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The Church of Jesus Christ and Black People 1971-1972
BYU's First Full-Time Black Faculty Member
Wynetta Willis Martin recalled, "In [December] 1970 I had the opportunity to become the first black faculty staff member at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. I took advantage of this chance to do something for humanity. I was hired at B.Y.U. as a 'Research Consultant on Black Culture.' I taught the nurses in the Smith Family Living College, because many of the girls have never talked with anyone of the Black Race and to become a good nurse one must know different cultures. My first class was very exciting. I wasn’t nervous, but I felt the tension among the students - not the tension of hatred for me, but rather they didn’t know how to approach me on questions. I felt fear and doubt among them, and I know some of them had an inferiority complex. So I started out by telling them about myself and explained to them the importance of knowing a little about all races. Naturally nurses will come in contact with Blacks while giving care to the bedridden patients. Then I said that in order for them to understand the beginning of White superiority and Black-assumed inferiority, they must go back to the discovery of America.
"Boy, did the eyes light up! I lectured to them for about forty-five minutes on the first Black men in the New World. I went on to say that these Black men came with the Spanish expeditions, not to work but to explore.
"I'm sure many of those student nurses wondered what this had to do with nursing. I said a lot. Every culture has its disadvantages, every culture has a personality, and I finally stated to them that every man searches and dreams of something in his life. After my lecture, there were many questions asked of me, and I tried my best to answer most of them.
"Another experience came at B.Y.U. when I gave a lecture for a graduating class of nurses. There were about twenty girls plus their male advisors. One individual expressed at one time she knew a Black girl and was very pleased with her friendship. Another told me this: 'Mrs. Martin, I was born in the South and I am prejudiced, but I don’t dislike you.' She was so sincere and meant well. I told her that many things were instilled into her mind as a child while growing up in the deep South, where Blacks cannot defend themselves and where they are barred from restaurants etc. I said to her that I didn’t think she was prejudiced, and she felt good about my saying this. But as we all know by now, we all have some 'hang ups' once in a while.
"A few months later, I received an invitation to the B.Y.U. staff Ball. My, was I excited! I was probably the first Black person to attend one of these balls. I had a marvelous time. I wore a long pink gown and danced with the young men who were there.
"Dinner was served and what delicious food! I enjoyed every bit of what was served. I can remember a Black man who attended B.Y.U., who was one of the waiters. I had a chance to talk with him and found out that he was a very intelligent person in his early twenties, in his second year of schooling I believe. I could have talked with him all night, but he was too busy being a waiter. Up to this moment I have met at least four Blacks who have attended B.Y.U., and I must say that members of any race, color, or creed are eligible to attend B.Y.U. as long as they meet the general qualifications and are capable of handling the courses. No race is barred from B.Y.U., and I’m here as a material witness."
Following the death of her husband Len, Mary Hope had moved to Philadelphia where she lived until her death in 1971. Her final bishop, Loran Stephenson, recalled, "There was no problem there... I think she felt comfortable with all the members of the church there. I never heard anybody from the time that I was bishop or any other time express any negative views towards her or her family. I did not see any indication whatever of social or personal ostracism. She was never asked to serve in any calling that I know of, but I did not think as bishop that she was physically able to perform much of anything or that it was wisdom to give the responsibility to her. Sister Hope was such a non-threatening personality that it would be difficult for anybody to respond negatively to her.... I've heard her bear her testimony a number of times in testimony meeting about the truthfulness of the gospel, the heart-felt way she felt about the Lord Jesus Christ, the truthfulness of the Church, the divinity of the mission of the prophet Joseph Smith, and the truth and proper authority of the priesthood."
"Boy, did the eyes light up! I lectured to them for about forty-five minutes on the first Black men in the New World. I went on to say that these Black men came with the Spanish expeditions, not to work but to explore.
"I'm sure many of those student nurses wondered what this had to do with nursing. I said a lot. Every culture has its disadvantages, every culture has a personality, and I finally stated to them that every man searches and dreams of something in his life. After my lecture, there were many questions asked of me, and I tried my best to answer most of them.
"Another experience came at B.Y.U. when I gave a lecture for a graduating class of nurses. There were about twenty girls plus their male advisors. One individual expressed at one time she knew a Black girl and was very pleased with her friendship. Another told me this: 'Mrs. Martin, I was born in the South and I am prejudiced, but I don’t dislike you.' She was so sincere and meant well. I told her that many things were instilled into her mind as a child while growing up in the deep South, where Blacks cannot defend themselves and where they are barred from restaurants etc. I said to her that I didn’t think she was prejudiced, and she felt good about my saying this. But as we all know by now, we all have some 'hang ups' once in a while.
"A few months later, I received an invitation to the B.Y.U. staff Ball. My, was I excited! I was probably the first Black person to attend one of these balls. I had a marvelous time. I wore a long pink gown and danced with the young men who were there.
"Dinner was served and what delicious food! I enjoyed every bit of what was served. I can remember a Black man who attended B.Y.U., who was one of the waiters. I had a chance to talk with him and found out that he was a very intelligent person in his early twenties, in his second year of schooling I believe. I could have talked with him all night, but he was too busy being a waiter. Up to this moment I have met at least four Blacks who have attended B.Y.U., and I must say that members of any race, color, or creed are eligible to attend B.Y.U. as long as they meet the general qualifications and are capable of handling the courses. No race is barred from B.Y.U., and I’m here as a material witness."
Following the death of her husband Len, Mary Hope had moved to Philadelphia where she lived until her death in 1971. Her final bishop, Loran Stephenson, recalled, "There was no problem there... I think she felt comfortable with all the members of the church there. I never heard anybody from the time that I was bishop or any other time express any negative views towards her or her family. I did not see any indication whatever of social or personal ostracism. She was never asked to serve in any calling that I know of, but I did not think as bishop that she was physically able to perform much of anything or that it was wisdom to give the responsibility to her. Sister Hope was such a non-threatening personality that it would be difficult for anybody to respond negatively to her.... I've heard her bear her testimony a number of times in testimony meeting about the truthfulness of the gospel, the heart-felt way she felt about the Lord Jesus Christ, the truthfulness of the Church, the divinity of the mission of the prophet Joseph Smith, and the truth and proper authority of the priesthood."
Basingstoke Chapel Application
Wallace G. Bennett, president of the British South Mission from 1970-73, recalled, "There was an area in my mission called Basingstoke where the attendance had dropped to about zero. I asked Col. Robert Stewart and his wife, Ora Pate Stewart to revive it. There were about 100 members on the books but were all inactive. One of the first things Stewart did was to go to the town authorities and apply for land to build a chapel. I was surprised at this because there were no active members. A newspaper article came out that the writer hoped the Church would be turned down because the Mormons were a racially discriminating church.
"I asked the leaders of the church to send information on how the church was not racist and I attended a meeting where I was told to not make any statement, followed by discussions saying the Church was a friendly church built on family values.
"Another writer wanted the Church to get approval and the Basingstoke project was finally approved."
Church Historian Leonard J. Arrington later wrote in his diary, "He [Wallace G. Bennett] says that the most important problem which came up during his mission was the acquisition of land in a town, the name of which I do not recall, on which to build a chapel. The city had an arrangement that a church group like ours might be able to acquire the land at a nominal figure so long as it was devoted to social purposes such as religion. They applied to purchase the land to build a chapel and before there was a hearing on the matter, the local Methodist minister prepared a fourteen-page document with quotations from Church leaders and scriptures saying that our view of the Negro was such that building a chapel and giving us a presence in the community would cause racial strife - that we would promote racial strife. He had quotations from Mark E. Petersen and Brigham Young and various other people well studied and documented - quotations that Brother Bennett had never heard of.
"This paper by the Methodist minister had been circulated among all those attending the hearing except President Bennett, who was not aware of it until it was read in his presence. He had to report off the cuff and was not prepared to do so.
"He reported this to his supervisor and received essentially no reply. He wrote in further and made further contacts with Church officials who visited the region, but nobody would reply to it or tell him what to say in reply. Finally a meeting was held at which were present President Kimball, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, Gordon Hinckley, Theodore Burton, Boyd Packer, and others. They asked him to present the matter. They then discussed it to some extent and someone tentatively suggested that Brother Bennett ought to withdraw his request to the city housing authority and just buy the land through commercial channels. Brother Bennett replied that he didn't want to do that. He thought we could win it and thought we ought to see it through. Nobody would say anything or write anything or tell him what to do or say. Ultimately the matter was discussed by the city housing authority and they ruled against the Church's application. The matter was then appealed to the municipal council. There was in the meantime created some sentiment in the newspapers that the housing authority had been unfair to the Church and to the British Saints in that area. Sufficient sentiment was generated through the media that when the municipal council voted, they overruled the housing authority and agreed to furnish the Church the property. They then planned a chapel.
"It is Brother Bennett's understanding that they are now building or are scheduled to build a chapel on the location. I have the impression that all of this occurred in 1971-72 and that the British South Mission is now called the London British South Mission."
"I asked the leaders of the church to send information on how the church was not racist and I attended a meeting where I was told to not make any statement, followed by discussions saying the Church was a friendly church built on family values.
"Another writer wanted the Church to get approval and the Basingstoke project was finally approved."
