A factual and objective look at the history of Blacks in Mormonism and the alleged Mormon racism within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Between 1852 and 1978, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints enforced
a
policy that restricted blacks in Mormonism from priesthood ordination, though the belief in a future
lifting of the restriction persisted. The end of this policy came in 1978, under President Spencer
W.
Kimball, who cited divine instruction on the matter. Today, the Church rejects racist ideas and
aims
for unity, welcoming all to embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, disregarding racial limitations and
actively addressing the consequences of racism worldwide. The church believes in the equality of all
people, affirming that God accepts everyone regardless of race, gender, or social status. While
historical slavery and racism affected the United States during the Church's founding, its founder,
Joseph Smith, treated Black individuals fairly and even ordained some Black men to the priesthood.
-
Church Membership and Temple Construction in Africa Continues
Church membership in Africa reaches 791,837, with 21 temples in operation, under construction, or announced, on the continent.
Source: https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/juneteenth-naacp-church-of-jesus-christ-2023 The Church Donates $500,000 to the NAACP
Following high-level personal meetings, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints donated $500,000 to the NAACP Memphis Branch to help renovate their headquarters. The renovation project is expected to be completed in September 2023. Once the project is completed, the NAACP Memphis Branch will be able to continue providing essential programs and services to the community in a safe and modern space.
Source: https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/juneteenth-naacp-church-of-jesus-christ-2023 -
BYU Studies Quarterly Publishes Scholarship on Priesthood and Book of Abraham
A valuable and scholarly summary given here of the words in Abraham 1:24-27 shows that the lack of priesthood in ancient Egypt was not due to skin color or race.
Source: Stephen O. Smoot, John Gee, Kerry Muhlestein, and John S. Thompson,
“Priesthood Ban and the Book of Abraham,”
BYU Studies Quarterly 61 no. 4 (2022): 56-64. The Priesthood Ban and the Book of
Abraham - BYU Studies -
2021: Number of Temples in Africa Reaches 16, with Thousands of Blacks in Mormonism Serving as High-ranking Church Leaders
16 Temples in Africa (5 operating, 3 under construction, 8 announced) Church membership reaches the following:
Nigeria: 211,219
Ghana: 96,508
Democratic Republic of the Congo: 89,136
South Africa: 69,438
Cote d’Ivoire: 58,804 Source: LDS
Church to welcome Gladys Knight, Alex Boyé for celebration of blacks and the
priesthood | KSL.com -
The 40th Anniversary of the Ending of the Priesthood Ban is Celebrated
A musical evening of recognition of the deep personal sacrifices by faithful Blacks in Mormonism was shared, with wonderful performances by Black celebrities Gladys Knight and Alex Boye and other singers and speakers in the famous Salt Lake Tabernacle, before a worldwide audience.
Source: LDS Church to welcome Gladys Knight, Alex Boyé for celebration
of blacks and the priesthood | KSL.com Display at Church History Library Honors Early Black Latter-day Saints
This impressive exhibit featured 16 historical documents, including the record of Elijah Able’s priesthood ordination, the handwritten copy of Jane Manning James’[BIO]Jane Elizabeth Manning, born in 1822, was a free African American raised in Connecticut. After joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1841, her family left for Nauvoo, and due to racial discrimination, had to walk a large portion of the distance. Once in Nauvoo, Jane quickly developed a friendship with Joseph and Emma Smith, living and working with them. She married Isaac James, and they journeyed west with the Saints, settling in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847. The couple eventually divorced in 1870. Jane remarried briefly but lived most of her life as a single parent and grandparent, supporting her family through various jobs. She remained devoted to her faith and sought temple ordinances, which were partially granted after her death in 1908. autobiography, personal stories of conversion and testimony, and photographs of nineteenth-century pioneers and twentieth-century Latter-day Saints from the United States, Brazil, Ghana and Nigeria. And a display of A Century of Black Latter-day Saints is available from the University of Utah Marriott Library.
Source: Black Latter-day Saint history on display in the Church History
Library - Church News (thechurchnews.com) -
First Black Latter-day Saint Missionary Publishes Book on the History of Blacks in Mormonism
As the first Black to serve as a fulltime and endowed missionary, Professor Marcus Martins[BIO]Marcus H. Martins holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management, Masters in Organizational Behavior, and a Ph.D. in Sociology of Religion, Race and Ethnic Relations. Brother Martins joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1972, and in 1978 became the first Latter-day Saint with Black African ancestry to serve as a full‑time missionary in the twentieth century. He currently teaches at Brigham Young University–Hawaii, in addition to having taught at BYU and Ricks College, and has lectured on a variety of topics throughout the world. sensitively offers institutional insights and personal experiences before and after the canonization of Official Declaration 2 in the scriptural book of Doctrine and Covenants.
Source: Marcus Martins, Blacks & the Mormon Priesthood: Setting the Record
Straight (2007) -
The First General Authority of Black African Descent is Sustained
Helvecio Martins[BIO]Helvécio Martins, born in Brazil in 1930, became the first Latter-day Saint of African descent to be called as a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He joined the Church in 1972, a time when people of African descent couldn't hold the priesthood or receive temple ordinances. However, in 1978, Martins and his family received these blessings. He served as a bishop, counselor in a stake presidency, and later as the first president of the Brazil Fortaleza Mission. In 1990, President Ezra Taft Benson called him to the Second Quorum of the Seventy, making him the first black General Authority in Church history. Besides his Church service, Elder Martins had a successful career as a high-ranking executive with an oil company in Brazil. His son, Marcus Martins, became the first Latter-day Saint with Black African ancestry to serve as a full‑time missionary in the twentieth century. , from Brazil, sustained as a General Authority Seventy
Source: https://site.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1990/05/the-sustaining-of-church-officers?lang=eng -
First entirely Black African Stake Organized
The first stake in western Africa was created May 15, 1988 in Aba, Nigeria, the first stake in which all priesthood leaders are black.
Source: https://www.thechurchnews.com/1988/5/21/23263972/new-first-for-western-africa-stake-is-formed-in-aba-nigeria -
Black Members Serve and are Served in Africa, the Caribbean, Brazil, and Beyond
Church membership records do not keep track of race or nationality. Growth and service in areas that are predominantly Black can only be estimated as of 1987, Church demographics notably included: 14,347 Church members in West and Central Africa 18,614 Church members in the black areas of the Caribbean 250,000 Church members in Brazil, many of whom are black or mixed
Source: https://www.deseret.com/1988/6/8/18768042/1978-lds-revelation-on-priesthood-called-vital-to-church-growth -
Priesthood Ordination of Black African Men is Officially Announced at General Conference
Official Declaration 2 was unanimously adopted by the Church at the October General Conference, ending any further delay in ordaining Black African men to the priesthood. The reaction worldwide was overwhelmingly positive among Church members and people everywhere of all races. Many Latter-day Saints wept for joy at the news. Some reported feeling a collective weight lifted from their shoulders. The Church had begun priesthood ordinations for men of African descent almost immediately, and black men and women soon entered temples throughout the world.
