Baha'u'llah, Founder of the Baha'i Faith, implored people to "Close your eyes to racial differences and welcome all with the light of oneness."

To that end, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States inaugurated Race Unity Day in 1957 to promote racial harmony and understanding. Since then, communities throughout the country have held celebrations, open to the public, on the second Sunday in June.

This year, Baha'is in Apple Valley, Calif., are assembling a high-school band, noted Lakota storyteller Kevin Locke, Polynesian Hawaiian dancers, a Navajo children's dance group, a traditional Turkish dancer, a mariachi band and a flamenco dance troupe to help celebrate Race Unity Day.

Burke, Va.'s Baha'is are holding their 11th annual Race Unity Day observance with a "Race for Race Unity 5 Miler." A Race Unity Day picnic and potluck dinner are on the agenda for the Baha'is in Erie, Pa.

The purpose of Race Unity Day is to focus attention on racial prejudice, which Baha'is believe is the most challenging moral issue facing our nation. Writing in the mid-1800s, Baha'u'llah, Founder of the Baha'i Faith, stated unequivocally that humanity is a single race and called on the world to recognize the principle of human oneness in all spheres.

Worldwide, Baha'is have sought to build a model of racial integration by embracing people from all races, backgrounds and classes of society.