Church Historian Leonard J. Arrington later wrote in his diary, "He [Wallace G. Bennett] says that the most important problem which came up during his mission was the acquisition of land in a town, the name of which I do not recall, on which to build a chapel. The city had an arrangement that a church group like ours might be able to acquire the land at a nominal figure so long as it was devoted to social purposes such as religion. They applied to purchase the land to build a chapel and before there was a hearing on the matter, the local Methodist minister prepared a fourteen-page document with quotations from Church leaders and scriptures saying that our view of the Negro was such that building a chapel and giving us a presence in the community would cause racial strife - that we would promote racial strife. He had quotations from Mark E. Petersen and Brigham Young and various other people well studied and documented - quotations that Brother Bennett had never heard of.
"This paper by the Methodist minister had been circulated among all those attending the hearing except President Bennett, who was not aware of it until it was read in his presence. He had to report off the cuff and was not prepared to do so.
"He reported this to his supervisor and received essentially no reply. He wrote in further and made further contacts with Church officials who visited the region, but nobody would reply to it or tell him what to say in reply. Finally a meeting was held at which were present President Kimball, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, Gordon Hinckley, Theodore Burton, Boyd Packer, and others. They asked him to present the matter. They then discussed it to some extent and someone tentatively suggested that Brother Bennett ought to withdraw his request to the city housing authority and just buy the land through commercial channels. Brother Bennett replied that he didn't want to do that. He thought we could win it and thought we ought to see it through. Nobody would say anything or write anything or tell him what to do or say. Ultimately the matter was discussed by the city housing authority and they ruled against the Church's application. The matter was then appealed to the municipal council. There was in the meantime created some sentiment in the newspapers that the housing authority had been unfair to the Church and to the British Saints in that area. Sufficient sentiment was generated through the media that when the municipal council voted, they overruled the housing authority and agreed to furnish the Church the property. They then planned a chapel.
"It is Brother Bennett's understanding that they are now building or are scheduled to build a chapel on the location. I have the impression that all of this occurred in 1971-72 and that the British South Mission is now called the London British South Mission."
W. Cleon Skousen
In a speech to BYU students during the Spring 1971 semester, religion professor W. Cleon Skousen said, "Our teachers need to go out and say to their students, in a credible way, that when they hear these fads come along they ought to look at it a little more closely because there are some other aspects to the problems.
"For example, let me take a term, like 'Martin Luther King' that’s been such a fad. Here is such a great Savior of the colored race, in the United States he is virtually a martyr to the cause. He was a martyr, but not to a cause. You need to say to your students, from a credible source, you see, because they won’t read it in the daily press, that it is now known that Martin Luther King was in direct contact with the Soviet Union, that the congressional committees now have FBI tapes revealing that he was two people.
"He played a role, magnificently, of a very refined, quiet, Negro minister, and at night he would get his men together and with the filthiest kind of language, choose from among his followers the woman that was to be his companion for that night. He used four letter words to tell them that they must 'get in there and cultivate a spirit of violence and so forth among the demonstrators.' Probably the most violent speech against the United States was made by Martin Luther King just before he died, in Riverside Church in New York. Any of you knew this? Has anybody heard of this before? Five or six of you. Great! Now wouldn’t this be a shock to your students?
"Up in our high school in Salt Lake one of the teachers tried to share this with his students and was fired. He only made one mistake. He needed to approach it a little more gently and let the students find out by reading it themselves from some source other than the teacher. See, they went home and quoted the teacher, then the parents, who were shocked, came against the teacher.
"He didn’t immediately have his sources. He’d heard it and he knew it existed but he hadn’t done his research. So, will you remember this fourth challenge? Always present this material in a credible fashion. This is why, in The Naked Capitalist, this is the technique I use. See, there’s my headline, and there’s Dr. Quigley saying what I knew several years ago and could document it, but if I said it, then it’s not entirely credible for some reason. I need somebody on the other side to admit it’s true. That is the way it goes all the way through."
"For example, let me take a term, like 'Martin Luther King' that’s been such a fad. Here is such a great Savior of the colored race, in the United States he is virtually a martyr to the cause. He was a martyr, but not to a cause. You need to say to your students, from a credible source, you see, because they won’t read it in the daily press, that it is now known that Martin Luther King was in direct contact with the Soviet Union, that the congressional committees now have FBI tapes revealing that he was two people.
"He played a role, magnificently, of a very refined, quiet, Negro minister, and at night he would get his men together and with the filthiest kind of language, choose from among his followers the woman that was to be his companion for that night. He used four letter words to tell them that they must 'get in there and cultivate a spirit of violence and so forth among the demonstrators.' Probably the most violent speech against the United States was made by Martin Luther King just before he died, in Riverside Church in New York. Any of you knew this? Has anybody heard of this before? Five or six of you. Great! Now wouldn’t this be a shock to your students?
"Up in our high school in Salt Lake one of the teachers tried to share this with his students and was fired. He only made one mistake. He needed to approach it a little more gently and let the students find out by reading it themselves from some source other than the teacher. See, they went home and quoted the teacher, then the parents, who were shocked, came against the teacher.
"He didn’t immediately have his sources. He’d heard it and he knew it existed but he hadn’t done his research. So, will you remember this fourth challenge? Always present this material in a credible fashion. This is why, in The Naked Capitalist, this is the technique I use. See, there’s my headline, and there’s Dr. Quigley saying what I knew several years ago and could document it, but if I said it, then it’s not entirely credible for some reason. I need somebody on the other side to admit it’s true. That is the way it goes all the way through."
Formation of the Genesis Group
President Joseph Fielding Smith's sixteen-year-old idea for a black Latter-day Saint support group finally got underway when three black Latter-day Saints - Darius Gray, Ruffin Bridgeforth, and Eugene Orr - began meeting with the "Special Committee on Church Activities for African Races". After several meetings it was decided to create an auxiliary unit attached to the Salt Lake Liberty Stake and known as the Genesis Group, so named because it represented a new beginning. It would meet weekly to provide leadership and service opportunities with all-black Primary, Relief Society, and youth meetings, and monthly for testimony meetings. Brother Bridgeforth was called as the first president with Brothers Gray and Orr as his counselors.
In an interview with Benjamin Crowder, Darius Gray recalled, "Considering what I think its importance was, I’m not sure we fully recognized that significance at that time. Three black male converts to the Church meeting, praying, asking God to guide us, what we can do to hold onto black members—and there were too few, and too many of that few falling away from the Church - feeling led to approach the senior brethren, and meeting with a positive response, where three junior apostles were assigned to meet with us. When you consider just that - you know, if you are privileged to be able to meet with a member of the Seventy, you’re a happy camper. But a member of the Twelve? No, three members of the Twelve. And to meet in an ongoing way over a period of months to talk about these issues of blacks in the Church and priesthood and some of the pain.
"I don’t know that we realized the significance of it. Gene Orr, Ruffin Bridgeforth, and myself - Ruffin was the senior among us. He had joined the Church in 1953, he was the elder statesman. I was in the middle, I joined in ’64. And Gene joined in ’68, I believe. But in Gene’s wife’s journal, she noted that the first day we met with those three apostles - who happened to be Elders Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson, and Boyd K. Packer - was June 8, 1971. Now, that date is significant if you fast-forward exactly seven years to the day, June 8, 1978: the reversal of that policy on priesthood restriction.
"We didn’t know what was in the future, any of us six. But God knew. And we were just trying to move forward and do that which we saw that was immediately in front of us. We were so busy watching the trees, I don’t know that we noticed the forest. But indeed it was a forest."
Michael Marquardt's notes from an interview with Eugene Orr on November 7 read, "Set up for Black missionary work. There are at present about 240 baptized members of the Church in the Salt Lake area who are Black. Of these 40 are active. The Group hopes to reactivate Black members in the Salt Lake Area. Main objective is to get the Priesthood and then do missionary work among the Black both in America and throughout the world. The Group couldn’t be called a branch but something like an independent branch of the Church. Mention was made of the film Man’s Search for Happiness with member[s] of the Church who are Black in it. This was made about Jan. 1969. It is now playing at the Visitor’s Center on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah.
"The Genesis Group meets in the same chapel with the Danish and Norwegian Branches of Liberty Stake. June 24, 1971 was the first time that the First Presidency and Twelve have prayed in the Temple about whether Black members of the Church should hold the Priesthood. The First Presidency and Twelve were not in agreement on the question. But they did agree that the Genesis Group should be formed.
"Concerning the Nigerian Mission: Brother LaMar Williams went to Nigeria and baptized members of the Reorganized Church into the LDS Church. He didn’t tell them that they could not hold the Priesthood. About 1,000 joined the Church and Civil War broke out and after the Civil War these members of the Church baptized about 3,000 and they sen[t] their reports to Church headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah. The total number of members of the LDS Church in Nigeria is about 4,000 (?). They call the Church 'The Mormon Church of Nigeria.'
"Apostles Boyd K. Packer, Thomas S. Monson and Gordon B. Hinckley are in charge of Black members of the Church. Meeting first held June 8, 1971. Mr. Eugene Orr knows a man who is part black who was given special permission by President David O. McKay to be ordained to the Priesthood. Abraham 1:26–27 was discussed but nothing of importance became of it. He said that Ham held the Priesthood and that verses 26 and 27 referred to Pharoah."
