{"id":550,"date":"2026-10-08T10:22:24","date_gmt":"2026-10-08T14:22:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/arboretum\/?page_id=550"},"modified":"2026-10-08T14:30:04","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T18:30:04","slug":"bahai-martyrs","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/arboretum\/highlights\/bahai-martyrs\/","title":{"rendered":"Bah\u00e1\u02bc\u00ed Martyrs Memorial Tree"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Memorial to Religious Freedom and Human Dignity<\/h2>\n
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Near the southeast corner of the Campus Christian Center stands a memorial Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis<\/em>) dedicated to the memory of Bah\u00e1\u02bc\u00eds who lost their lives during the persecution of the Bah\u00e1\u02bc\u00ed community in Iran.<\/p>\n

\"Stone<\/p>\n

A stone marker at the base of the tree bears the inscription:<\/p>\n

Presented to Marshall University by the Bah\u00e1\u02bc\u00ed Campus Club in memory of the Bah\u00e1\u02bc\u00ed martyrs in Iran
\nMay 2, 1986<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The tree serves as both a memorial and a reminder of the importance of religious freedom, human rights, and respect for people of all faiths.<\/p>\n

The Bah\u00e1\u02bc\u00ed Faith<\/h2>\n

The Bah\u00e1\u02bc\u00ed Faith is a worldwide religion founded in nineteenth-century Persia, now Iran. Bah\u00e1\u02bc\u00eds believe in the unity of humanity, the equality of women and men, the harmony of science and religion, the importance of education, and the spiritual unity of the world’s major religions.<\/p>\n

By the 1980s, Bah\u00e1\u02bc\u00ed communities were established throughout the United States, including Huntington and Marshall University, where students organized through the Bah\u00e1\u02bc\u00ed Campus Club and participated in educational and service activities on campus.<\/p>\n

Persecution in Iran<\/h2>\n

The Bah\u00e1\u02bc\u00ed Faith originated in Iran, but its followers have faced periods of persecution there since the nineteenth century. Following the Iranian Revolution of 1979, the situation worsened dramatically. Bah\u00e1\u02bc\u00eds were dismissed from jobs, denied educational opportunities, imprisoned, and, in many cases, executed because of their religious beliefs. International organizations, governments, journalists, and religious leaders around the world publicly condemned the persecution.<\/p>\n

\"Bah\u00e1\u02bc\u00ed<\/p>\n

During the early 1980s, the Marshall University Bah\u00e1\u02bc\u00ed Campus Club and members of the local Bah\u00e1\u02bc\u00ed community actively raised awareness of the situation through educational events, letters, and public advocacy. Articles published in The Parthenon<\/em> documented local efforts to support persecuted Bah\u00e1\u02bc\u00eds and inform the campus community about events in Iran.<\/p>\n

A Campus Memorial<\/h2>\n

The dedication of the memorial tree on May 2, 1986, reflected a broader effort by Bah\u00e1\u02bc\u00eds and their supporters to call attention to the persecution taking place in Iran. Rather than honoring a single individual, the tree commemorates the many Bah\u00e1\u02bc\u00eds who suffered and died because of their faith.<\/p>\n

\"Bah\u00e1\u02bc\u00ed<\/p>\n

The location of the memorial near the Campus Christian Center highlights the longstanding presence of religious organizations and interfaith dialogue within the Marshall University community.<\/p>\n

The Memorial Tree Today<\/h2>\n

Today, the Eastern Redbud continues to grow as a living memorial within the Marshall University Arboretum. Each spring, its vibrant pink blossoms provide one of the earliest displays of color on campus, marking the changing seasons while preserving the memory of those commemorated by the dedication.<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\tLearn more about Eastern Redbud<\/span>\n\t<\/a>\n\t\n

As both a memorial and a landscape feature, the tree reflects the arboretum’s role in preserving stories that connect people, history, and place across the Marshall University campus.<\/p>\n

Campus Location<\/h2>\n

Visitors can find the Bah\u00e1\u02bc\u00ed Martyrs Memorial Tree at the southeast corner of the Campus Christian Center. The map below highlights its location. Click on the map to open a larger version for a closer look.<\/p>\n

\"Campus<\/a><\/p>\n

Learn More<\/h2>\n