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Maryam Mostoufi - People of Faith
Maryam Mostoufi was one of Springfield, Illinois's Muslim community faith leaders for many years. She was born into a strong Disciples of Christ family in Marshalltown, Iowa, with Janice Hallam being her birth name. She had an active curiosity about religion growing up, but was rejected by a Disciples of Christ seminary due to her belief that Jesus was not divine. While attending Iowa State University, her religious quest led her to Islam. She met Siavash Mostoufi, an Iranian student working on a masters degree in soil science, while there. They married in 1971 and in 1972 the couple moved to Iran, staying there until the Iranian Revolution of 1979. Maryam talks at length about her faith, and about her family's experiences as Muslims in America today.
Interview Links
Feature Except-Audio
Siavash's brothers in faith
Abstract
Interview Session 01 (Audio)
Early years in Iowa, spiritual search and meeting Siavash Mostoufi
Interview Session 02 (Audio)
Overview of the tenets of Islam
Interview Session 03 (Audio)
Life in Iran from 1972 through 1979, and Iranian Revolution
Interview Session 04 (Audio)
Return to the U.S., and life and religious experiences since the early 1980s
Photos
Caption
Maryam’s mother Dorothy smiles for the camera on her wedding day in 1947 while at the family farm near Albion, Illinois.
Where:
Albion, Illinois
When:
1947
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Dorothy Hallam holds her infant daughter Janice Lynn Hallam (Maryam) in 1948 at the family home in Albion, Illinois.
Where:
Albion, Illinois
When:
1948
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Maryam’s father John T. Hallam (left), grandmother Marjorie Cousling (center), and mother Dorothy stand behind older brother Thomas and Janice on Easter Sunday, 1951 in Albion, Illinois.
Where:
Albion, Illinois
When:
1951
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Six-year-old Janice (Maryam), with a twinkle in her eye, was photographed in Albion, Illinois in 1954. Maryam later laughed and recalled, “Oh, I was trouble,” when seeing the picture.
Where:
Albion, Illinois
When:
1954
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
John and Dorothy Hallam family gathered for a photo while living in Marshalltown, Iowa, in 1964. The children from left to right are Lucinda Sue (front), Tom, John R. (front), Janice (Maryam) and Rodney.
Where:
Marshalltown, Iowa
When:
1964
Ownership:
May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the ALPL Audio-Visual Curator.
Caption
Janice was named “Miss Firefighter” during a beauty pageant for redheads only in Marshalltown, Iowa in 1967.
Where:
Marshalltown, Iowa
When:
1967
Ownership:
May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the ALPL Audio-Visual Curator.
Caption
Janice, on the top left, was a member of the Dress Blue Drill Team while she was a student at Iowa State University.
Where:
Iowa State University
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption
Janice Hallam was a college senior at ISU in 1970 and visiting her parent’s Marshalltown home.
Where:
Iowa State University
When:
1970
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Maryam received a degree in education from Iowa State University on graduation day in June 1970.
Where:
Iowa State University
When:
June 1970
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Siavash is pictured riding a motorcycle in Albion, IL during a Christmas visit to Maryam’s grandparent’s home in 1970.
Where:
Albion, Illinois
When:
1970
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Maryam and Siavash were wed on September 18, 1971 in Marshalltown at the Central Christian Church, with Rev. Richard Walters presiding over the ceremony.
Where:
Marshalltown, Iowa
When:
September 18, 1971
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Janice is all smiles as she walks down the church steps with Siavash after their wedding. She legally changed her name to Maryam many years later.
Where:
Marshalltown, Iowa
When:
1971
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Siavash Mostoufi received his master’s degree in water resources engineering from Iowa State University in December 1971. Maryam and Siavash had married in September 1971.
Where:
Iowa State University
When:
December 1971
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption
Siavash is pictured in his and Maryam’s Ames, Iowa apartment in early 1972, not long after their wedding.
Where:
Ames, Iowa
When:
1972
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Maryam’s son Siamak hugs his sister Leila Marie during a visit to Maryam’s parent’s home in Albion, IL in February of 1978.
Where:
Albion, Illinois
When:
February of 1978
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Siavash Mostoufi’s mother, Kheidijeh Mostoufi, niece Sheda, and his sister Hellen Mostoufi sit together in Tehran, the capital of Iran, circa 1979.
Where:
Tehran, the capital of Iran
When:
Circa 1979
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Maryam’s children Siamak (right) and Leila (center left) sit on the couch with their cousins Rodney and Stacy Hallam at their grandparents’ home in Albion, Illinois in 1979.