Marquardt's notes from another interview with Brother Orr on November 14 read, "We talked for 2.5 hours. A boy David Smith who was part Black was adopted into a family without the parents’ knowing it. They were told that he could not hold the Priesthood. They were very disturbed about it and went to President David O. McKay and he gave special permission so that he could be ordained a Deacon. This man, David Smith, is at the present time on a mission for the Church.
"Elijah Abel was a member of the 10th Ward. In 1879 the position of the Church that Negroes could not hold the Priesthood was reaffirmed.
"Meeting with the Apostles Monson, Hinckley and Packer took place on June 8, 1971 at 8 a.m. The cards were laid on the table and the Apostles were told that the Blacks in the Church wanted the Priesthood. The group who went fasted and prayed before going and wanted to see the 'Prophet' but they were told that the Prophet had appointed the three of them as a committee on the Blacks in the Church.
"Eugene Orr rejects the idea that sin was committed in the pre-existence. Through baptism your sins are remitted and yet you are told that you have a sin which was not remitted which was committed before earth life.
"We talked on many places of the problem of the Blacks not having the Priesthood.
"There are about 3,000 members in Nigeria. The man who incorporated the Church in Nigeria is attending BYU in Provo, Utah. The name of the Church is 'The Mormon Church of Nigeria.'
"Eugene Orr received his patriarchal blessing from Eldred G. Smith. [I]n it he was given no lineage. Later when asked why he was told by Patriarch Smith that the lineage came from him (Patriarch Smith) and that when he receives a burning in his bosom then he knows that it is correct. He was asked - then you denied yourself of the right to receive the burning of the bosom?
"Brother Bridgeforth['s] patriarchal blessing said that he was a descendant of Abraham but when it was written down it wasn’t included.
"Earl Jones who is part Black was ordained a Priest.
"John Taylor had a Negro mistress, children might have come from her; also Brigham Young.
"We talked about the Book of Abraham in regard to the curse mentioned. Eugene Orr stated that Ham had the Priesthood and that the reason for denial of the Priesthood was idolatry. Abraham 1:26 and mainly verses 27 refer to the Pharaoh.
"I talked about some notes which I had made a number of years ago. Then I showed them some material concerning Elijah Abel and son and grandson: that they held the Priesthood. Finally I showed them a photo of a portrait of Elijah Abel, [and] Mr. and Mrs. Orr [were] very interested in it and expressed that they would like an enlargement to place in the Chapel so that everyone could see what they could achieve - Priesthood!
"I thought the meeting was very fruitful and enjoyable."
Elder Spencer W. Kimball and his wife Camilla attended a Genesis picnic and mingled happily with the members there, and when he became President of the Quorum of the Twelve he personally delivered fruit baskets to the Genesis Presidency members at Christmastime. Genesis became very popular and soon organized additional branches throughout the Western United States, though it remained under the authority of one presidency.
In an interview with Benjamin Crowder, Darius Gray recalled, "Considering what I think its importance was, I’m not sure we fully recognized that significance at that time. Three black male converts to the Church meeting, praying, asking God to guide us, what we can do to hold onto black members—and there were too few, and too many of that few falling away from the Church - feeling led to approach the senior brethren, and meeting with a positive response, where three junior apostles were assigned to meet with us. When you consider just that - you know, if you are privileged to be able to meet with a member of the Seventy, you’re a happy camper. But a member of the Twelve? No, three members of the Twelve. And to meet in an ongoing way over a period of months to talk about these issues of blacks in the Church and priesthood and some of the pain.
"I don’t know that we realized the significance of it. Gene Orr, Ruffin Bridgeforth, and myself - Ruffin was the senior among us. He had joined the Church in 1953, he was the elder statesman. I was in the middle, I joined in ’64. And Gene joined in ’68, I believe. But in Gene’s wife’s journal, she noted that the first day we met with those three apostles - who happened to be Elders Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson, and Boyd K. Packer - was June 8, 1971. Now, that date is significant if you fast-forward exactly seven years to the day, June 8, 1978: the reversal of that policy on priesthood restriction.
"We didn’t know what was in the future, any of us six. But God knew. And we were just trying to move forward and do that which we saw that was immediately in front of us. We were so busy watching the trees, I don’t know that we noticed the forest. But indeed it was a forest."
Michael Marquardt's notes from an interview with Eugene Orr on November 7 read, "Set up for Black missionary work. There are at present about 240 baptized members of the Church in the Salt Lake area who are Black. Of these 40 are active. The Group hopes to reactivate Black members in the Salt Lake Area. Main objective is to get the Priesthood and then do missionary work among the Black both in America and throughout the world. The Group couldn’t be called a branch but something like an independent branch of the Church. Mention was made of the film Man’s Search for Happiness with member[s] of the Church who are Black in it. This was made about Jan. 1969. It is now playing at the Visitor’s Center on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah.
"The Genesis Group meets in the same chapel with the Danish and Norwegian Branches of Liberty Stake. June 24, 1971 was the first time that the First Presidency and Twelve have prayed in the Temple about whether Black members of the Church should hold the Priesthood. The First Presidency and Twelve were not in agreement on the question. But they did agree that the Genesis Group should be formed.
"Concerning the Nigerian Mission: Brother LaMar Williams went to Nigeria and baptized members of the Reorganized Church into the LDS Church. He didn’t tell them that they could not hold the Priesthood. About 1,000 joined the Church and Civil War broke out and after the Civil War these members of the Church baptized about 3,000 and they sen[t] their reports to Church headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah. The total number of members of the LDS Church in Nigeria is about 4,000 (?). They call the Church 'The Mormon Church of Nigeria.'
"Apostles Boyd K. Packer, Thomas S. Monson and Gordon B. Hinckley are in charge of Black members of the Church. Meeting first held June 8, 1971. Mr. Eugene Orr knows a man who is part black who was given special permission by President David O. McKay to be ordained to the Priesthood. Abraham 1:26–27 was discussed but nothing of importance became of it. He said that Ham held the Priesthood and that verses 26 and 27 referred to Pharoah."
Marquardt's notes from another interview with Brother Orr on November 14 read, "We talked for 2.5 hours. A boy David Smith who was part Black was adopted into a family without the parents’ knowing it. They were told that he could not hold the Priesthood. They were very disturbed about it and went to President David O. McKay and he gave special permission so that he could be ordained a Deacon. This man, David Smith, is at the present time on a mission for the Church.
"Elijah Abel was a member of the 10th Ward. In 1879 the position of the Church that Negroes could not hold the Priesthood was reaffirmed.
"Meeting with the Apostles Monson, Hinckley and Packer took place on June 8, 1971 at 8 a.m. The cards were laid on the table and the Apostles were told that the Blacks in the Church wanted the Priesthood. The group who went fasted and prayed before going and wanted to see the 'Prophet' but they were told that the Prophet had appointed the three of them as a committee on the Blacks in the Church.
"Eugene Orr rejects the idea that sin was committed in the pre-existence. Through baptism your sins are remitted and yet you are told that you have a sin which was not remitted which was committed before earth life.
"We talked on many places of the problem of the Blacks not having the Priesthood.
"There are about 3,000 members in Nigeria. The man who incorporated the Church in Nigeria is attending BYU in Provo, Utah. The name of the Church is 'The Mormon Church of Nigeria.'
"Eugene Orr received his patriarchal blessing from Eldred G. Smith. [I]n it he was given no lineage. Later when asked why he was told by Patriarch Smith that the lineage came from him (Patriarch Smith) and that when he receives a burning in his bosom then he knows that it is correct. He was asked - then you denied yourself of the right to receive the burning of the bosom?
"Brother Bridgeforth['s] patriarchal blessing said that he was a descendant of Abraham but when it was written down it wasn’t included.
"Earl Jones who is part Black was ordained a Priest.
"John Taylor had a Negro mistress, children might have come from her; also Brigham Young.
"We talked about the Book of Abraham in regard to the curse mentioned. Eugene Orr stated that Ham had the Priesthood and that the reason for denial of the Priesthood was idolatry. Abraham 1:26 and mainly verses 27 refer to the Pharaoh.
"I talked about some notes which I had made a number of years ago. Then I showed them some material concerning Elijah Abel and son and grandson: that they held the Priesthood. Finally I showed them a photo of a portrait of Elijah Abel, [and] Mr. and Mrs. Orr [were] very interested in it and expressed that they would like an enlargement to place in the Chapel so that everyone could see what they could achieve - Priesthood!
"I thought the meeting was very fruitful and enjoyable."
Elder Spencer W. Kimball and his wife Camilla attended a Genesis picnic and mingled happily with the members there, and when he became President of the Quorum of the Twelve he personally delivered fruit baskets to the Genesis Presidency members at Christmastime. Genesis became very popular and soon organized additional branches throughout the Western United States, though it remained under the authority of one presidency.
Attitudes Toward the Priesthood and Temple Ban
Wallace Turner later reported in the New York Times, "The Negro group was created last October [sic]. That same month, a poll was made known that showed a deep anti‐Negro bias among Utah residents. The poll, by Louis Harris and associates, was designed to plumb attitudes toward crime and courts and antisocial behavior. It was taken for the Utah Law Enforcement Planning Agency.
"Taking note of the Mormon church's great influence in the state, the poll asked questions about attitudes toward the church, and then examined public attitudes toward Negroes.
