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Search for location "Majidabad"
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| 1911. 3 Jun |
Ghodsea Khanoum Ashraf (Qudsíyyih Ashraf) (b. 22 November 1889 in Majidābād, d. 16 April 1976 in Tehran) arrived in the United States together with Dr. Lutfullah Hakim and four others. On the final leg of her journey from Southhampton to New York City aboard the RMS Mauretania, she was accompanied by Louis Gregory. She was the first Persian woman to travel to the country and as such, received considerable press coverage. [BFA2:358]
She remained in the United States until 1919. Her return to Iran was delayed due to travel restrictions during the war. During this time she obtained a high school certificate, a bachelor's degree and then a master's degree. She was asked by ʿAbdu'l-Bahá to represent the women of the East at the cornerstone-laying ceremony of the Temple in Wilmette on the 1st of May in 1912 and met Him again in Washington during November of the same year.
Upon her return to Iran she produced her academic credentials to the Education Minister and declared her readiness to serve her country. Despite her many outstanding qualifications he refused to hire her because she was a Bahá'í. Despite being denied the opportunity to serve as a teacher she found ways to render service in the field of education. With the passing of Lillian Kappes, the principal at the time of the Tarbiyat Girls’ School of Tehran (Tarbiyat al-Banat), she took over as principal. In that capacity she took significant initiatives, notably offering monthly conferences and adult literacy classes.
She became further qualified by obtaining a diploma in nursing and then another in midwifery and subsequently opened clinics that offered services to the poor and the disadvantaged.
In 1956 Ms. Ashraf initially joined her nephew Mr. Abdollah Sahihi, a pioneer in Brazil. She then served in three more countries; Brazil, Ecuador and Columbia. In 1963 she attended the World Congress in London and then returned to Iran to continue her service to her native country.
See Ahmad Sohrab's letter to her in SW6, 10:77–9.
For short biographies see SCF55-85; Encyclopedia Iranica and Iran Press Watch. |
Majidabad; Tihran; Iran; United States |
Ghodsieh Ashraf (Qudsiyyih Ashraf); Firsts, Other; Tarbiyat School |
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from the Main Catalogue
- Ashraf, Ghodsieh, by Mahnaze A. da Silveira, in Encyclopaedia Iranica (2012). Brief excerpt, with link to article offsite. [about]
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