View source for Ahmad Sohrab

'''Mirza Ahmad Sohrab''' ([[1893]] - [[1958]]) was a [[Persian people|Persian]]-[[United States|American]] author and [[Baha'í Faith|Baha'í]] who co-founded the New History Society and the [[Caravan of East and West]] in [[New York]], and was [[Excommunication|excommunicated]] from the Baha'i apparatus in [[1939]] by [[Shoghi Effendi]].

==Biography==
===Early life===
Born a [[Baha'i Faith|Baha'i]] in [[Isfahan Province|Sedeh, Isfahan Province, Persia]] (now [[Iran]]), Sohrab's father Abdu'l-Baghi was a descendent of [[Muhammad]].  Abdu'l-Baghi was the chief dyer of the town.  Both sides of Sohrab's family, his mother and his father, claimed descent from the Imam Husayn, grandson of Muhammad.  His mother died when Sohrab was a few months old, while she herself was still a teenager, and he was taken to live with his maternal grandmother in [[Isfahan (city)|Isfahan]].

===New History Society===
By 1911, he had founded an organization called the [[Persian-American Educational Society]].  Later that year he sailed to Europe "in the interests of his work". (''[[The Washington Post]]'', [[Nov 13]] [[1911]], p.4). Sohrab was secretary and interpreter to [[Abdu'l-Baha]] from 1912 to 1919. While on this embassy, about 1912 or 1913 he met and began wooing Juanita Storch who at that time was living with her family in Oakland, California.  They were seperated by the war, but re-made their acquaintance afterward (see [http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=view&dbid=8049&iid=NEWS-CA-OA_TR.1919_12_26_0018&rc=2758,1021,2891,1054;2910,1021,3043,1054;2942,1413,3071,1446;3412,800,3528,833;3671,1054,3810,1087;3416,1579,3530,1612&fn=&ln=Record+Juanita+Storch&st=d&ssrc=&pid=482240530 Oakland Tribune, 26 Dec 1919]) when she had moved to Santa Rosa, California and they were married in New York on 28 Apr 1920 (''[[The Oakland Tribune]]'', 27 Jun 1920, ''The New York Times'', 29 Apr 1920 [http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=View&r=an&dbid=50000&iid=98587369&fn=&ln=Record+Juanita+Storch&st=d&ssrc=&pid=96112 here]).

===Marriage===
The story of their long and long-distance courtship, intercepted mail, and his many love letters which never made it to her, captivated a number of newspaper who made comment upon it. For example the ''Sandusky Star Journal (Sandusky, Ohio)'' on 29 Apr 1920 said : "New York - East met west here today with the marriage of Ahmad Schrab, former secretary to the Persian legation and Juanita Storch, Santa Rosa, Cal.  Schrab could have a harem in his own town but preferred one American girl."

While the ''Syracuse Herald (Syracuse, NY)'', 20 Jun 1920 went over the top, devoting half-a-page to a photo of guests, a large picture of Juanita and a long article [http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=view&dbid=8564&iid=NEWS-NY-SY_HE.1920_06_20_0122&rc=1171,7025,1571,7142;5549,8746,5981,8863;6043,8746,6475,8863;971,13271,1260,13363;2804,11142,3200,11230;1529,16075,1840,16167;1996,17725,2346,17817;3988,15175,4288,15267&fn=&ln=Record+Juanita+Storch&st=d&ssrc=&pid=482562170 here].

Later, while living in [[Los Angeles]], he helped write a scenario for a movie dealing with [[Mary Magdalene]], for the actress [[Valeska Surratt]], who was herself a Baha'í.  Valeska sued [[Cecil B. Demille]] and others in 1928, and mentioned that Sohrab had helped her write the play. (''[[New York Times]]'', [[Feb 28]], 1928, p2)

He found it necessary to go to New York to discuss business matters with Miss Surratt and it was through her that he was introduced to [[Lewis Stuyvesant Chanler]] and his wife [[Julia Lynch Olin|Julie]].  Together they formed the "New History Society" in 1929 as a way of spreading the teachings of the Baha'í Faith.

On Mar 10, 1930, "Mirza Ahmad Sohrab" filed a petition for naturalization in the US District Court of New York City.  The petition states that he is 39 years old and residing at 28 W 50th Street.