"Many Find Conspiracy
'Do you believe there is a black conspiracy to destroy the Mormon Church?' was one question. One out of three Mormons answered 'yes'; among non‐Mormons, one out of eight answered 'yes.' Among Mormons, 55 per cent, disbelieved the proposition and among non‐Mormons, 65 per cent disbelieved.
"The poll takers also asked: 'Should blacks he permitted to hold the priesthood in the Mormon Church?' The answers were:
MORMONS OTHERS
Yes 16 58
No 70 4
Not Sure 14 38"
"Taking note of the Mormon church's great influence in the state, the poll asked questions about attitudes toward the church, and then examined public attitudes toward Negroes.
"Many Find Conspiracy
'Do you believe there is a black conspiracy to destroy the Mormon Church?' was one question. One out of three Mormons answered 'yes'; among non‐Mormons, one out of eight answered 'yes.' Among Mormons, 55 per cent, disbelieved the proposition and among non‐Mormons, 65 per cent disbelieved.
"The poll takers also asked: 'Should blacks he permitted to hold the priesthood in the Mormon Church?' The answers were:
MORMONS OTHERS
Yes 16 58
No 70 4
Not Sure 14 38"
Anthony Obinna
Nigerian Christian Anthony Obinna, who had seen the Salt Lake Temple in a dream and learned about the Church from a back issue of Readers' Digest, continued his story: "At the removal of the blockade in 1971 [after the Nigerian Civil War] I wrote a letter [to the Church] for instructions. Pamphlets, tracts, and a Book of Mormon were sent to me, including 'Joseph Smith's Testimony' about the restoration of the gospel. Brother LaMar S. Williams was in the Missionary Department at that time, and his instructions were that they had no authority to organize the Church in Nigeria then. I was totally disappointed, but the Holy Spirit moved me to continue writing. Many a time in dreams I saw some of the missionaries of the Church discussing matters about the Church."
Brother Obinna preached and organized a congregation of believers on his own. "Persecutions, name calling, and all kinds of abuses were rendered to me. I was persecuted in various ways but I kept deaf ears. I knew I had discovered the truth and men's threats could not move me and my group. So we continued asking God to open the door for us." He also continued writing letters to church headquarters to plead for baptism.
Darius Gray, Ruffin Bridgeforth, and Eugene Orr were invited by the Apostles they were meeting with to attend the General Priesthood Session of the October 1971 General Conference. When Brother Orr approached the entrance, however, the usher drew the red rope across and blocked it off. He stared at it for a moment and then, as he recounted, "I did the only thing I could do - the right thing. I stepped over the rope." He went directly to Elder Boyd K. Packer, who was seated on the stand, and reported the incident. Elder Packer had a security guard deliver an intercom message to all ushers: "There will be two more."
Brother Obinna preached and organized a congregation of believers on his own. "Persecutions, name calling, and all kinds of abuses were rendered to me. I was persecuted in various ways but I kept deaf ears. I knew I had discovered the truth and men's threats could not move me and my group. So we continued asking God to open the door for us." He also continued writing letters to church headquarters to plead for baptism.
Darius Gray, Ruffin Bridgeforth, and Eugene Orr were invited by the Apostles they were meeting with to attend the General Priesthood Session of the October 1971 General Conference. When Brother Orr approached the entrance, however, the usher drew the red rope across and blocked it off. He stared at it for a moment and then, as he recounted, "I did the only thing I could do - the right thing. I stepped over the rope." He went directly to Elder Boyd K. Packer, who was seated on the stand, and reported the incident. Elder Packer had a security guard deliver an intercom message to all ushers: "There will be two more."
Baptisms for the Dead
On February 29, 1972, the First Presidency wrote, "Enclosed is a copy of the letter dated February 10, 1972 to us from President Harold Glen Clark of the Provo Temple. As you will see, President Clark inquires whether it is permissible for a Negro and his wife to join a group from the Brigham Young University 6th Stake to serve as proxies in the Temple Baptistry.
"Provided that this couple can meet every requirement for admission to the temple, there would be no reason why they should not be given temple recommends for the limited purpose of serving as proxies in temple baptisms."
In March 1972, Elder Thomas S. Monson wrote in his journal, "I am very impressed with these three black brethren who comprise the presidency of this [Genesis] group. Certainly they have been subjected to a lot of injustice and long for the day when they may be able to hold the priesthood. I can honestly say that I have no racial prejudice whatsoever toward such individuals and join with them in a desire that their request might one day be granted by the Lord."
"Provided that this couple can meet every requirement for admission to the temple, there would be no reason why they should not be given temple recommends for the limited purpose of serving as proxies in temple baptisms."
In March 1972, Elder Thomas S. Monson wrote in his journal, "I am very impressed with these three black brethren who comprise the presidency of this [Genesis] group. Certainly they have been subjected to a lot of injustice and long for the day when they may be able to hold the priesthood. I can honestly say that I have no racial prejudice whatsoever toward such individuals and join with them in a desire that their request might one day be granted by the Lord."
Helvécio, Rudá, and Marcus Martins Investigate the Church of Jesus Christ
A prominent Rio de Janeiro businessman of African descent named Helvécio Martins met the missionaries in April 1972. He wrote in his autobiography, "After everyone was seated, the missionaries said they were representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ and that they had a blessing for our family if we would like one. I told them yes, but stated that I first had some questions I would like them to answer. First we talked in general terms about the Church. Then I asked a question I now realize God had prepared these young men spiritually to handle. I also realize now that God had prepared me and my family to hear their response. 'Given that your church is headquartered in the United States,' I began, 'a country with a history of racial conflict, how does your religion treat blacks? Are they allowed into the church?'...
"Elder McIntire went red in the face and nervously squirmed in his chair. Then, he asked our permission to have a prayer, which we agreed to, and afterward began giving what I now realize was the first missionary discussion. The elders continued talking. I kept asking questions, the most pertinent of which they responded to. Before we knew it, the hour was one in the morning, and those missionaries had given us, I again realize in retrospect, most of the missionary lessons. During that four-and-a-half hour discussion, we dealt with the issue of blacks and the priesthood. The missionaries' explanation seemed clear to me and, more important, I accepted the practice as the will of the Lord."
After a visit to Massachusetts in early May, Church Historian Leonard J. Arrington recorded in his diary, "I learned also that there are three black families in the Cambridge Ward. Two of them involve racially mixed marriages. So far everything is proceeding all right, but it is regarded as a real test for the Cambridge Ward."
"Elder McIntire went red in the face and nervously squirmed in his chair. Then, he asked our permission to have a prayer, which we agreed to, and afterward began giving what I now realize was the first missionary discussion. The elders continued talking. I kept asking questions, the most pertinent of which they responded to. Before we knew it, the hour was one in the morning, and those missionaries had given us, I again realize in retrospect, most of the missionary lessons. During that four-and-a-half hour discussion, we dealt with the issue of blacks and the priesthood. The missionaries' explanation seemed clear to me and, more important, I accepted the practice as the will of the Lord."
After a visit to Massachusetts in early May, Church Historian Leonard J. Arrington recorded in his diary, "I learned also that there are three black families in the Cambridge Ward. Two of them involve racially mixed marriages. So far everything is proceeding all right, but it is regarded as a real test for the Cambridge Ward."
Wynetta Martin
In June 1972 Wynetta Martin published Black Mormon Tells Her Story. Bart Wolthuis, mayor of Ogden, Utah, wrote in the introduction, "Wynetta Clark Martin is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and sings In the Tabernacle Choir. Through the love and encouragement of her parents she developed her musical talent to a very excellent professional degree and used her ability to sing in many churches and other groups. After joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, she had a great desire to serve her Father in Heaven through music and felt strongly the urge to become a member of the Tabernacle Choir.
"This is a story of the inner feelings and desires of a black person who wanted to be able to establish dignity not only in herself, but also in the eyes of all persons. It is of Interest to note the great struggle she faced in today's society and the help she received in achieving some of her goals. The reader will feel a genuine empathy for the plight of all individuals who strive to rise above the circumstances in all walks of life. One becomes more aware that we do not solely determine our own destinies without aid from many and above all guidance from a loving Cod, contrary to the popular notions and philosophies of men.
"For the Caucasian, this book gives a lucid account of the struggles the blacks face in being accepted as a full partner in today's complex and sometimes disturbing world. We begin to understand the many problems and frustrations the minority people face each day as they strive to walk the same path of life as we.
"The author, through the love and understanding of a kind lady, finds that there is a Father in Heaven who has concern for all of his children and that there is a plan of salvation which was provided for the benefit of all. The blacks not of the LDS faith will have a better understanding of the saving principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ and that within His church there is a place for all of the children of God."
The author wrote, "My name is Wynetta Martin. I am a Negro and a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, more commonly called the Mormon Church. My story is not about Negroes, nor is it about Mormons or their church doctrine. It is about my life and how I became convinced to join the Mormon Church. I am now, happily, and willingly, a member of the Church. Many cannot understand why a Negro would want to join the Mormon Church. This too I will attempt to explain, at least from my personal experience.