Source: Race and the Priesthood (churchofjesuschrist.org) The Church’s Living Prophets Receive Revelation to Extend Temple and Priesthood Blessing to All Worthy Men and Women Regardless of Race
President Spencer W. Kimball receives a revelation, as did also each of the twelve apostles of the Church, that the time had come for priesthood and temple blessings to be extended to all worthy people regardless of race. This momentous and historic revelatory decision is documented by Edward L. Kimball in BYU Studies 47 no. 2: Spencer W. Kimball and the Revelation on Priesthood - BYU Studies.
Source: Spencer W. Kimball and the Revelation on Priesthood - BYU
Studies Faithful Investigators in Africa See Missionaries in Dreams
Some of the early converts in Ghana had previously had dreams in which they saw white missionaries coming to teach them, and in 1978 when missionaries first arrived, those converts recognized them from their dreams.
Source: https://rsc.byu.edu/eye-faith/visions-faith-early-church-pioneers-ghana -
Small Church Membership at This Time in Africa, the Caribbean, and Brazil
136 Church members in West and Central Africa
836 Church members in the Caribbean, not counting Puerto Rico
51,000 Church members in Brazil Source: https://www.deseret.com/1988/6/8/18768042/1978-lds-revelation-on-priesthood-called-vital-to-church-growth Between 1977-1988, The Church Opened 27 New Missions in Populous Black Nations
1977 Trinidad
1978 Dominican Republic, Ghana, Nigeria, Surinam, Curacao
1979 Reunion
1980 Haiti, Belize, St. Vincent
1983 St. Lucia, Martinique
1984 St. Kitts and Nevis, Antigua, Barbudo, Guadeloupe
1985 Grenada, Cayman Islands
1986 Democratic Republic of the Congo
1987 Liberia, Eswatini, Aruba
1988 Guyana, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone Source: List of Mormon missionary entries by country - Wikipedia -
Plans to Build a Temple in São Paulo, Brazil, Are Announced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Plans to construct the São Paulo Brazil Temple were announced March 1, 1975.
Source: https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/s%C3%A3o-paulo-brazil-temple -
The Prophet States the Policy with Respect to Black Members Would Change
Spencer W. Kimball becomes President of the Church, stating that Church policy with respect to Blacks in Mormonism and the priesthood would change and that the matter was in the hands of the Lord. In 1972, Kimball declared: “[Blacks] who remain faithful to the end may expect that God may finally grant them all blessings they have merited through their righteousness. Such matters are in the Lord’s hands. It is for us to extend love to all.”
Source: The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, pg. 237 Between 1973 and 1977, Patriarchal Blessings are Given to Black Members of the Church
Several black members of the Church in the United States and Brazil receive patriarchal blessings promising them blessings associated with the priesthood and temple covenants.
Source: https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/spencer-w-kimball-and-the-revelation-on-priesthood/ -
Helvico Martins, an Accomplished Black Businessman, Joins the Church in Brazil
Helvico Martins, an executive for a national oil company and university professor, and his family are baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Source: https://www.deseret.com/2008/5/1/20085374/modern-pioneer-will-always-be-linked-to-1978-revelation -
The First Presidency of the Church Releases a Letter to Clarify the Church’s Position on Blacks in Mormonism
In the face of deep desires that reasons might be forthcoming, and at the time of Civil Rights struggles in the 1960’s, the 96-year-old, President David O. McKay [BIO]David O. McKay, the ninth President of the Church from 1951 to 1970, was born in Huntsville, Utah, in 1873. After his mission to Scotland in 1897, he became a teacher and married Emma Ray Riggs. In 1906, he was called as an Apostle and later supervised the Church Welfare Program. As President, he focused on expanding the missionary program, integrating Church departments, and dedicating new temples worldwide. He emphasized the importance of individual missionary work and strong family relationships. Remembered for his warm personality, McKay passed away on January 18, 1970, at his home after a period of illness. declared that the priesthood restriction had existed for “reasons which we believe are known to God, but which he has not fully made known to man.""
Source: Marcus Martins, Blacks & the Mormon Priesthood: Setting the Record Straight (2007), 9. -
A Nigerian Man Has Visions of the Salt Lake Temple
Anthony Obinna, a man raised in a traditional African home, has several dreams and visions, including one where he sees a tall and majestic man who shows him a beautiful building. Later, he sees a picture of the same building in an old magazine article about the Church—it is the Salt Lake Temple.
Source: Excerpted by Marnae Wilson from “Voice from Nigeria,” Ensign,
December, 1980 -
Elder Spencer W. Kimball Promises Blessings Based on Their Faithfulness to Black Members of the Church
Elder Spencer W. Kimball[BIO]Spencer W. Kimball was born on March 28, 1895, in Salt Lake City and grew up in Thatcher, Arizona. After serving a mission and marrying Camilla Eyring, he settled in Safford, Arizona, where he became a leader in both the Church and the community. In 1943, he was called as an Apostle, and later, at the age of 78, he became the Church President on December 30, 1973. During his 12-year presidency, the Church experienced significant growth and expansion, with the number of temples and missionaries increasing substantially. He passed away in Salt Lake City on November 5, 1985. promised black brother in Brazil "blessings beyond his fondest imagination if he remained totally true to the Cause."
Source: https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/assets/10465db5-6c08-4b97-babf-9608c86a9669/0/322 Two Men in Ghana Encounter the Book of Mormon and Literature About the Church
Two Ghanaian men have visions directing them to do the Lord's work. Early converts in Ghana begin sharing the teachings of the Church with others and form unofficial congregations as they wait for missionaries and the opportunity to be baptized.
-
Official Statement of Full Civil Rights for All Citizens is Read in October General Conference
President Hugh B. Brown read a Civil Rights Statement at the October 1963 General Conference. The Statement was written by Sterling McMurrin at the request of President Brown and was approved by President David O. McKay. The statement was in accordance with NAACP to prevent picketers from protesting at Temple Square regarding Civil Rights in Utah. The statement was published as an official Chuch statement in the Desert News in 1964.
Source: Church Statement on Civil Rights – Prophets, Seers, and Revelators -
The First Official Church Meeting in Black Africa is Held
On October 22, 1961, the first official church meeting in black Africa was held in a small mud hut in Opobo District, Nigeria.
Source: https://www2.byui.edu/Presentations/Transcripts/Devotionals/2001_04_03_LeBaron.htm -
Individuals in Africa Write to the Church Requesting Literature
A man in Nigeria writes to the missionary department expressing his interest in the Church. He dreams of worshiping in the Salt Lake Temple and calls on the Church to come to Africa.
