New York, 1937: How The Ethiopian World Federation Began

On August 25, 1937, in Harlem, New York, The Ethiopian World Federation was founded to support Ethiopia and unite the Black Peoples of the World.

The Ethiopian World Federation’s history began with a bond that stretched across the Atlantic. In the 1930s, Black communities in New York followed events in Ethiopia with a sense of connection that went far beyond geography. Ethiopia represented independence, dignity and a living link to Africa. When its sovereignty came under attack, people thousands of miles away felt compelled to act.

On August 25, 1937, that commitment took lasting shape with the establishment of The Ethiopian World Federation, Incorporated, in New York City. Its founding brought together an Ethiopian emissary, community leaders and supporters determined to turn solidarity into organized action.

When Ethiopia’s struggle reached Harlem

Italy’s invasion of Ethiopia in 1935 sparked outrage far beyond Africa. In Harlem, where Ethiopia already held a meaningful place in Black cultural and political life, the war felt close to home. Across the Americas, from the United States to the Caribbean, Black communities shared the same concern.

People gathered, raised money and spoke out. Defending Ethiopia meant supporting a nation facing invasion. For many African Americans living with racial discrimination, it also meant defending a powerful symbol of African independence and Black dignity.

Support was heartfelt, but coordinating it required work. Different groups were collecting contributions and organizing their own initiatives. How could those efforts come together? How could people be confident that their help would serve the communities who needed it? Those questions helped set the stage for the Federation’s creation.

The physician who helped build a bridge

In 1936, a delegation from Harlem’s United Aid for Ethiopia traveled to England to meet Emperor Haile Selassie I, who had sought refuge in Britain following Italy’s invasion of Ethiopia. That year, he settled in Bath, in southwest England, where Fairfield House became his home in exile. From there, he continued seeking international support for Ethiopia’s independence.

The delegation came with a practical concern: how to coordinate American support and ensure that contributions reached those who needed them. Their discussions helped lead to the appointment of Dr. Malaku E. Bayen as the Emperor’s special emissary to the United States, an important step toward the Federation’s founding the following year.

Bayen brought experience of both countries to that responsibility. An Ethiopian physician educated at Howard University, he had built friendships and family ties within the African American community. His wife, Dorothy Hadley Bayen, was an African American activist who also devoted her energy to the Ethiopian cause.

Returning to the United States in September 1936, Bayen worked with supporters to strengthen the connection between Ethiopia and Black communities in America. Public meetings and the newspaper The Voice of Ethiopia helped keep people informed and sustain their involvement.

People could contribute to a shared cause by attending meetings, raising funds, spreading information and encouraging others to get involved. The ties between Ethiopia and its supporters in America were growing into an organized movement.

Back in Bath, Fairfield House remained part of that wider story of exile, perseverance and friendship across borders. Its connection to Ethiopia and the African diaspora deserves a story of its own.

August 25, 1937: the Federation is founded

The Federation grew out of this movement of support. It was formally established in New York on August 25, 1937, with Dr. Malaku E. Bayen as its founding organizer. Dr. Lorenzo H. King, pastor of St. Mark’s Methodist Church in Harlem, became its first president.

A common organization gave supporters a framework for working together. Its Constitution set out responsibilities for officers, provided for membership and conventions, and established a structure for Locals.

There was urgent humanitarian work to do. The war had displaced families and left refugees and injured survivors in need of assistance. Voluntary aid and fundraising for those affected were explicitly included among the Federation’s constitutional aims.

Those immediate responsibilities sat within a wider purpose: mutual assistance, dignity and the ability of communities to shape their own future.

A New York beginning, a worldwide vision

The Constitution’s opening words make the scale of that vision clear: “We, the Black Peoples of the World.” Its Preamble places unity, solidarity, liberty, freedom and self-determination at the center of the Federation’s purpose.

New York was the place of its founding, but the invitation reached across borders. It speaks to the Black Peoples of the World wherever they live: in the Americas, including the Caribbean, in Africa, in Europe, and among the Indigenous Black peoples of Asia and of Australasia, which includes Australia, New Zealand, and the smaller islands of the region. They live in different countries and circumstances, yet recognize a shared connection to Africa and a responsibility toward one another.

The Local structure gave that vision a practical foundation. Members could organize within their own communities while contributing to a larger body. A worldwide purpose could take root through people meeting, sharing knowledge and offering help where they lived.

That connection between community participation and international purpose remains one of the most compelling ideas in the Federation’s founding.

What this beginning asks of us today

A founding date gives us a moment to remember. Looking closely at what made it possible gives us something to carry forward.

Behind the Federation’s establishment were people willing to arrange meetings, circulate information, collect contributions and maintain relationships across an ocean. Their commitment required patience and everyday effort.

Solidarity lasts when people make room for it in their lives.

For members today, this history offers an invitation to consider our own contribution. What knowledge can we share? Who can we welcome? What useful work can we accomplish together?

Discover more in About the Federation, or explore our Locals and contact the one nearest to you to learn how to become a member.

The story began in New York in 1937. Each generation has a part in what follows.