The Mormon Church and Blacks: A Documentary History

232 Pages·2015·1.65 MB·English

by  Matthew L. Harris, Newell G. Bringhurst

The Mormon Church and Blacks

The Mormon Church
and Blacks
A Documentary History
Edited by
Matthew L. Harris and Newell G. Bringhurst
UNivErsiTy of iLLiNois PrEss
Urbana, Chicago, and springfield
© 2015 by the Board of Trustees
of the University of Illinois
All rights reserved
Manufactured in the United States of America
1 2 3 4 5 c p 5 4 3 2 1
∞ This book is printed on acid-free paper.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
The Mormon Church and Blacks : a documentary history / edited by
Matthew L. Harris and Newell G. Bringhurst.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-252-03974-4 (cloth : alk. paper)
ISBN 978-0-252-08121-7 (pbk. : alk. paper)
ISBN 978-0-252-09784-3 (e-book)
1. African American Mormons—History—Sources. 2. Race relations—
Religious aspects—Mormon Church—History—Sources. 3. Race
relations—Religious aspects—Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints—History—Sources. 4. Priesthood—Mormon Church—
History—Sources. 5. Priesthood—Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints—History—Sources.
I. Harris, Matthew L. II. Bringhurst, Newell G.
bx8643.a35m66 2015
289.3089'96—dc23 2015014681
To our wives, Courtney Harris and Mary Ann Bringhurst,
who have patiently endured our long telephone talks
and frequent conference excursions.
This book is dedicated to them with gratitude and love.

Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction 1
1. Three Mormon Scriptural Works: Providing a Canonical
Framework for Race, Slavery, and the Status of Black People 6
2. Joseph Smith and Evolving Mormon Attitudes
and Practices on Slavery and Race, 1830–1844 18
3. Brigham Young, the Beginning of Black Priesthood Denial,
and Legalization of Slavery in Utah, 1844–1877 30
4. Justifying and Perpetuating Black Priesthood Denial, 1877–1949 44
5. Church Growth, Confronting Civil Rights,
and Official Affirmations of Black Priesthood Denial, 1945–1970 63
6. The 1978 Revelation and Its Implications 92
7. Confronting the Church’s Problematic Racial Past after 1978 118
Notes 145
Bibliography 205
Index 213

Acknowledgments
This book would not have been possible without the help and encouragement of
a number of individuals and institutions.
Particularly helpful were Armand Mauss and Lester Bush, whose own path-
breaking studies on blacks and Mormonism provided a high standard to aspire
to. Both scholars, moreover, provided essential materials, and each also read and
critiqued preliminary drafts of this study, providing valuable suggestions. Also
furnishing critical information was Gregory Prince, whose invaluable materials
in the David O. McKay collection at the Marriott Library at the University of
Utah provided both crucial insights and context to the all-important post–World
War II period. Edward Kimball—son of late LDS church president Spencer W.
Kimball—likewise provided equally important information concerning the re-
ligious milieu and the role his father played and other LDS general authorities
in the issuance of the 1978 revelation lifting the black priesthood ban.
Two scholars, Paul Reeve and Laurie Maffly-Kipp, also carefully read and cri-
tiqued our preliminary manuscript, imparting important insights, thereby greatly
improving it.
Other scholars providing useful information include Michael Quinn, Craig
Foster, Michael Marquardt, John Hammond, Darron Smith, Gary Bergera, and
John Seidel. The volume further benefited from materials provided by David
Jackson, Darius Gray, Cory Bangerter, Dennis Gladwell, Eugene Orr, and Keith
Hamilton.
The LDS Church History Library staff was most helpful in providing essential
materials, specifically Richard Turley and William Slaughter, along with Brittany
Chapman, Ardis Smith, Jay Burrup, and Brandon Metcalf.
In addition, a number of universities, through their libraries and faculty, proved
most helpful. At Brigham Young University these include John Murphy, Mark
x . acknowledgments
Grover, Gordon Daines, Russell Taylor, Cindy Brightenburg, Margaret Young, and
Galen Fletcher. Assisting at the University of Utah were Walter Jones, Elizabeth
Rogers, Betsey Welland, Julie Huddleston, and Paul Mogren. Clint Pumphrey,
librarian at Utah State University, provided access to information, as did the staff
of the Utah State Historical Society. Also answering the authors’ frequent requests
for materials were librarians at Colorado State University–Pueblo, in particular
Kenneth McKenzie and Karen Pardue.
The Department of History and Provost’s Office at Colorado State University–
Pueblo provided financial support for the completion of this work. This project
also benefited from a Charles Redd Fellowship at Brigham Young University
awarded to Matt Harris.
Family members deserve honorable mention too, particularly for their research
assistance and willingness to share materials: Katrina Hammond, Jason Harris,
Linda Leighton, Lawrence Harris, Joyce Harris, and especially Michael Harris.
Finally, the staff of the University of Illinois Press provided continuing aid
and encouragement through the various stages of this project, specifically Larin
McLaughlin, Willis Regier, Amanda Wicks, and especially Dawn Durante.