Christians from Nigeria and Ghana send multiple letters to the church headquarters requesting church literature. The Church responded by sending church literature including the Book of Mormon. Source: https://www2.byui.edu/Presentations/Transcripts/Devotionals/2001_04_03_LeBaron.htm -
Ruffin Bridgeforth, a Black Railroad Worker, Joined the Church in Utah, Will Become the First President of the Genesis Group
Ruffin Bridgeforth, born in Melville, Louisiana, joined the church in 1953. Bridgeforth served as the President of the Genesis Group, a fellowship group for black Latter-day Saints for 25 years. He was called by the first presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was set apart by Gordon B. Hinckley. Bridgeforth later became the first black male to be ordained a High Priest after the revelation regarding blacks in Mormonism in 1978.
Source: https://www.deseret.com/1997/3/23/19302251/death-ruffin-bridgeforth -
Len and Mary Hope, a Black Couple, Joined the Church in Alabama
Len Hope was introduced to the Church by a Latter-day Saint Elder who stopped by the cotton field where he worked. Len was baptized at Lamison, Alabama by Elder John M. Tolbert on June 22, 1919. In 1920, Len and Mary Lee Pugh were married. On September 15, 1925, Mary was baptized by Elder William O. Clouse, and confirmed by Elder Sterling W. Still.
Sources: https://exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of-black-mormons/page/hope-len
https://exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of-black-mormons/page/hope-mary-lee-pugh -
The Sargent Family Joins the Church in Virginia
Mary Virgina Sargent, raised in Caroline County, Virginia, is baptized and confirmed as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on August 19, 1906, at age 12, along with seven family members. They are baptized in a creek near Golansville, Virginia.
Sources: https://exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of-black-mormons/page/key-mary-virginia-sargent
https://exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of-black-mormons/page/clory-nellie-gray-patron-sargent
https://exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of-black-mormons/page/derricott-annie-marie-sargent
https://exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of-black-mormons/page/johnson-clara-sargent
https://exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of-black-mormons/page/kidd-arthur-samuel-sargent
https://exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of-black-mormons/page/morris-gracie-sanford-sargent
https://exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of-black-mormons/page/pendleton-eva-lena-sargent
https://exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of-black-mormons/page/gibson-novella-frances-sargent -
Jane Manning James Seeks Temple Ceremony and Sealing Blessings
Jane Manning James expresses dissatisfaction and again requests sealing blessings from Wilford Woodruff, which are not granted. She was allowed, however, to be sealed by proxy into the Joseph Smith family as a servant in 1894, a unique occurrence. Although she did not receive the temple endowment or family sealings during her lifetime, all those temple ordinances have since been performed for her by proxy.
Source: Jane Elizabeth Manning James (churchofjesuschrist.org) -
Jane Manning James Recounts Joseph and Emma Smith’s Invitation to be Adopted
Jane Manning James writes to John Taylor in a letter, recalling an invitation from Emma in Nauvoo to be sealed to the Smith family as a child, an offer which Jane at that time declined.
Source: https://mormonr.org/records/0cg94F-0ogWKp/jane_manning_james_requests_endowment_and_adoption_to_smith_family -
September 3, 1875: Black Members of the Church Assist in Baptisms and Confirmations for Ancestors
Black members of the church perform baptisms for the dead in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Source: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/3392?availability=Family%20History%20Library -
May 1, 1873: Amanda and Samuel Chambers Recieve Church Callings
Samuel Chambers was asked to assist the deacons by church leaders in the Salt Lake City Eighth Ward for the next four years. However, he was never ordained to the Priesthood. Samuel’s wife, Amanda Leggroan, was called as a “deaconess” in the Relief Society.
Source: https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/training/black-members-of-the-church/section-2/united-states
https://site.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/new-era/1974/06/samuel-d-chambers?lang=eng&adobe_mc_ref=https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/new-era/1974/06/samuel-d-chambers -
Post Civil War, Blacks Migrate to Utah
With the completion of the transcontinental railroad and emancipation following the Civil War, some Blacks move to Utah, where the population, though largely international, was almost entirely White.
Source: https://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Blacks -
Moroni Able, Son of Elder Elijah Able, is Ordained to the Priesthood on His Deathbed at the Age of 23
In 1857, Moroni Able is baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ at the age of eight in the Salt Lake Valley. He remained a faithful member until his passing in October 1871. A few days prior to his death, priesthood leaders gave Moroni a blessing for his illness and ordained him an Elder, for which Moroni expressed his gratitude.
Source: https://exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of-black-mormons/page/able-moroni -
Brigham Young Announces Men of Black African Descent Are Not to be Ordained to the Priesthood
Eight years after the death of Joseph Smith, President Brigham Young publicly announces that men of black African descent were not to be ordained to the Priesthood at that time. Individuals of black descent continued to be baptized and given the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Brigham Young states that in the future, Blacks in Mormonism will have all the privileges and more than they can imagine, anticipating a time when they would receive the priesthood and temple blessings.
Source: https://site.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics-essays/race-and-the-priesthood Brigham Young States that Only God Can and Will Remove the Limitation on Black Descendants
Brigham Young accepts the commonly held view in ante-bellum United States that Black people are the under the curse of Cain and are denied the priesthood, but he grants them several legal and civil protections. He states that only God can remove the priesthood limitation in due time, in spite of an objection raised by Apostle Orson Pratt.
Source: https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/assets/c87f81ec-019c-4962-b395-d7c1c925fa61/0/0 -
A Mixed-race Saint Receives Temple Endowment in Nauvoo
Sarah Ann Mode Hofheintz, a bi-racial Saint, received her Washing and Anointing, and Endowment in the Nauvoo, Illinois Temple along with her husband Peter Hofheintz.
Source: https://exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of-black-mormons/page/hofheintz-sarah-ann-mode -
Joseph Smith’s Runs for President of the United States and Advocates for Emancipation of Slaves
Joseph Smith runs for President of the United States. As part of his campaign, Joseph Smith proposes using the proceeds from the sale of public lands to buy slave’s freedom.