"Perhaps the fact that I quite eagerly, even greedily embraced, and still do, the promises of my church, a church that has been recently the target of many, who have accused us of bigotry, segregation, and racism, and even in the most liberal of minds, my church has been cursed and despised, because it will not allow the people of my race the privileges, as yet, of the Priesthood, given to all other races. Perhaps this practice has instilled a great hatred and contempt for me in the eyes of my own people, and even in the eyes perhaps of many white people, both members and non-members, who learn of my conversion. I cannot know what is in all hearts, and I cannot know the thoughts of all I meet; I do not judge them, nor do I ever try to convert or convince anyone of my race, even my parents, that this is the 'true' Church. It is right for me, but I cannot hope they will understand, and if they would not find peace in conversion to Mormonism, as I have done, I would not wish it for them. I think many times the acceptance has been more difficult on my part, acceptance of myself for what I am - obviously, colored; and accepting white people’s kindness and friendship inside the Church, as not a patronizing of me, but one of honestly accepting me, although, of course, this has not been universal with all members. The hurts of many, many small slights, both imagined and real, heal, but always I feel faced with new wounds opening, as I try to turn away from snubs, and from derision, from forced toleration that is suffocation and an insult to me on the part of some narrow-minded people both inside and outside the Mormon Church. Some people really believe that all Negroes are 'hotel maids' or 'Southern mammies' who have gone to their glory, but remain alive in the hearts and labels and breakfast tables on a syrup bottle! A real mammy with a kerchief wrapped around her head, and acres of impossibly white teeth, gleaming like a banner against a black sky of skin is the only image of the Negro race some people comprehend!...
"I have had many speaking and singing engagements since 1967 in Utah. In less than six years I have spoken in more than one hundred Sacrament meetings and very close to a hundred firesides, in addition to many seminary classes.
"The general reception I have received has been amazingly great. So many members have welcomed me with open arms, and I don’t find the general prejudice that so many think there is in the Mormon Church.
"I can remember one fireside in 1969, during which someone asked me if I would change my skin to white if I had the chance. My, it’s a good thing when one is led by the spirit, because I was not confronted by this type of question before.
"With a smile on my face I said that Mr. Clean, Ajax, and Comet serve the purpose for many things. I don’t care how much I rubbed with those chemicals, nothing would take my built-in tan away. I then said NO, I would not change my color from black to white because it wasn’t meant to be. Each race should be proud of their color. One thing sure, I have the advantage, since I don’t have to sit in the sun all day to get a tan. I have a built-in tan which cannot be removed unless our Father in Heaven takes a part in the transformation.
"Many times I am asked if my own race gives me trouble for being a Mormon. My answer is that I have not been given any trouble by my own race. They will often ask me why I would join a church they think is prejudiced. My answer to them is that the Gospel is not prejudiced and I have met very few people in the Church which show any prejudice. There will always be some. No matter what church one attends or what race, creed or nationality we deal with, we will find good and bad people. We must not pin point one race or one religious group as being prejudiced, or we are paradoxically 'prejudiced' in so doing. I hope that I can remove any prejudice that may exist anywhere I go for my race or my church.
"My conversion to the Mormon Church has taught me, strangely enough, a greater tolerance for racial disputes than I ever thought possible. I am learning an unkind word whispered about me and my race, especially when I am within close distance, or even a remark made by a tactless, thoughtless person, leads me to more understanding that all people basically mean well, but fear and ignorance prompts many verbal remarks that I am sure are not intended to be painful. I have learned that a word is just a word and that deeds are more important than words. For deeds essentially lead men to words they speak. I do not cry anymore over insults, I cry only over insults I give. If a person has been purposely unkind, I hope for them only serenity in finding God and learning to live life filled to the brim with kindness.
"More important in my own life I have knocked that piece of lumber off my shoulder, and I have even learned to like myself. This was no easy task, it was accomplished only through heartache, effort and searching until I found a church to give my life meaning. My childhood did shape me, but I feel no bitterness because of things I was denied. I am glad for a girl named Barbara who shared a hospital room with me, but more than that, a way of life. I could never repay her or thank her enough. I remember and I am grateful for the moment of my conversion, and again for the miraculous moment of my baptism followed by the gift of the Holy Ghost. I am grateful for the fact that my first daughter has been baptized also. I remember a fight of my own, a struggle for a dream, and the final realization of that dream as I sit now in the Tabernacle Choir as a member. As I sing, I sing with all parts of myself to show the great gladness I feel for my life.
"I look forward now to the future, and I hold close to my cherished memories of the past, and I wait for the time, as there is a time for all things, when my family will be given the blessing of the Priesthood in our home. When it is time, God will know it, and that will be the right time. Still, it is difficult for me to imagine how I could possibly be more filled with happiness and how my life could be more saturated with blessings than it is at the present. I am so very glad that I AM A BLACK MORMON."
"This is a story of the inner feelings and desires of a black person who wanted to be able to establish dignity not only in herself, but also in the eyes of all persons. It is of Interest to note the great struggle she faced in today's society and the help she received in achieving some of her goals. The reader will feel a genuine empathy for the plight of all individuals who strive to rise above the circumstances in all walks of life. One becomes more aware that we do not solely determine our own destinies without aid from many and above all guidance from a loving Cod, contrary to the popular notions and philosophies of men.
"For the Caucasian, this book gives a lucid account of the struggles the blacks face in being accepted as a full partner in today's complex and sometimes disturbing world. We begin to understand the many problems and frustrations the minority people face each day as they strive to walk the same path of life as we.
"The author, through the love and understanding of a kind lady, finds that there is a Father in Heaven who has concern for all of his children and that there is a plan of salvation which was provided for the benefit of all. The blacks not of the LDS faith will have a better understanding of the saving principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ and that within His church there is a place for all of the children of God."
The author wrote, "My name is Wynetta Martin. I am a Negro and a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, more commonly called the Mormon Church. My story is not about Negroes, nor is it about Mormons or their church doctrine. It is about my life and how I became convinced to join the Mormon Church. I am now, happily, and willingly, a member of the Church. Many cannot understand why a Negro would want to join the Mormon Church. This too I will attempt to explain, at least from my personal experience.
"Perhaps the fact that I quite eagerly, even greedily embraced, and still do, the promises of my church, a church that has been recently the target of many, who have accused us of bigotry, segregation, and racism, and even in the most liberal of minds, my church has been cursed and despised, because it will not allow the people of my race the privileges, as yet, of the Priesthood, given to all other races. Perhaps this practice has instilled a great hatred and contempt for me in the eyes of my own people, and even in the eyes perhaps of many white people, both members and non-members, who learn of my conversion. I cannot know what is in all hearts, and I cannot know the thoughts of all I meet; I do not judge them, nor do I ever try to convert or convince anyone of my race, even my parents, that this is the 'true' Church. It is right for me, but I cannot hope they will understand, and if they would not find peace in conversion to Mormonism, as I have done, I would not wish it for them. I think many times the acceptance has been more difficult on my part, acceptance of myself for what I am - obviously, colored; and accepting white people’s kindness and friendship inside the Church, as not a patronizing of me, but one of honestly accepting me, although, of course, this has not been universal with all members. The hurts of many, many small slights, both imagined and real, heal, but always I feel faced with new wounds opening, as I try to turn away from snubs, and from derision, from forced toleration that is suffocation and an insult to me on the part of some narrow-minded people both inside and outside the Mormon Church. Some people really believe that all Negroes are 'hotel maids' or 'Southern mammies' who have gone to their glory, but remain alive in the hearts and labels and breakfast tables on a syrup bottle! A real mammy with a kerchief wrapped around her head, and acres of impossibly white teeth, gleaming like a banner against a black sky of skin is the only image of the Negro race some people comprehend!...
"I have had many speaking and singing engagements since 1967 in Utah. In less than six years I have spoken in more than one hundred Sacrament meetings and very close to a hundred firesides, in addition to many seminary classes.
"The general reception I have received has been amazingly great. So many members have welcomed me with open arms, and I don’t find the general prejudice that so many think there is in the Mormon Church.
"I can remember one fireside in 1969, during which someone asked me if I would change my skin to white if I had the chance. My, it’s a good thing when one is led by the spirit, because I was not confronted by this type of question before.
"With a smile on my face I said that Mr. Clean, Ajax, and Comet serve the purpose for many things. I don’t care how much I rubbed with those chemicals, nothing would take my built-in tan away. I then said NO, I would not change my color from black to white because it wasn’t meant to be. Each race should be proud of their color. One thing sure, I have the advantage, since I don’t have to sit in the sun all day to get a tan. I have a built-in tan which cannot be removed unless our Father in Heaven takes a part in the transformation.
"Many times I am asked if my own race gives me trouble for being a Mormon. My answer is that I have not been given any trouble by my own race. They will often ask me why I would join a church they think is prejudiced. My answer to them is that the Gospel is not prejudiced and I have met very few people in the Church which show any prejudice. There will always be some. No matter what church one attends or what race, creed or nationality we deal with, we will find good and bad people. We must not pin point one race or one religious group as being prejudiced, or we are paradoxically 'prejudiced' in so doing. I hope that I can remove any prejudice that may exist anywhere I go for my race or my church.
"My conversion to the Mormon Church has taught me, strangely enough, a greater tolerance for racial disputes than I ever thought possible. I am learning an unkind word whispered about me and my race, especially when I am within close distance, or even a remark made by a tactless, thoughtless person, leads me to more understanding that all people basically mean well, but fear and ignorance prompts many verbal remarks that I am sure are not intended to be painful. I have learned that a word is just a word and that deeds are more important than words. For deeds essentially lead men to words they speak. I do not cry anymore over insults, I cry only over insults I give. If a person has been purposely unkind, I hope for them only serenity in finding God and learning to live life filled to the brim with kindness.
