'Abdu'l-Bahá, also known as the Master, was the eldest son of Bahá'u'lláh, the Prophet Founder of the Bahá'í Faith. The Master, who was nine years old when he accompanied his father into years of exile and imprisonment from their native Persia, was freed by the Young Turk Rebellion of 1908. Though weakened by this 55-year debilitating ordeal, 'Abdu'l-Bahá made several trips to the West to share Bahá'u'lláh's message of world peace.

He visited New York where he was invited as the featured speaker at the National Conference on Peace and International Arbitration. Deliberately, 'Abdu'l-Bahá had chosen New York City as the hub of His journey to Canada and across America, patiently nurturing the Bahá'í Community in a web of love and unity, while, at times, demonstrating his majestic spiritual power as the Center of the Covenant of his Father. It was in these days that 'Abdu'l-Bahá declared New York to be "The City of the Covenant".