Source: https://archive.bookofmormoncentral.org/content/general-smiths-views-powers-and-policy-government-united-states -
Joseph and Emma Smith Invite Jane Manning James to be Adopted as their Child by a Priesthood Sealing
While Jane resided with the Smith family in Nauvoo, Emma Smith[BIO]Emma Hale Smith, born in 1804 in Harmony, Pennsylvania, married Joseph Smith in 1827 and played significant roles in the early Church as a scribe during the translations of the Book of Mormon and the Bible. Baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1830, she moved to Kirtland, Ohio, with the Saints. In 1835, Emma edited the first hymnbook of the Church. After enduring persecutions in Missouri, she settled in Nauvoo, Illinois, and became the inaugural president of the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo. Following Joseph Smith's death, Emma remained in Nauvoo, marrying Lewis C. Bidamon and affiliating with the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, led by her son Joseph Smith III. extended an offer to her to be "officially embraced as their own child." While she declined this offer, perhaps being unfamiliar with this new adoptive practice, Jane firmly believed in Joseph’s prophetic role: "I did know the Prophet Joseph," she later testified. "He was the finest man I ever saw on earth. … I was certain he was a prophet because I knew it."
Source: Jane Elizabeth Manning James (churchofjesuschrist.org) -
Joseph Smith Publishes His Interpretation of the Book of Abraham
Joseph Smith publishes his rendition of the Book of Abraham, which at one point asserts that Pharaoh, a descendant of Noah’s son Ham through one of his daughters, had preserved a curse “upon the land” of Egypt (1:21-24). The idea of being “cursed” can simply mean being “disinherited” of property or governing rights due to covenant-breaking. Skin color is not mentioned in this text, and this passage appears to have nothing to do with race.
Source: “Being of that Lineage”: Generational Curses and Inheritance in the
Book of Abraham | The Interpreter Foundation
https://site.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics-essays/translation-and-historicity-of-the-book-of-abraham -
October 4, 1840: The First Presidency Extends an Invitation to All to Worship
At the General Conference, a report given by the First Presidency states, “Persons of all languages, and of every tongue, and every color, who shall wish us worship the Lord of Hosts in his holy temple, and offer up their orisons in his sanctuary.”
Source: https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/report-of-the-first-presidency-4-october-1840/2 -
Governor, Daniel Dunklin Cautions Church Members to Dispel Any Extreme Abolitionist Sentiments
In a letter to William W. Phelps, Missouri Governor, Daniel Dunklin writes, "Your neighbors accuse your people, of holding illicit communications with the Indians, and of being opposed to slavery. You deny. Whether the charge, or the denial, is true, I cannot tell. The fact exists, and your neighbors seem to believe it true; and, whether true or false, the consequences will be the same (if your opponents are not merely gasconading) unless you can by your conduct and arguments, convince them of your innocence. If you cannot do this, all I can say to you, is, that in this Republic, the vox populi is the vox Dei.""
Source: https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/history-1838-1856-volume-b-1-1-september-1834-2-november-1838/202
https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/person/daniel-dunklin -
July 1, 1833: Church Newspaper States There is No Church Policy Regarding Blacks in Mormonism
In the ‘Evening and Morning Star’, editor, William W. Phelps clarifies that there is no specific policy in the Church as to the inclusion of Blacks in Mormonism as members of the Church in Missouri. It reads, “To prevent any misunderstanding among the churches abroad, respecting free people of color, who may think of coming to the western boundaries of Missouri as members of the church.”
Source: https://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/digital/collection/NCMP1820-1846/id/28024
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/history/doctrine-and-covenants-historical-resources/people/bio-william-w-phelps?lang=eng -
One of the First Known Black Individuals Participates in Latter-day Saint Worship
Peter Kerr, known as "Black Pete," participates in worship with members of the church in Kirtland, Ohio, and is considered a member of their company. There is no known record of his baptism in the church.
Source: https://blacksinmormonism.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Blacks-in-Mormonism-Peter-Kerr-min.png
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Church membership in Africa reaches 791,837, with 21 temples in
operation, under construction,
or announced, on the continent.
Source
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/juneteenth-naacp-church-of-jesus-christ-2023Following high-level personal meetings, The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints donated
$500,000 to the NAACP Memphis Branch to help renovate their headquarters.
The renovation project is expected to be completed in September 2023. Once the project is
completed, the NAACP Memphis Branch will be able to continue providing essential programs and
services to the community in a safe and modern space.
Source
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/juneteenth-naacp-church-of-jesus-christ-2023A valuable and scholarly summary given here of the words in Abraham
1:24-27 shows that the lack
of priesthood in ancient Egypt was not due to skin color or race.
Source
Stephen O. Smoot, John Gee, Kerry Muhlestein, and John S. Thompson, “Priesthood Ban and the Book of Abraham,” BYU Studies Quarterly 61 no. 4 (2022): 56-64. The Priesthood Ban and the Book of Abraham - BYU Studies16 Temples in Africa (5 operating, 3 under construction, 8
announced)
Church membership reaches the following:
Nigeria: 211,219
Ghana: 96,508
Democratic Republic of the Congo: 89,136
South Africa: 69,438
Cote d’Ivoire: 58,804
Source
LDS Church to welcome Gladys Knight, Alex Boyé for celebration of blacks and the priesthood | KSL.comA musical evening of recognition of the deep personal sacrifices
by faithful Blacks
in Mormonism was shared, with wonderful performances by Black celebrities Gladys
Knight and Alex Boye and other singers and speakers in the famous Salt Lake Tabernacle,
before a worldwide audience.
Source
LDS Church to welcome Gladys Knight, Alex Boyé for celebration of blacks and the priesthood | KSL.comThis impressive exhibit featured 16 historical documents,
including the record of Elijah
Able’s priesthood ordination, the handwritten copy of Jane Manning James’ autobiography,
personal stories of conversion and testimony, and photographs of nineteenth-century pioneers
and twentieth-century Latter-day Saints from the United States, Brazil, Ghana and Nigeria.
And a display of A Century of Black Latter-day Saints is availablefrom the University of
Utah Marriott Library.
Biographies
Jane Elizabeth Manning:
Jane Elizabeth Manning, born in 1822, was a free African American raised in Connecticut. After joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1841, her family left for Nauvoo, and due to racial discrimination, had to walk a large portion of the distance. Once in Nauvoo, Jane quickly developed a friendship with Joseph and Emma Smith, living and working with them. She married Isaac James, and they journeyed west with the Saints, settling in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847. The couple eventually divorced in 1870. Jane remarried briefly but lived most of her life as a single parent and grandparent, supporting her family through various jobs. She remained devoted to her faith and sought temple ordinances, which were partially granted after her death in 1908.
Source
Black Latter-day Saint history on display in the Church History Library - Church News (thechurchnews.com)As the first Black to serve as a fulltime and endowed missionary,
Professor Marcus Martins[BIO]Marcus H. Martins holds a
bachelor’s degree in
Business Management, Masters in Organizational Behavior, and a Ph.D. in Sociology of
Religion, Race and Ethnic Relations. Brother Martins joined the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints in 1972, and in 1978 became the first Latter-day Saint with Black
African ancestry to serve as a full‑time missionary in the twentieth century. He
currently teaches at Brigham Young University–Hawaii, in addition to having taught at
BYU and Ricks College, and has lectured on a variety of topics throughout the world. sensitively offers institutional insights and personal experiences before and after the
canonization of Official Declaration 2 in the scriptural book of Doctrine and Covenants.