===Caravan of East and West===
The New History Society gave rise in 1930 to the Caravan of East and West, and the Chanler's New York house was now called ''Caravan House''.  This foundation was designed to prepare children and youth to join the New History Society. This group had a quarterly magazine called ''The Caravan'', where Sohrab's partial autobiography first appeared.  (The autobiography appeared again in 1959, shortly after his death, with a few additional paragraphs.)

:"The Caravan of East and West is an educational movement, the chief activity of which is international correspondence. It numbers 1,300 Chapters in 37 countries, with an aggregate membership of 100,000 children, young people and adults. Its publications, The Caravan and Pen Friends Guide, respectively appearing quarterly and monthly, keep the large circle of its readers informed as to the growth and influence of the movement.  The New History Society and the Caravan is a movement in itself for the spreading of the Baha'í ideals and principles, independent of and unaffiliated with the Baha'í organization."([http://bahai-library.com/excerpts/ferm.html Bahai Library "Ferm"])

Sohrab had already published a few books, phamplets and a movie scenario, when in 1933, with Julie Chanler he wrote a book that provided an overview of many of the events of the Baha'i movement; it contained a description of the events of the [[Bab]], [[Baha'u'llah]] &mdash; his claim in the [[Garden of Ridvan]]&mdash; [[Tahirih]], and Abdu'l-Baha.  The book also contains several pictures, including some which may be unique.

===The Split===
Julie attempted to patch things up between Sohrab and [[Horace Holley]], "one of the chief men in the American Baha'í Administration". ([http://freebahais.com/white.htm Free Bahais "White"]) But Sohrab refused to allow the New York [[Spiritual Assembly]], to have oversight of the affairs of the New History Society.  Since Holley sat on the National Spiritual Assembly at this time, this led to a confrontation which resulted in Sohrab and the Chanlers being expelled from the Baha'i community about [[1939]].

===Lawsuit===
In 1941, Allen McDaniel and others, as members of the National Spiritual Assembly, filed suit against Sohrab to try to stop him from using the name Bahá'í.  The NSA felt this created the impression that Sohrab was "connected with and authorized to represent the Baha'í religion..."

This suit was filed in the Supreme Court of New York County.  The judge granted a motion to dismiss, stating that "the plaintiffs have no right to a monopoly of the name of a religion.  The defendants, who purport to be members of the same religion, have an equal right to use the name of the religion..."

The judge mentioned that the complaint could be further amended ([http://bahai-library.com/?file=sohrab_vs_us-nsa_1941 Bahai Library "Sohrab Vs NSA"]) and the NSA appealed ([http://www.h-net.msu.edu/~bahai/diglib/books/P-T/S/sohrab/BS247.gif H-Net "Sohrab 'Broken Silence' page 247"]) but the Appellate Court affirmed the decision of the lower court. (The entire book "Broken Silence" may be downloaded in PDF form [http://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/archives/SohrabBrokenSilence.pdf here] 29Meg)

===Collaboration with other opponents of Shoghi Effendi===

After his excommunication, Sohrab joined forces with other people who opposed [[Shoghi Effendi]]. Part of this combination was a court case raised by Qamar Baha'i Jalal the grandson of [[Mirza Musa]] and others in about 1950-1, challenging Shoghi Effendi's right to carry out major construction work around the [[Shrine of Baha'u'llah]]. One of their key witnesses, Nayyir Afnan, died shortly before the case was due to open, and it all came to nothing. One of the culminations of this was a meeting that was held in [[Famagusta]] in the late 1950s. Representatives of all three main generations of [[Covenant-breaker]]s were present including: Jalal Azal representing the followers of [[Subh-i-Azal|Mirza Yahya]], Ismat and others represented the followers of [[Mirza Muhammad Ali]], and Ahmad Sohrab represented those opposed to any form of administration. One of the aims of this conference was to build a mausoleum over the grave of Mirza Yahya. To this end, an amount of money was collected but it "disappeared" and nothing came of the project.([http://bahai-library.com/articles/exiles.html Bahai Library "Exiles"])

===Final years===
The Caravan eventually severed the links with the Baha'í Faith, but Sohrab, Julie and their organizations continued to promote the interests of the Baha'í Faith as long as they both were living.

