African American Baha'i

David Kellum was a long-time member of the Chicago Bahá'í community, an editor at the Chicago Defender, and a civil rights leader dedicated to inspiring young people and improving relations between the races.

David Kellum was a leading figure at the Chicago Defender from the 1920s through the 1950s. He is credited with the invention of the Bud Billiken character and was an early coordinator of the Bud Billiken Parade.

He moved to Chicago from Greenville, Miss, as a youth and was a graduate of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.

The American Baha'i Vol 12 issue 6 June 1981

KINDLY CONVEY LOVING SYMPATHY KATHELYNEA KELLUM AND ASSURANCE FERVENT PRAYERS PROGRESS SOUL DISTINGUISHED JOURNALIST DAVID KELLUM FOR MANY YEARS STRONG PILLAR CAUSE CHICAGO COMMUNITY. Universal House of Justice March 22, 1981

WE ARE DEEPLY SADDENED BY THE PASSING OF DAVID KELLUM WHOSE OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS AS A JOURNALIST AND HUMANITARIAN WERE SURPASSED ONLY BY HIS LONG YEARS OF DEVOTED SERVICES AT THE MOTHER TEMPLE OF THE WEST AND HIS STAUNCH CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE CHICAGO BAHA'I COMMUNITY. HE WILL BE LOVINGLY AND GRATEFULLY REMEMBERED, AS WILL YOU, IN OUR FERVENT PRAYERS WHEN THE MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY GATHER IN THE HOUSE OF WORSHIP THIS WEEKEND. MAY HIS ILLUMINED SOUL EVER ADVANCE THROUGHOUT THE WORLDS OF

"National Spiritual Assembly March 23, 1981

David W. Kellum, a member of the Baha'i community of Chicago, Ilinois, since 1964 and an editor and reporter for the Chicago Daily Defender for about 30 years, died March 20 at the age of 77.

Mr. Kellum, a native of Greenville, Mississippi, attended Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism before joining the Defender as a copy editor in 1923.

The following year he founded Chicago's: nationally-famous Bud Billiken Day parade and picnic, sponsored by the Defender, and soon became known to untold thousands of people as Bud Billiken.

The Bud Billiken Club was formed by Mr. Kellum as a means of curbing delinquency and improving citizenship/ and good pill among young people. He devoted most of his life to molding youngsters into good citizens.

Mr. Kellum left the Defender in 1953 and founded the Kellum Employment Agency in Chicago.

After accepting the Faith in 1964, Mr. Kellum served as chairman' and vice-chairman of the Spiritual Assembly of Chicago.

Besides his wife, Kathelynea, Mr. Kellum is survived by a son, James D. Kellum, and one granddaughter.