Source
Marcus Martins, Blacks & the Mormon Priesthood: Setting the Record Straight (2007)Helvecio Martins, from Brazil, sustained as a General Authority
Seventy
Biographies
Helvécio Martins:
Helvécio Martins, born in Brazil in 1930, became the first Latter-day Saint of African descent to be called as a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He joined the Church in 1972, a time when people of African descent couldn't hold the priesthood or receive temple ordinances. However, in 1978, Martins and his family received these blessings. He served as a bishop, counselor in a stake presidency, and later as the first president of the Brazil Fortaleza Mission. In 1990, President Ezra Taft Benson called him to the Second Quorum of the Seventy, making him the first black General Authority in Church history. Besides his Church service, Elder Martins had a successful career as a high-ranking executive with an oil company in Brazil. His son, Marcus Martins, became the first Latter-day Saint with Black African ancestry to serve as a full‑time missionary in the twentieth century.
Source
https://site.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1990/05/the-sustaining-of-church-officers?lang=engThe first stake in western Africa was created May 15, 1988 in Aba,
Nigeria, the first stake in
which all priesthood leaders are black.
Source
https://www.thechurchnews.com/1988/5/21/23263972/new-first-for-western-africa-stake-is-formed-in-aba-nigeriaChurch membership records do not keep track of race or nationality.
Growth and service in area
that are predominantly Black can only be estimated as of 1987, Church demographics notably
included: 14,347 Church members in West and Central Africa 18,614 Church members in the black areas of the Caribbean 250,000 Church members in Brazil, many of whom are black or mixed
Source
https://www.deseret.com/1988/6/8/18768042/1978-lds-revelation-on-priesthood-called-vital-to-church-growthOfficial Declaration 2 was unanimously adopted by the Church at
the October General
Conference, ending any further delay in ordaining Black African men to the priesthood. The
reaction worldwide was overwhelmingly positive among Church members and people everywhere of
all races. Many Latter-day Saints wept for joy at the news. Some reported feeling a
collective weight lifted from their shoulders. The Church had begun priesthood ordinations
for men of African descent almost immediately, and black men and women soon entered temples
throughout the world.
Source
Race and the Priesthood (churchofjesuschrist.org)President Spencer W. Kimball receives a revelation, as did also
each of the twelve apostles
of the Church, that the time had come for priesthood and temple blessings to be extended to
all worthy people regardless of race. This momentous and historic revelatory decision is
documented by Edward L. Kimball in BYU Studies 47 no. 2: Spencer W. Kimball and the
Revelation on Priesthood - BYU Studies.
Source
Spencer W. Kimball and the Revelation on Priesthood - BYU StudiesSome of the early converts in Ghana had previously had dreams in which they saw white missionaries coming to teach them, and in 1978 when missionaries first arrived, those converts recognized them from their dreams.
136 Church members in West and Central Africa
836 Church members in the Caribbean, not counting Puerto Rico
51,000 Church members in Brazil
Source
https://www.deseret.com/1988/6/8/18768042/1978-lds-revelation-on-priesthood-called-vital-to-church-growth1977 Trinidad
1978 Dominican Republic, Ghana, Nigeria, Surinam, Curacao
1979 Reunion
1980 Haiti, Belize, St. Vincent
1983 St. Lucia, Martinique
1984 St. Kitts and Nevis, Antigua, Barbudo, Guadeloupe
1985 Grenada, Cayman Islands
1986 Democratic Republic of the Congo
1987 Liberia, Eswatini, Aruba
1988 Guyana, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone
Source
List of Mormon missionary entries by country - WikipediaPlans to construct the São Paulo Brazil Temple were announced March
1, 1975.
Source
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/s%C3%A3o-paulo-brazil-templeSpencer W. Kimball becomes President of the Church, stating that
Church policy with respect to Blacks in Mormonism and the priesthood would change and that the matter
was in the hands of the Lord. In 1972, Kimball declared: “[Blacks] who remain faithful to the end may
expect that God may finally grant them all blessings they have merited through their righteousness. Such
matters are in the Lord’s hands. It is for us to extend love to all.”
Source
The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, pg. 237Several black members of the Church in the United States and Brazil receive patriarchal blessings promising them blessings associated with the priesthood and temple covenants.
Helvico Martins, an executive for a national oil company and
university professor, and his
family are baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Source
https://www.deseret.com/2008/5/1/20085374/modern-pioneer-will-always-be-linked-to-1978-revelationIn the face of deep desires that reasons might be forthcoming, and
at the time of Civil Rights
struggles in the 1960’s, the 96-year-old, world-traveler President McKay declared that the
priesthood restriction had existed for " reasons which we believe are known to God, but which he
has not fully made known to man."s.
Biographies
David O. McKay:
David O. McKay, the ninth President of the Church from 1951 to 1970, was born in Huntsville, Utah, in 1873. After his mission to Scotland in 1897, he became a teacher and married Emma Ray Riggs. In 1906, he was called as an Apostle and later supervised the Church Welfare Program. As President, he focused on expanding the missionary program, integrating Church departments, and dedicating new temples worldwide. He emphasized the importance of individual missionary work and strong family relationships. Remembered for his warm personality, McKay passed away on January 18, 1970, at his home after a period of illness.
Source
David O. McKay, Hugh B. Brown, N. Eldon Tanner, “Letter of First Presidency Clarifies Church’s Position on the Negro," 15 Dec. 1969. Published in The Improvement Era, Vol. 73, No. 2 (Feb. 1970), 70-71nAnthony Obinna, a man raised in a traditional African home, has
several dreams and visions,
including one where he sees a tall and majestic man who shows him a beautiful building. Later,
he sees a picture of the same building in an old magazine article about the Church—it is the
Salt Lake Temple.
Source
Excerpted by Marnae Wilson from “Voice from Nigeria,” Ensign, December, 1980Elder Spencer W. Kimball promised black brother in Brazil
"blessings beyond his fondest
imagination if he remained totally true to the Cause."
Biographies
Spencer W. Kimball:
Spencer W. Kimball was born on March 28, 1895, in Salt Lake City and grew up in Thatcher, Arizona. After serving a mission and marrying Camilla Eyring, he settled in Safford, Arizona, where he became a leader in both the Church and the community. In 1943, he was called as an Apostle, and later, at the age of 78, he became the Church President on December 30, 1973. During his 12-year presidency, the Church experienced significant growth and expansion, with the number of temples and missionaries increasing substantially. He passed away in Salt Lake City on November 5, 1985.