The Caravan existed for a time as a worldwide pen-pal club with social ideals.  In addition, there are various references to the Caravan Art Gallery at this same address.  There are also references in Julie and Sohrab's writings to art showings.

Sohrab died [[Apr 20]], 1958.(''[[The New York Times]]'', [[Apr 22]], 1958; p. 33 "Obituary") In his obituary he is described as "leader of the Reform Baha'í Movement in the United States and co-director of the Caravan of East and West".  He died in Doctors hospital in New York City, 20 April 1958.

The New History Society is now defunct, not outliving Sohrab. Caravan House still exists, "Caravan Institute, Inc. is a non-profit organization founded in 1929 to further education and the arts." They have about a million a year in income. ([http://www.taxexemptworld.com/organizations/new_york_ny_10021.asp TaxExemptWorld "New York"])([http://www.parliamo.com/rates.htm Parliamo.com])

== Works ==
*''The Song of the Caravan''. Another ed. also 1930, New York, The Grayzel Press ed., xii, 410. New York: George Dobsevage for the New History Foundation, 1930.
*''Heart Phantasies'', (sometime before 1929), date uncertain.
*''The New Humanity'', appeared daily for sometime in a Santiago newspaper, (sometime before 1929), date uncertain.
*[http://www.h-net.org/~bahai/diglib/books/P-T/S/sohrab/ABE/ABE.htm ''`Abdu'l-Bahá in Egypt'']. New York: J. H. Sears & Co for the New history Foundation, 1929. Approved by the Publishing Committee of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada. Digitally republished, East Lansing, Mi.: H-Bahai, 2005.
*[http://www.h-net.org/~bahai/diglib/books/P-T/S/sohrab/LP.htm ''Living Pictures. In the Great Drama of the 19th Century'']. (with Julie Chanler) New York: The New History Foundation, 132 E 65th St, New York, 1933. Reprinted. H-Bahai: Lansing, Michigan, 2004. 
*[http://www.h-net.org/~bahai/diglib/books/P-T/S/sohrab/IHS.htm ''I Heard Him Say. Words of `Abdu'l-Bahá as Recorded by his Secretary''].  New York: The New History Foundation, 1937. Digitally republished, East Lansing, Mi.: H-Bahai, 2004
*''The Bible of Mankind'', (ed.) 743 pp., Universal Publishing Co., 132 E 65th St, N.Y., 1939.
*''A Persian Rosary of Nineteen Pearls''. 2nd. ed. New York, Caravan of East & West, n.d. [194-?] 3rd. ed. New York, Caravan of East & West, n.d. [195-?] ed., [4]. New York: New History Society, n.d. [1939].
*[http://www.h-net.org/~bahai/diglib/books/P-T/S/sohrab/ABG.htm ''`Abdu'l-Bahá's Grandson]: Story of a Twentieth Century Excommunication''. New York: Universal Publishing Co for The New History Foundation, 1943. Reprinted. H-Bahai: Lansing, Michigan, 2004.
*Brand, Max and Mirza Ahmad Sohrab [libretto Max Brand, and Julie Chanler; Music Max Brand]. The Gate: Scenic Oratorio for Soli, Chorus, and Orchestra in Two Parts (19 Scenes). 61. New York: Associated Music Publishers, 1944.
*[http://www.h-net.org/~bahai/diglib/books/P-T/S/sohrab/wtab.htm ''The Will and Testament of `Abdu'l-Bahá, An Analysis'']. New York: Universal Publishing Co, 1944. Reprinted. H-Bahai: Lansing, Michigan, 2004.
*[http://www.h-net.org/~bahai/diglib/books/P-T/S/sohrab/SDP.htm ''The Story of the Divine Plan]. Taking Place during, and immediately following World War I''. New York: The New History Foundation, 1947. Digitally republished, East Lansing, Mi.: H-Bahai, 2004.
*Ioas, Leroy, Mrs Lewis Stuyvesant [Julie Chanler] Chanler, and Ahmad Sohrab. ''Three Letters''. [11] leaves. New York: Caravan of East and West, 1954.
*[http://bahai-library.com/?file=sohrab_ferm ''Living Schools of Religion'']. Vergilius Ferm, ed. Ames, Iowa: Littlefield, Adams & Co., 1956. Chapter 19, "The Bahá'í Cause," by Mirza Ahmad Sohrab (pages 309-14)
*[http://www.h-net.org/~bahai/diglib/books/P-T/S/sohrab/MBP.htm ''My Bahá'í Pilgrimage. Autobiography from Childhood to Middle Age''].  New York: New History Foundation, 1959. Reprinted. H-Bahai: Lansing, Michigan, 2004.
-----
*[http://bahai-library.com/file.php5?file=sohrab_abdulbaha_egypt&language=All 'Abdu'l-Bahá and Mírzá Ahmad Sohrab. Abdul Baha in Egypt]. Mírzá Ahmad Sohrab, trans. (New York: J. H. SEARS & COMPANY Inc. for NEW HISTORY FOUNDATION, 1929). Mirza Ahmad Sohrab provided a detailed record of three months of Abdu'l-Bahá's time in Egypt in Abdul Baha in Egypt, in which he includes a historical presentation of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's activities while there as well as translations of his talks.
*[http://bahai-library.com/file.php5?file=abdulbaha_badiullah_mason_remey&language=All Abdu'l-Bahá and Badi'u'llah. Center of the Covenant: Tablet to Mason Remey], interview with Badi'u'llah, in Star of the West, 3:7, pages 17-18. Ahmad Sohrab, trans. 
*[http://bahai-library.com/file.php5?file=bahaullah_lawh_rais_two&language=All Bahá'u'lláh. Lawh-i-Ra'is III. Tablet to `Ali Pasha III]. Ahmad Sohrab, trans.
*[http://bahai-library.com/file.php5?file=sohrab_ferm&language=All Mirza Ahmad Sohrab. Living Schools of Religion]. Vergilius Ferm, ed.
*[http://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/SohrabEx.htm Excerpts from Mirza Ahmad Sohrab's Broken Silence: The Story of Today's Struggle for Religious Freedom. New York: Universal Publishing, 1942.]