"More important in my own life I have knocked that piece of lumber off my shoulder, and I have even learned to like myself. This was no easy task, it was accomplished only through heartache, effort and searching until I found a church to give my life meaning. My childhood did shape me, but I feel no bitterness because of things I was denied. I am glad for a girl named Barbara who shared a hospital room with me, but more than that, a way of life. I could never repay her or thank her enough. I remember and I am grateful for the moment of my conversion, and again for the miraculous moment of my baptism followed by the gift of the Holy Ghost. I am grateful for the fact that my first daughter has been baptized also. I remember a fight of my own, a struggle for a dream, and the final realization of that dream as I sit now in the Tabernacle Choir as a member. As I sing, I sing with all parts of myself to show the great gladness I feel for my life.
"I look forward now to the future, and I hold close to my cherished memories of the past, and I wait for the time, as there is a time for all things, when my family will be given the blessing of the Priesthood in our home. When it is time, God will know it, and that will be the right time. Still, it is difficult for me to imagine how I could possibly be more filled with happiness and how my life could be more saturated with blessings than it is at the present. I am so very glad that I AM A BLACK MORMON."
Harold B. Lee Becomes the Prophet
Helvécio Martins, his wife, Rudá, and their son, Marcus, were baptized on July 2. That same day, President Joseph Fielding Smith died of old age. He was succeeded by Harold B. Lee, who was ordained President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on July 7. At his first press conference, President Lee said "For those who don't believe in modern revelation there is no adequate explanation [for the priesthood ban]. Those who do understand revelation stand by and wait until the Lord speaks." At another interview a few months later he said, "It's only a matter of time before the black achieves full status in the Church. We must believe in the justice of God. The black will achieve full status, we're just waiting for that time."
Citing an unidentified person close to him, Church Historian Leonard J. Arrington asserted that President Lee sought the Lord's will on the issue during "three days and nights [of] fasting in the upper room of the temple... but the only answer he received was 'not yet'." However, President Lee's son-in-law and biographer found no record of this and thought it unlikely. President Lee did ask Elder Marion D. Hanks of the Seventy how he answered people when asked about the priesthood ban. Elder Hanks said he told them that whites had to come "to a condition of spiritual maturity" and that it would happen "when the President of the Church felt the strength of the Lord to direct him". President Lee did not comment on this response.
During his tenure as President he approved a general policy that allowed black children to be sealed to adoptive parents of other races, something President McKay had approved on a case-by-case basis. (For unknown reasons his successor, President Kimball, returned to a case-by-case basis.) On September 24 the Salt Lake Tribune reported, "President Lee said skin color is not what keeps the Negro from the priesthood. It [is] strictly a matter of lineage and involves only African Negroes. In comparison, he noted, dark or black islanders, such as Fijians, Tongans, Samoans, or Maoris, are all permitted full rights to the priesthood."
Citing an unidentified person close to him, Church Historian Leonard J. Arrington asserted that President Lee sought the Lord's will on the issue during "three days and nights [of] fasting in the upper room of the temple... but the only answer he received was 'not yet'." However, President Lee's son-in-law and biographer found no record of this and thought it unlikely. President Lee did ask Elder Marion D. Hanks of the Seventy how he answered people when asked about the priesthood ban. Elder Hanks said he told them that whites had to come "to a condition of spiritual maturity" and that it would happen "when the President of the Church felt the strength of the Lord to direct him". President Lee did not comment on this response.
During his tenure as President he approved a general policy that allowed black children to be sealed to adoptive parents of other races, something President McKay had approved on a case-by-case basis. (For unknown reasons his successor, President Kimball, returned to a case-by-case basis.) On September 24 the Salt Lake Tribune reported, "President Lee said skin color is not what keeps the Negro from the priesthood. It [is] strictly a matter of lineage and involves only African Negroes. In comparison, he noted, dark or black islanders, such as Fijians, Tongans, Samoans, or Maoris, are all permitted full rights to the priesthood."
The Martins Family
Helvécio Martins wrote, "As we continued coming to and participating in the Church, many members seemed amazed, even sometimes shocked, that we, as Blacks could stay active without holding the priesthood. Some expressed surprise that we didn’t lapse into inactivity and rarely a week went by without someone asking us how we felt about not holding the priesthood. I researched and studied the question, not for personal interest or because I harbored doubts, but simply in order to respond adequately to the many who were curious about the Church’s position. Frequently, Church leaders asked us to bear our testimonies in firesides and even speak to groups about the doctrine of the priesthood.
"As for Ruda, myself, and my family, we knew the Church was true, and that was all that mattered. Yet others seemed agitated by our family's lack of concern over the priesthood policy. 'If I were in your situation,' said one member, 'I don’t believe I would stay in the Church.' I replied that I was sorry to hear that, but was sure that, were he in my situation, he would feel differently. Our bishop once remarked, 'Helvecio, I believe your greatest challenge is to stay in the Church without the priesthood.'
"I responded by saying, 'Bishop, I would be grateful if it were my greatest trial. Of course, I realize that I could serve in many more ways with the priesthood, but I in no way feel inferior without it. In fact, I feel things are a bit easier for me compared to you and all of your responsibilities. The Lord expects a great deal from you as a priesthood holder. I sincerely pray for you and want you to always remember your duty. My family and I are dependent upon your priesthood. Remain worthy and faithful, and we will always enjoy the blessings you have for us.'
Family friend Mark L. Grover wrote, "The Martins family presented an interesting dilemma for Church leaders. They completely accepted the Church's doctrines, including the restrictions on their activities. They became a model Latter-day Saint family, attending most Church functions and doing all they were asked to do, seemingly without reservations. The Church, thus, was restricting participation not of a poor or uneducated black, but of a family whose education, prestige, administrative ability, and financial standing was higher than most other members of the Church in Brazil. The family had in turn reacted to the restrictions with a level of faith and devotion few members could claim. The Martins family soon became well known throughout the Church in Brazil for their dedication to the gospel.
"The Martins also became prominent in the Church for other reasons. Helvécio was given responsibility for public relations of the Church in Rio de Janeiro and became the spokesman for the Church in the second largest population center of the country. Rio de Janeiro had important Brazilian television stations and newspapers, and consequently Helvécio Martins became the Church's most visible spokesperson. In this position, he gave interviews to the press explaining doctrine and activities, brought dignitaries to visit the Church, and worked to familiarize the country with Mormonism.
"Church leaders in Brazil made sure that most American General Authorities traveling in the country met and talked with Martins. Helvécio visited several times with President Kimball, who took a special interest in the Martins family, making sure they had a positive understanding of the priesthood restrictions. The Martins became not only the Church's answer to outside critics but unknowingly the Brazilian advocate to Church leaders for the need of a racial policy change."
"As for Ruda, myself, and my family, we knew the Church was true, and that was all that mattered. Yet others seemed agitated by our family's lack of concern over the priesthood policy. 'If I were in your situation,' said one member, 'I don’t believe I would stay in the Church.' I replied that I was sorry to hear that, but was sure that, were he in my situation, he would feel differently. Our bishop once remarked, 'Helvecio, I believe your greatest challenge is to stay in the Church without the priesthood.'
"I responded by saying, 'Bishop, I would be grateful if it were my greatest trial. Of course, I realize that I could serve in many more ways with the priesthood, but I in no way feel inferior without it. In fact, I feel things are a bit easier for me compared to you and all of your responsibilities. The Lord expects a great deal from you as a priesthood holder. I sincerely pray for you and want you to always remember your duty. My family and I are dependent upon your priesthood. Remain worthy and faithful, and we will always enjoy the blessings you have for us.'
Family friend Mark L. Grover wrote, "The Martins family presented an interesting dilemma for Church leaders. They completely accepted the Church's doctrines, including the restrictions on their activities. They became a model Latter-day Saint family, attending most Church functions and doing all they were asked to do, seemingly without reservations. The Church, thus, was restricting participation not of a poor or uneducated black, but of a family whose education, prestige, administrative ability, and financial standing was higher than most other members of the Church in Brazil. The family had in turn reacted to the restrictions with a level of faith and devotion few members could claim. The Martins family soon became well known throughout the Church in Brazil for their dedication to the gospel.
"The Martins also became prominent in the Church for other reasons. Helvécio was given responsibility for public relations of the Church in Rio de Janeiro and became the spokesman for the Church in the second largest population center of the country. Rio de Janeiro had important Brazilian television stations and newspapers, and consequently Helvécio Martins became the Church's most visible spokesperson. In this position, he gave interviews to the press explaining doctrine and activities, brought dignitaries to visit the Church, and worked to familiarize the country with Mormonism.
"Church leaders in Brazil made sure that most American General Authorities traveling in the country met and talked with Martins. Helvécio visited several times with President Kimball, who took a special interest in the Martins family, making sure they had a positive understanding of the priesthood restrictions. The Martins became not only the Church's answer to outside critics but unknowingly the Brazilian advocate to Church leaders for the need of a racial policy change."
Anie Dick Obot
On July 1, 1972 Anie Dick Obot, a congregation organizer in Nigeria, wrote to "Elder" J. B. Peterson of the anti-Mormon Religious Research Center, "Greetings to you in Christ Precious Name. I am the Bishop in charge [of the] Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints in Nigeria, and we are 48 congregations with the total membership of 20,698.