Source
https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/assets/10465db5-6c08-4b97-babf-9608c86a9669/0/322Two Ghanaian men have visions directing them to do the Lord's work. Early converts in Ghana begin sharing the teachings of the Church with others and form unofficial congregations as they wait for missionaries and the opportunity to be baptized.
President Hugh B. Brown read a Civil Rights Statement at the
October 1963 General Conference. The Statement was written by Sterling McMurrin at the request of
President Brown and was approved by President David O. McKay. The statement was in accordance with NAACP
to prevent picketers from protesting at Temple Square regarding Civil Rights in Utah. The statement was
published as an official Chuch statement in the Desert News in 1964.
Source
Church Statement on Civil Rights – Prophets, Seers, and RevelatorsOn October 22, 1961, the first official church meeting in black
Africa was held in a small mud
hut in Opobo District, Nigeria.
Source
https://www2.byui.edu/Presentations/Transcripts/Devotionals/2001_04_03_LeBaron.htmA man in Nigeria writes to the missionary department expressing his
interest in the Church. He
dreams of worshiping in the Salt Lake Temple and calls on the Church to come to Africa.
Christians from Nigeria and Ghana send multiple letters to the church headquarters requesting
church literature. The Church responded by sending church literature including the Book of
Mormon.
Source
https://www2.byui.edu/Presentations/Transcripts/Devotionals/2001_04_03_LeBaron.htmRuffin Bridgeforth, born in Melville, Louisiana, joined the church
in 1953. Bridgeforth served as the President of the Genesis Group, a fellowship group for black
Latter-day Saints for 25 years. He was called by the first presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints and was set apart by Gordon B. Hinckley. Bridgeforth later became the first black male
to be ordained a High Priest after the revelation regarding blacks in Mormonism in 1978.
Source
https://www.deseret.com/1997/3/23/19302251/death-ruffin-bridgeforthLen Hope was introduced to the Church by a Latter-day Saint Elder
who stopped by the cotton field where he worked. Len was baptized at Lamison, Alabama by Elder John M.
Tolbert on June 22, 1919. In 1920, Len and Mary Lee Pugh were married. On September 15, 1925, Mary was
baptized by Elder William O. Clouse, and confirmed by Elder Sterling W. Still.
Source
https://exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of-black-mormons/page/hope-mary-lee-pughMary Virgina Sargent, raised in Caroline County, Virginia, is
baptized and confirmed as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on August 19,
1906, at age 12, along with seven family members. They are baptized in a creek near Golansville,
Virginia.
Sources
https://exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of-black-mormons/page/key-mary-virginia-sargenthttps://exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of-black-mormons/page/clory-nellie-gray-patron-sargent
https://exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of-black-mormons/page/derricott-annie-marie-sargent
https://exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of-black-mormons/page/johnson-clara-sargent
https://exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of-black-mormons/page/kidd-arthur-samuel-sargent
https://exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of-black-mormons/page/morris-gracie-sanford-sargent
https://exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of-black-mormons/page/pendleton-eva-lena-sargent
https://exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of-black-mormons/page/gibson-novella-frances-sargent
Jane Manning James expresses dissatisfaction and again requests
sealing blessings from Wilford
Woodruff, which are not granted. She was allowed, however, to be sealed by proxy into the Joseph
Smith family as a servant in 1894, a unique occurrence. Although she did not receive the temple
endowment or family sealings during her lifetime, all those temple ordinances have since been
performed for her by proxy.
Source
Jane Elizabeth Manning James (churchofjesuschrist.org)Jane Manning James writes to John Taylor in a letter, recalling an
invitation from Emma in
Nauvoo to be sealed to the Smith family as a child, an offer which Jane at that time declined.
Source
https://mormonr.org/records/0cg94F-0ogWKp/jane_manning_james_requests_endowment_and_adoption_to_smith_familyUnder Brigham Young's approval, eight Black Saints act as proxies
for baptisms and confirmations
in the Salt Lake Endowment House.
Source
https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/3392?availability=Family%20History%20LibrarySamuel D. Chambers, a black saint, is appointed as an assistant
deacon but does not receive the priesthood. Samuel's wife, Amanda Leggroan Chambers, serves as a
"deaconess" in the Relief Society.
Sources
https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/training/black-members-of-the-church/section-2/united-stateshttps://site.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/new-era/1974/06/samuel-d-chambers
With the completion of the transcontinental railroad and
emancipation following the Civil War,
some Blacks move to Utah, where the population, though largely international, was almost
entirely White.
Source
https://eom.byu.edu/index.php/BlacksIn 1857, Moroni Able is baptized and confirmed a member of the
Church of Jesus Christ at the age of eight in the Salt Lake Valley. He remained a faithful member until
his passing in October 1871. A few days prior to his death, priesthood leaders gave Moroni a blessing
for his illness and ordained him an Elder, for which Moroni expressed his gratitude.
Source
https://exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of-black-mormons/page/able-moroniPresident Brigham Young publicly announces that men of black
African descent were not to be
ordained to the Priesthood at that time. Individuals of black descent continued to be
baptized and given the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Brigham Young states that in the future,
Blacks in Mormonism will have all the privileges and more than they can imagine,
anticipating a time when they would receive the priesthood and temple blessings.
Source
https://site.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics-essays/race-and-the-priesthood?lang=engBrigham Young accepts the commonly held view in ante-bellum United
States that Black people
are the under the curse of Cain and are denied the priesthood, but he grants them several
legal and civil protections. He states that only God can remove the priesthood limitation in
due time, in spite of an objection raised by Apostle Orson Pratt.
Source
https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/assets/c87f81ec-019c-4962-b395-d7c1c925fa61/0/0At a public meeting, Parley P. Pratt refers to Ham lineage as
cursed with regard to the priesthood. Pratt’s language paraphrases the book of Abraham 1:26-27.
Biographies
Parley P. Pratt:
In 1830, 23-year-old Parley P. Pratt discovered the Book of Mormon, leading to his baptism and membership in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He became a pivotal figure in the Church's growth, undertaking successful missions in England, the Pacific, and South America. A prolific writer defending his faith, he embraced plural marriage and had 12 wives with 30 children. Tragically, he was killed in 1857 by an estranged husband of one of his wives. Pratt's dedicated gospel service and diverse experiences left a lasting impact on the early Church.
Source
https://mormonr.org/records/k7BLPb-WDkSfc/pratt_refers_to_ham_lineage_as_cursed_with_regards_to_the_priesthoodSarah Ann Mode Hofheintz, a bi-racial Saint, receives temple
blessings in Nauvoo, Illinois.
Source
https://exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of-black-mormons/page/hofheintz-sarah-ann-modeJoseph Smith runs for President of the United State, proposing to
free all slaves by
compensating their owners and giving resources to those liberated.
