamale where he was able to convert three locals to the Faith, and also taught in Kumasi, but he was unable to secure permission to remain in the country for an extended time and pioneered to Liberia after only three months.

In 1956 he was honored with a certificate of decoration signed by the President of Liberia, William Tubman, appointing him Knight Official of the Liberian Humane Order of African Redemption, and Hand of the Cause Enoch Olinga noted that the President had a favorable opinion of the Faith through his introduction by Edwards. In 1960 he married Vera Keens-Douglas of Grenada who he had introduced to the Faith in Monrovia, and she assisted him in teaching in Liberia.

In December 1979 the Edwards moved from Liberia for Grenada, arriving in February 1980, and they served the Grenada Bahá’í community. Vera died on November 19, 1981, and Julius died four years later, on March 17, 1985. The Universal House of Justice conveyed the following message after his death:

GRIEVED PASSING JULIUS A. G. EDWARDS EARLY BELIEVER JAMAICA KNIGHT BAHAULLAH NORTHERN TERRITORIES PROTECTORATE AND PIONEER TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS LIBERIA. HIS LONG RECORD SERVICES AFRICA CARIBBEAN HAVE ENRICHED ANNALS CAUSE. KINDLY CONVEY FAMILY CONDOLENCES ASSURANCE PRAYERS PROGRESS SOUL ABHA KINGDOM.