== Works about him ==
*''Biographical Sketch of Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, Director of the Caravan of East and West, Inc''. 3. n.p. [New York?]: n.d. [1954]. Collins 12.10.
*[http://www.theosophical.ca/PDF/Winter2000.pdf ''Light-Bearer Magazine: A Persian Rosary''], Winter 2000, pg 50 (reprint from ''The Theosophist'', 1978)

==See also==
*[[Covenant breaker]]
*[[Bahai divisions]]
*[[Julia Lynch Olin]]

==Primary documents==
*[http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=view&r=an&dbid=7733&iid=SOU_159-0928&fn=Mirza+Ahmad&ln=Sohrab&st=r&ssrc=&pid=1020917 Petition for Natualization] showing "Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, residing at 28 W 50th Street, New York, age 39, certificate issued 10 Mar 1930 by the US District Court of New York City."

*[http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=View&r=an&dbid=1002&iid=NY-2368783-0304&fn=Mirza+Ahmad&ln=Sohrab&st=r&ssrc=&pid=520087 His WWII Draft Registration Card] showing "Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, resident at 849 Lexington Ave, New York, Mailing address: 132 E. 65th, 51 years old, born Isphahan, born 21 Mar 1891".

*[http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=View&r=an&dbid=50000&iid=519300522&fn=&ln=Record+Ahmad+Sohrab&st=d&ssrc=&pid=1369349 His obituary] published in Chicago in 1958 and extracted [[AhmadSobrab1|here]].

==Secondary sources==
[http://bahai-library.com/excerpts/ferm.html Biographical Notes]

== External links ==
*[http://bahai-library.com/?file=sohrab_vs_us-nsa_1941 United States National Spiritual Assembly vs. Mirza Ahmad Sohrab]
*[http://bahai-library.com/documents/sohrab.html Bahai Library "McDANIEL et al v. MIRZA AHMAD SOHRAB et al"]
*[http://www.h-net.org/~bahai/diglib/books/P-T/S/sohrab/sohrab.htm More biography and contains his picture as well]
*[http://www.reformbahai.org/SohrabW.htm Links] to works by Ahmad Sohrab
*[http://bahai-library.com/?file=momen_encyclopedia_covenant The Covenant, and Covenant-breaker]

[[Category:Bahai divisions|Sohrab, Ahmad]]
[[Category:Bahai individuals|Sohrab, Ahmad]]