Source
https://archive.bookofmormoncentral.org/content/general-smiths-views-powers-and-policy-government-united-statesSamuel Davidson Chambers, a thirteen-year-old slave boy, is
baptized and confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after engaging in
missionary street meeting discussions in Mississippi.
Source
https://site.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/new-era/1974/06/samuel-d-chambers?lang=engWhile Jane resided with the Smith family in Nauvoo, Emma Smith
extended an offer to her to
be "officially embraced as their own child." While she declined this offer, perhaps being
unfamiliar with this new adoptive practice, Jane firmly believed in Joseph’s prophetic role:
"I did know the Prophet Joseph," she later testified. "He was the finest man I ever saw on
earth. … I was certain he was a prophet because I knew it."
Biographies
Emma Smith:
Emma Hale Smith, born in 1804 in Harmony, Pennsylvania, married Joseph Smith in 1827 and played significant roles in the early Church as a scribe during the translations of the Book of Mormon and the Bible. Baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1830, she moved to Kirtland, Ohio, with the Saints. In 1835, Emma edited the first hymnbook of the Church. After enduring persecutions in Missouri, she settled in Nauvoo, Illinois, and became the inaugural president of the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo. Following Joseph Smith's death, Emma remained in Nauvoo, marrying Lewis C. Bidamon and affiliating with the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, led by her son Joseph Smith III.
Source
Jane Elizabeth Manning James (churchofjesuschrist.org)Samuel Davidson Chambers, a tNot long after his baptism, Quack
Walker Lewis is ordained as an Elder by William Smith, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve
Apostles.
Sources
https://exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of-black-mormons/page/lewis-quack-walkerhttps://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/chd/individual/walker-lewis-1798
The Prophet Joseph Smith publishes his rendition of the Book of
Abraham, which at one point
asserts that Pharaoh, a descendant of Noah’s son Ham through one of his daughters, had preserved
a curse “upon the land” of Egypt (1:21-24). The idea of being “cursed” can simply mean being
“disinherited” of property or governing rights due to covenant-breaking. Skin color is not
mentioned in this text, and this passage appears to have nothing to do with race.
Sources
“Being of that Lineage”: Generational Curses and Inheritance in the Book of Abraham | The Interpreter Foundationhttps://site.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics-essays/translation-and-historicity-of-the-book-of-abraham
The First Presidency states that the Nauvoo Temple will welcome
worshipers from diverse
backgrounds, embracing "individuals of every tongue, language, and skin color."
Source
https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/report-of-the-first-presidency-4-october-1840/2Joseph Smith publishes a letter to the editor in the Church
newspaper, the Messenger and
Advocate. He advises missionaries to give priority to the scriptures–including the Book of
Mormon, the Bible, and the newly printed Doctrine and Covenants–and to be led and governed
by revelation, for if a principle or law found there turns out to be “wrong, God only is to
be blamed.” He pointed to passages in Genesis, Deuteronomy, Ephesians, and 1 Timothy as the
better way to know “the will of God” than by listening to the extreme abolitionists. He
encouraged public peace, personal accountability, equal rights, national unity, law and
order, and trusting “that God can do his own work without the aid of those who are not
[attentive to] His counsel.” In opposing slavery and improving all society, he said, “All
men are to be taught to repent.” Masters are to treat their slaves and servants “with
kindness, remembering that they [themselves] are accountable to God.” And no one is “to be
found stirring up strife and sedition,” but rather leaving “all in the hands of God.”
Joseph’s counsel was neither strident, confrontational, nor fearful, as were the two
editorials added later in that same monthly issue of the Messenger and Advocate by Warren
Parrish.
Source
Messenger and Advocate Volume 2, Number 7 (centerplace.org)Joseph Smith affirms the ordination of Elijah Able as an elder by
signing a ministerial
certificate dated 3 March 1836. Recorded by Frederick G. Williams, Second Counselor in the
First Presidency, 31 March 1836.
Biographies
Elijah Able:
Elijah Able, an early African-American member of the Church, was among the few black men ordained to the priesthood during Joseph Smith's lifetime. Little is known about his early life, but after being baptized in 1832, he was ordained to the Melchizedek Priesthood in 1836. Able served a mission and settled in Nauvoo, Illinois, before migrating to Utah with his wife in 1853. Despite facing a policy denying black males the priesthood in 1852, he remained faithful until his death on December 25, 1884. Rediscovered by historians in the early twentieth century, his story highlights his significant contributions as an early missionary and priesthood holder.
Source
Church History Catalog | Asset viewer | Kirtland elders' certificatesIn a letter to W.W. Phelps, Daniel W. Dunklin writes, "Your
neighbors accuse your people, of holding illicit communications with the Indians, and of being opposed
to slavery. You deny. Whether the charge, or the denial, is true, I cannot tell. The fact exists, and
your neighbors seem to believe it true; and, whether true or false, the consequences will be the same
(if your opponents are not merely gasconading) unless you can by your conduct and arguments, convince
them of your innocence. If you cannot do this, all I can say to you, is, that in this Republic, the vox
populi is the vox Dei.”
Source
https://bhroberts.org/records/syaX1b-dELehb/governor_dunklin_maintains_that_saints_are_abolitionists_until_proven_otherwiseThe Doctrine and Covenants is published, including Section 102
(now Section 135), which
instructs missionaries to respect the law of the land by not teaching or baptizing slaves
without their owner’s consent (see D&C 135:12).
Source
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/juneteenth-naacp-church-of-jesus-christ-2023William W. Phelps asserts that the dark skin continued through
Ham's lineage as a result
of his marrying a black woman.
Source
https://mormonr.org/records/k7BLPb-0t9w3o/w_w_phelps_states_that_the_mark_and_curse_of_cain_is_black_skiEditor, William W. Phelps clarifies that there is no specific
policy in the Church as to the
inclusion
of Black individuals as members of the Church in Missouri.
Source
https://mormonr.org/records/0NnuWs-nRI2yc/phelps_says_we_have_no_special_rule_in_the_church_as_to_people_of_colorPeter Kerr, known as "Black Peter," becomes the first Black
Latter-day Saint upon joining the Church in Kirtland, Ohio. Peter is part of the Morley “Family” in
Kirtland and is the earliest black person of record to associate closely with the Mormons, even in their
worship services. However, there is no documentation of his baptism, nor is there any evidence that he
took the last name of his owners (Kerr or Carrel).
Source
https://exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of-black-mormons/page/peter#?%23_ftn1&xywh=-1845%2C-230%2C6885%2C4596&c=&m=&s=&cv=Joseph Smith adds a phrase to his Bible translation in the Book of
Genesis referring to
Noah's curse on Canaan, stating that the purpose of a dark skin was to distinguish
Canaanites from his people.