"Your letter of Feb. 1, 1972 was mishand[l]ed by the Post Office and latter was redirected to me at ABAK and I have it yesterday with pleasure. I am still in charge of the work.
"We will appreciate very much to hear from you. The Government do not prevent any true religious group coming to Evangelize the people, but those who are not truthful to themselves. If you want to come into the country to do religious work tell us and we will tell you what to do and to apply for your visas. We will give to you one hundred percent support to get your visa:
"The last civil war of thirty months has ruined us and we thank the Lord who led us to live.
"Write soon, we will hold our General Council on July 26th to 30th, 1972 at IBUSA - Midwest State.
"God bless you also lead you to do his will - A m e n.
"Yours sincerely,
A.D. Obot,
President"
"Your letter of Feb. 1, 1972 was mishand[l]ed by the Post Office and latter was redirected to me at ABAK and I have it yesterday with pleasure. I am still in charge of the work.
"We will appreciate very much to hear from you. The Government do not prevent any true religious group coming to Evangelize the people, but those who are not truthful to themselves. If you want to come into the country to do religious work tell us and we will tell you what to do and to apply for your visas. We will give to you one hundred percent support to get your visa:
"The last civil war of thirty months has ruined us and we thank the Lord who led us to live.
"Write soon, we will hold our General Council on July 26th to 30th, 1972 at IBUSA - Midwest State.
"God bless you also lead you to do his will - A m e n.
"Yours sincerely,
A.D. Obot,
President"
Disciples of Christ
After the leadership of the Disciples of Christ canceled plans to hold their 1975 national meeting in Salt Lake City, Heber Wolsey and Darius Gray traveled to Indianapolis to meet with them for two days. Disciples President A. Dale Fiers wrote to Wolsey on September 13, "[The] visit was a spiritual blessing to all of us who shared in the conversations.... We certainly have a better understanding of the position of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.... We understand that the doctrine of your church with respect to the exclusion of blacks, women, and children from the priesthood rests not upon any human judgment of inferiority but upon a divine purpose as communicated to your First President, Joseph Smith. We were heartened by your statement that this doctrine might be changed by divine revelation if the purpose for which God first revealed it has been fulfilled."
Ron Spears
On September 20, 1972, Church Historian Leonard J. Arrington wrote in his diary, "A Mr. Ron Spears, who says that he is not a member of the Church, but believes that it is the true Church, says that he has been working on Negro genealogy - that God has given him the gift to do Negro genealogy. He seems to be preoccupied with the subject and seems to be looking for employment or support in his labors in doing Negro genealogy. He believes that it will all have to be done some day and that he is appointed from God to do some of it. He is a young man of about 22 or 23 - very intense, soft spoken and quiet - overly serious. He said that he had been sent to me by Frank [F. Michael] Watson, secretary of the Quorum of the Twelve. Then when I asked him why Brother Watson had sent him to me in particular, he said, 'Well, he really didn't tell me to see you.' I told him he should see Brother Theodore Burton of the Genealogical Society. As he was ready to leave he asked me if I could add anything to the story of Elijah Abel - who ordained him, etc. I said that I couldn't - I knew only what was in Andrew Jenson's biographical sketch. I assume that he is going over to see Brother Burton."
Isaac Thomas Joins the Church of Jesus Christ
Danielle B. Wager later wrote in LDS Living, "Over the course of the next few weeks, [Isaac] Thomas received all the missionary discussions in the Holtkamp home, feeling the Spirit and truth of what he was taught - until the final discussion.
'The last discussion they gave to me was why I could not hold the priesthood. Now, during all the time they had been teaching me to that point, I had not met a member or anyone else that seemed untoward or racist or bigoted. And trust me, I can spot those people. They can't hold it together for six months. I think I was in a bubble at that point, to be honest with you, and they pulled out all these books and had scriptures open and they told me why I could not hold the priesthood,' Thomas says. 'I could feel the earth move under my feet, as Carol King would say.... But I also knew this family and these people cared about me, and they would not do or say anything intentionally to hurt me. They ended in the name of Jesus Christ, and I sat there. That house, even with six girls in it, was silent. I said, "Oh. You’ll have to tell me that again." They had a prayer and started over. An hour and a half later or so, at that point, something said, "This is my priesthood. I can do what I want with it." I said, "Okay, fine. I'm good with that. My people served your people for so long, now it's your turn to serve me."
"During the entire discussion, two things calmed Thomas: First, he knew the Holtkamp family loved him unconditionally, and second, he had a testimony of gospel truths that later developed into an unshaken faith. 'I knew Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. I knew that the Book of Mormon was the word of God. For me to go, "Uh, uh" at that point is like saying, "Okay God, you gotta be wrong." And I'm sorry, the Man is still good at turning people into pillars of salt and using lightning bolts. I'm not going to fight God on anything. I am not.'
"On December 15, 1972, Isaac Thomas was baptized a member of the Church....
"Thomas’s own family has also experienced a change of heart concerning the LDS Church. 'I came home at Christmas time in 1972, a week after I had been baptized. My mom is cooking, my cousin is there, my brothers were there. And she asks, "What was the church you joined?" I said, "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Mormons." My mom dropped the skillet. My brother said, "You what?" My cousin started cursing.' Despite the shock and friction that resulted from that first conversation, Thomas’s family gradually adopted the advice of his grandparents: 'It’s just one of his phases. Leave it alone. He'll come out of it.'
'The last discussion they gave to me was why I could not hold the priesthood. Now, during all the time they had been teaching me to that point, I had not met a member or anyone else that seemed untoward or racist or bigoted. And trust me, I can spot those people. They can't hold it together for six months. I think I was in a bubble at that point, to be honest with you, and they pulled out all these books and had scriptures open and they told me why I could not hold the priesthood,' Thomas says. 'I could feel the earth move under my feet, as Carol King would say.... But I also knew this family and these people cared about me, and they would not do or say anything intentionally to hurt me. They ended in the name of Jesus Christ, and I sat there. That house, even with six girls in it, was silent. I said, "Oh. You’ll have to tell me that again." They had a prayer and started over. An hour and a half later or so, at that point, something said, "This is my priesthood. I can do what I want with it." I said, "Okay, fine. I'm good with that. My people served your people for so long, now it's your turn to serve me."
"During the entire discussion, two things calmed Thomas: First, he knew the Holtkamp family loved him unconditionally, and second, he had a testimony of gospel truths that later developed into an unshaken faith. 'I knew Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. I knew that the Book of Mormon was the word of God. For me to go, "Uh, uh" at that point is like saying, "Okay God, you gotta be wrong." And I'm sorry, the Man is still good at turning people into pillars of salt and using lightning bolts. I'm not going to fight God on anything. I am not.'
"On December 15, 1972, Isaac Thomas was baptized a member of the Church....
"Thomas’s own family has also experienced a change of heart concerning the LDS Church. 'I came home at Christmas time in 1972, a week after I had been baptized. My mom is cooking, my cousin is there, my brothers were there. And she asks, "What was the church you joined?" I said, "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Mormons." My mom dropped the skillet. My brother said, "You what?" My cousin started cursing.' Despite the shock and friction that resulted from that first conversation, Thomas’s family gradually adopted the advice of his grandparents: 'It’s just one of his phases. Leave it alone. He'll come out of it.'
New York City Housing Project
On December 15, the New York Times reported, "A coalition of Lincoin Center area residents says it will ask the Board of Estimate and the City Planning Commission to consider canceling approval of a $16‐million, 38‐story, housing project sponsored by the Mormon Church because, they contend, it would constitute a violation of racial equality.
"The move has received support from Borough President Percy E. Sutton of Manhattan, who has consistently opposed the project. Mr. Sutton voted against the proposal at a board hearing in October at which the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‐day Saints (the Mormon Church) was granted a special permit for construction.
"Construction on the project, between 65th and 66th Streets on Columbus Avenue, is scheduled to start in two weeks, according to Peter Claman, a partner in the architectural firm of Schuman, Lichtenstein, Claman of 200 East 42d Street, who designed the complex.
"Mr. Claman said in an interview that the 38‐story building would contain 325 apartments, a church center and 'other community facilities' and an 80‐car garage.
'We don't want the Mormons here!' declared Jerome D. Bona, a vice president of the Lincoln Square Community Council, in an interview.
'The Mormons are not exactly the sort of organization we'd like to see build a church in the Lincoln Center area,' said Mrs. Rita Aid, chairman of Community Board 7.
"The action of the residents represents a reversal of position. As recently as four months ago the Mormons' project had received nearly unanimous approval from local organizations.
"The residents now say that at the time they approved most of them were 'unaware' of the Mormon Church's practice of excluding blacks from becoming ministers.
"The Mormon Church said in a statement: 'There is a religious belief confirmed by each president of the Mormon Church that the time for blacks of African lineage to hold the priesthood had not yet come but that the opportunity to hold it will come. This belief, in no way, suggests that blacks are second‐class citizens.'
"Continuing his description of the project, Mr. Claman said a covered plaza would provide a pedestrian walkway joining 65th Street, 66th Street and Columbus Avenue. The building would have a cantilevered arcade along Columbus Avenue, with space for ground‐level shops.
"Neighborhood residents, who have initiated a series of demonstrations in the locality, contend that not only would the construction be 'discriminatory and an affront to the integrated nature of our neighbor hood,' but that the Mormon Church is presently engaged in 'racial discrimination at the site.'