Where:
Albion, Illinois
When:
1979
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
The Mostoufi family is pictured in Springfield in 1979, following their return from Iran after that country’s revolution. At the time, Siavash worked for the Illinois Department of Transportation, and Maryam taught in southern Illinois.
Where:
Springfield, Illinois
When:
1979
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Siamak and Leila Marie Mostoufi sit on the couch in their pajamas in the family’s home in Springfield during the winter of 1982.
Where:
Springfield, Illinois
When:
1982
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Janice and Siavash Mostoufi sit together in her parent’s Albion home, circa 1982.
Where:
Albion, Illinois
When:
Circa 1982
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Maryam’s parents, Dorothy & John Hallam, had their picture taken in 1987, shortly after they moved back to Albion, IL.
Where:
Albion, Illinois
When:
1987
Ownership:
May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the ALPL Audio-Visual Curator
Caption
Maryam Mostoufi is pictured in the early 1990s, shortly after she began wearing the hijab and changed her name from Janice.
Where:
Springfield, Illinois
When:
Early 1990s
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Maryam and Siavash traveled to Medina and Mecca in Saudi Arabia as part of their Hajj in 1991, fulfilling one of the five pillars of Islam.
Where:
Medina and Mecca in Saudi Arabia
When:
1991
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Siavash was pictured in 1991, during his pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Siavash is wearing sandals and a robe comprised of two white sheets, which all men on the Hajj are required to wear to enter into ihram, or a state of holiness.
Where:
Mecca in Saudi Arabia
When:
1991
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Maryam and Leila Marie Mostoufi are pictured during their Hajj to Mecca in 1991. Women on Hajj must leave their faces uncovered and wear a hijab in order to enter into ihram.
Where:
Mecca in Saudi Arabia
When:
1991
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
The Mostoufis celebrated Thanksgiving at a friend’s home in Springfield in 1991.
Where:
Springfield, Illinois
When:
1991
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
The Mostoufi family visits the soon-to-be-demolished CILCO (Central Illinois Light Company) building in East Peoria, circa 1995.
Where:
East Peoria, Illinois
When:
Circa 1995
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Maryam received her Master of Arts degree in education from the University of Illinois Springfield in 1995.
Where:
Springfield, Illinois
When:
1995
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain
Caption
The devastating effects of the June 1995 Mosque fire can be seen in this photograph. The bookshelves were filled with Qurans, but none of the pages were so damaged that you could not read the text.
Where:
Springfield, Illinois
When:
June 1995
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Maryam and Senator Paul Simon are interviewed by reporters outside the Springfield Mosque in June 1995, shortly after the mosque fire. The police suspected arson. Springfield alderman Sam Cahnman is to Maryam’s left.
Where:
Springfield, Illinois
When:
June 1995
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Leila is pictured with her friend Laura Armstrong at the Armstrong family home in Rochester, circa 1996.
Where:
Rochester, Illinois
When:
Circa 1996
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
The foundation for the new Springfield Mosque is seen at the groundbreaking for the mosque in 1998. The original mosque burned down under mysterious circumstances in 1995.
Where:
Springfield, Illinois
When:
1998
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
The elders of the Islamic Society of Greater Springfield hold shovels at the groundbreaking for the new Springfield Mosque in 1998. Siavash is second from the left.
Where:
Springfield, Illinois
When:
1998
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Siavash cuts his birthday cake in September of 2000, at a party with friends in the Mostoufi’s Springfield home.
Where:
Springfield, Illinois
When:
September of 2000
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Siavash and his friend Akbar Moghtader stand near a sign for the Rock Island Trail in Illinois.
Where:
Illinois
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Maryam, accompanied by her parents, stands in the Illinois Senate chamber on March 24, 2006 after opening the session with a prayer in her role as chaplain.
Where:
Springfield, Illinois
When:
March 24, 2006
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Maryam stands at the podium in the Illinois Senate chamber after opening the session with a prayer, becoming the first Muslim woman to do so.
Where:
Springfield, Illinois
When:
March 24, 2006
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
This portrait of Siavash and Maryam was taken in 2006.
Where:
Springfield, Illinois
When:
2006
Ownership:
May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the ALPL Audio-Visual Curator.
Caption
Maryam’s husband Siavash Mostoufi stands in his Springfield office, circa 2010. Siavash was working for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources at that time.
Where:
Springfield, Illinois
When:
Circa 2010
Ownership:
Narrator’s photo