Source
https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/old-testament-revision-1/28Key Takeaways for Blacks in Mormonism
_____________
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints affirms that God “denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female … and all are alike unto God” (2 Nephi 26:33). This scripture in the Book of Mormon sets the standard for what Mormons believe about blacks in Mormonism. In His infinite Atonement, Jesus Christ suffered “the pains of every living creature, both men, women, and children” (2 Nephi 9:21), and He brings salvation “to all those who shall believe on his name” and have “faith unto repentance” (Alma 34:15).
_____________
Historically, slavery and racism deeply divided the United States of America before the Civil War, the era when the Church was organized. Regarding blacks in Mormonism, the founding Prophet Joseph Smith (1805-1844) personally welcomed Blacks and treated them fairly, in church, state, and local city matters over which he had influence or control. During Joseph’s presidency, some Black men were ordained to the priesthood in Boston, Massachusetts, and in Kirtland, Ohio.
_____________
Between 1852 and 1978, the Mormon Church, under Brigham Young’s policy, prohibited men of Black African descent from being ordained to the priesthood. This decision came with the assurance that the restriction would eventually be lifted in the Lord’s time. Despite cultural prejudices and insensitivity in speculating the reasons for the limitation, many Black individuals still joined the LDS Church. These blacks in Mormonism received the Holy Ghost, and were promised eventual access to all priesthood rights and temple blessings through patriarchal blessings.
_____________
The priesthood restriction on blacks in Mormonism ended in 1978 when President Spencer W. Kimball received a clear divine instruction on June 1, after several months of pleading with the Lord. On June 8, the Twelve Apostles also received powerful confirmation through manifestations of the Holy Ghost. The revelation was embraced with great joy by all members and blacks in Mormonism, and it was officially added to the Doctrine & Covenants by the sustaining vote of the entire Church membership during the next General Conference on September 30.
_____________
Today, racist ideas are soundly rejected regarding blacks in Mormonism and all others in Mormonism. The challenge for those who are living today is: how to judge and interpret the actions of the past. Detractors criticize motives and question why God would allow unjust policies if this were His church. Believers assert that God interacts with people where they are, revealing truth as they become ready to receive it. Regardless, modern people should avoid the risks of presentism, meaning applying current values to people of the past.
_____________
The end of the priesthood restriction marked a new era of unity, as the LDS Church aimed to mend fences and heal wounds caused by old prejudices and sufferings. Embracing full brotherhood and sisterhood with blacks in Mormonism, the Church opened its doors without racial limitations, fulfilling its mission to “go into all the world” to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ among every nation, family, language, and people,” (D&C 18:28). They are currently working to address and correct the consequences of racism worldwide.
Tough Questions + Honest Answers
The complete responsibilities and restrictions of Blacks in Mormonism are not historically answerable. However, we do know that during Joseph Smith’s ministry, free blacks were able to join the Church, and there is evidence that Black members were granted priesthood ordination. There are three accounts of Black men who were ordained to the priesthood during Joseph Smith’s time: Elijah Able, Q. Walker Lewis, and Enoch Lewis. One additional member, Joseph T. Ball, who was bi-racial, was also ordained to the priesthood during this time.
It is unknown if Black members were able to participate in or receive temple ordinances during Joseph Smith’s ministry. Elijah Able, who received a washing and anointing ordinance in Kirtland in 1836, is the only known case. Elijah also participated in baptisms for the dead in Nauvoo, Illinois. Holding the priesthood, however, may not have been considered necessary for members to participate in those ordinances.
Yes. Free Blacks could and did readily join the Church through baptism and confirmation. In 1835, one provision was added regarding slaves legally in servitude to masters. What would later become Section 134 was added at the end of the first edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, in 1835, which was entitled “Of Governments and Laws in General.” Its stated purpose was so that “our belief . . . may not be misinterpreted nor misunderstood,” and it presented twelve paragraphs giving “our opinions concerning the same.” These 12 statements, all beginning with “we believe,” do not appear to be revelatory but declaratory or explanatory, adopted by unanimous vote of a Church assembly, in Kirtland, Ohio, on August 17, 1835. Several verses deal with relations between church and state matters. Verse 1 says that God will hold men accountable for their governmental acts. Verse 2 says that laws should secure the “free exercise of conscience,” the individual “right to control property,” and also “the protection of life.” Verse 12 included a concluding proviso that “we do not believe it right to interfere with bond-servants,” who were thus not to be taught or baptized “contrary to the will and wish of their masters.” This was to prevent “jeopardizing the lives of men,” and doing otherwise was seen as “unlawful and unjust, and “dangerous to the peace of every government allowing human beings to be held in servitude.”
There is no record that Joseph Smith taught or instituted a policy that prohibited black members of the church from receiving the priesthood or participating in temple ordinances. Joseph Smith believed that Black people were descendants of Canaan, but he did not teach that all Black people were restricted from the priesthood.
Joseph Smith’s views on race were complex and sometimes contradictory. There is evidence to suggest that he held both racist and non-racist views. Joseph Smith had similar views to Abraham Lincoln, such as full civil rights. However, he did not believe in interracial marriage.
Brigham Young may have been okay with black members of the Church having the priesthood before the ban was made known. In March of 1847, Brigham Young stated the following about Quaku Walker Lewis, a Black priesthood holder, “one of the best Elders we have.” However, it is also possible that Young’s views on race evolved over time. In 1852, he publicly announced the priesthood and temple ban, which prohibited Black people from holding the priesthood or entering the temple. This ban remained in place for over 100 years, until it was lifted in 1978. Ultimately, it is difficult to say for certain whether or not Brigham Young was okay with Black members of the church having the priesthood before 1847. There is evidence to support both sides of the argument.
The basic question here, although personally frustrating and socially perplexing, was not whether all worthy Black men should receive the priesthood, but when that would happen. Many assurances were given that this would indeed happen when the time was right. Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, other prophets down to David O. McKay, and finally Spencer W. Kimball, all pleaded “How long, O Lord?” This question has long been asked by prophets, from David and Isaiah, to John the Revelator and Joseph Smith (see Psalm 6:3; Isaiah 6:11; Revelation 6:10; Doctrine and Covenants 121:1-3), and still today. Prophets help us wait upon the Lord, knowing that good will somehow come from patience, trust, and even frustration. In getting beyond cultural clashes, it is always good to remember that God loves everyone, that all are to love their neighbors as themselves, and that God’s timing and thoughts are not always the same as our thoughts, “neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord” (Isaiah 55:9). We must all repent and do better, while a century of adjusting and waiting indeed is a long time for us, it can help to remember that it is more like an hour with the Lord (see 2 Peter 3:8).
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