'Just look at what is happening to Mrs. Larkins,' Mr. Bona said.
"He was referring to Pauline Larkins, a black woman who is one of six tenants of the decrepit building that stands on the site of the proposed construction.
"Mrs. Larkins has said that the Mormon Church 'singled me out' and that adequate compensation has not been offered to her for vacating the premises.
"However, George H. Mortimer, a lawyer representing the Mormons here, points to an agreement reached in Civil Court last Sept. 11, under which Mrs. Larkins acquiesced to receiving a compensation of $1,500. The other five tenants, Mr. Mortimer said yesterday, received rent‐free status for five months, with the understanding that they would vacate the premises by Dec. 31.
"Asked why Mrs. Larkins alone was granted financial payment, Mr. Mortimer replied: 'Her lawyer persuaded us that she had considerable moving expenses. In addition, she was a widow and we thought the sum would help in relocation expenses.'
"Mrs. Larkins disputes the court agreement, charging that she was 'bamboozled into the whole thing.'
Heber Wolsey recalled, "I‘m digressing a little bit now, but he [Wendell J. Ashton] called me up one day when I was at BYU and he said, 'There‘s a woman back in New York that‘s upset about the Church because they‘re building a new high rise there and she‘s a little tailor in the place that they‘re going to buy.'
"And the representatives of the Church asked if I would go back and talk to the people back in New York that were causing problems about our high rise building. You may recall that we built a big high rise down in Lincoln Center. And there was a group of people there that was very antagonistic toward the Church having a beautiful building there in that area, and frankly, largely because of the Black problem.
"So anyway, I went back and met with the regional representative there and we met with the Congressman‘s two top people. He was going to come but he broke his foot and could never be there and it was a Black lady and a Jewish lady. We had an interview, just talking to them about the Church and who we were.
"And I said, 'If you want to know what we really believe about the Blacks, here in our book, The Book of Mormon, it says, "And he inviteth them all to come unto Him, and partake of His goodness, black and white, bond and free, male and female and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile."
"And both those women, the Jewish one said, 'Oh could we get a copy of that book?'
"And the other one said, 'Could we get a copy?'
"And I said, 'I think we can arrange that.'
"And so we got them copies of the book and when they left they said, 'We don‘t see any problem at all. We can tell the Congressman they shouldn‘t worry about the Mormons coming here.'
"At any rate, I was talking to the regional representative and he said, 'The Lincoln Center Community Council is causing us all sorts of problems because they don‘t want us here,' but he said, 'I finally solved the problem.'
"I said, 'How‘d you solve it?'
"He said, 'I quit taking their telephone calls.'
"And I said, 'Really? How long is this attitude of theirs getting worse and worse? How long has it been since you quit taking their telephone calls?'
"He said, 'Oh about six weeks.'
"I said, 'How long is this program getting, feeling worse about you been going on?'
"He said, 'Oh about six weeks.'
"He couldn‘t see the combination, the combination between the two, but at any rate I told him, 'Let‘s get a meeting with the heads of the Community Council.'
"So he called up the head of Community Council and they set us up in a meeting with two of their top men. And we talked to them about who we were, what we believed, and the Executive Vice President said, 'Well, we can‘t stop you from coming to the meeting, big meeting tomorrow night, but I want you to know, I‘m going to vote against you, we don‘t want you here.'
"So we got the chance to talk to the Lincoln Center Community Council the following night and this regional representative asked for permission. He said, 'Why don‘t you be the voice, since you‘re from Salt Lake?'
"And so I was the voice of the two of us and when they gave us a chance to talk, I explained in detail who we were and how we would pay our bills and how we went way beyond the going rate to pay all these little businesses and that, you know. And I said, 'You can count on it.'
"And when I finished, a Black lady, (she was on the other side of the representative) and she leaned over to me, looked me right in the eye and said, 'Mr. Wolsey, you have the words of an angel and I don‘t believe one single word you said. I know about you Mormons. I‘ve read about you.'
"And I said, only to remind us that that was the attitude of most people, all I could say was, 'I wish we knew each other better. We‘ll have to get together so we can really get to know who we are.'
"We were invited to leave after we finished our presentation and about twenty minutes later they came out and they were voting on two major things: one of them was to condemn the Mormon Church for not letting the Blacks hold the priesthood and the other was to go to the city headquarters to prevent us from building that building.
"And they came out and said, 'Well, we want you to know that the Community Council has agreed that they are opposed to your attitude toward Blacks, but they‘ve also agreed not to do anything to stop your building the building.'
"And this regional representative was elated. He said, 'Heber don‘t you know that‘s what we‘re here for? The brethren will just be excited.'
"And I said, 'Well, I‘ll have to report to them tomorrow when I get back, you know.'
"And I went to report to Wendell, and I went to their meeting, the First Presidency‘s meeting, and he asked me to be voice because I was the one that was there, and we explained in detail what had happened and they said, 'Well, do you have any recommendations?'
"And I said, 'From the public communications point of view, I recommend that we put our PR man there on the Lincoln Center Community Council so we can talk to them, let them know what‘s going on, let them get to know us.' And they approved of that.
"And anyway when we left, (you don‘t forget these things), President Lee took my hand and said, 'Brother Wolsey, we‘ve been hearing a lot about the things you‘ve been doing down at BYU with the Blacks and that. We want you to know how much we appreciate you. Thank you very much.'
"And then President Tanner walked out to the door and he shook Wendell‘s hand and he took my hand and he looked me right in the eye and said, 'Well done thou good and faithful servant.'
"I‘ll never forget that, never forget those things. But it just goes again to remind us, we need to be more open and candid and friendly and let people know who we are and what we believe, just like Bud Kassler said: 'If people knew what you really believe, you‘d have more converts than you know what to do with.'
"The move has received support from Borough President Percy E. Sutton of Manhattan, who has consistently opposed the project. Mr. Sutton voted against the proposal at a board hearing in October at which the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‐day Saints (the Mormon Church) was granted a special permit for construction.
"Construction on the project, between 65th and 66th Streets on Columbus Avenue, is scheduled to start in two weeks, according to Peter Claman, a partner in the architectural firm of Schuman, Lichtenstein, Claman of 200 East 42d Street, who designed the complex.
"Mr. Claman said in an interview that the 38‐story building would contain 325 apartments, a church center and 'other community facilities' and an 80‐car garage.
'We don't want the Mormons here!' declared Jerome D. Bona, a vice president of the Lincoln Square Community Council, in an interview.
'The Mormons are not exactly the sort of organization we'd like to see build a church in the Lincoln Center area,' said Mrs. Rita Aid, chairman of Community Board 7.
"The action of the residents represents a reversal of position. As recently as four months ago the Mormons' project had received nearly unanimous approval from local organizations.
"The residents now say that at the time they approved most of them were 'unaware' of the Mormon Church's practice of excluding blacks from becoming ministers.
"The Mormon Church said in a statement: 'There is a religious belief confirmed by each president of the Mormon Church that the time for blacks of African lineage to hold the priesthood had not yet come but that the opportunity to hold it will come. This belief, in no way, suggests that blacks are second‐class citizens.'
"Continuing his description of the project, Mr. Claman said a covered plaza would provide a pedestrian walkway joining 65th Street, 66th Street and Columbus Avenue. The building would have a cantilevered arcade along Columbus Avenue, with space for ground‐level shops.
"Neighborhood residents, who have initiated a series of demonstrations in the locality, contend that not only would the construction be 'discriminatory and an affront to the integrated nature of our neighbor hood,' but that the Mormon Church is presently engaged in 'racial discrimination at the site.'
'Just look at what is happening to Mrs. Larkins,' Mr. Bona said.
"He was referring to Pauline Larkins, a black woman who is one of six tenants of the decrepit building that stands on the site of the proposed construction.
"Mrs. Larkins has said that the Mormon Church 'singled me out' and that adequate compensation has not been offered to her for vacating the premises.
"However, George H. Mortimer, a lawyer representing the Mormons here, points to an agreement reached in Civil Court last Sept. 11, under which Mrs. Larkins acquiesced to receiving a compensation of $1,500. The other five tenants, Mr. Mortimer said yesterday, received rent‐free status for five months, with the understanding that they would vacate the premises by Dec. 31.
"Asked why Mrs. Larkins alone was granted financial payment, Mr. Mortimer replied: 'Her lawyer persuaded us that she had considerable moving expenses. In addition, she was a widow and we thought the sum would help in relocation expenses.'
"Mrs. Larkins disputes the court agreement, charging that she was 'bamboozled into the whole thing.'
Heber Wolsey recalled, "I‘m digressing a little bit now, but he [Wendell J. Ashton] called me up one day when I was at BYU and he said, 'There‘s a woman back in New York that‘s upset about the Church because they‘re building a new high rise there and she‘s a little tailor in the place that they‘re going to buy.'
"And the representatives of the Church asked if I would go back and talk to the people back in New York that were causing problems about our high rise building. You may recall that we built a big high rise down in Lincoln Center. And there was a group of people there that was very antagonistic toward the Church having a beautiful building there in that area, and frankly, largely because of the Black problem.
"So anyway, I went back and met with the regional representative there and we met with the Congressman‘s two top people. He was going to come but he broke his foot and could never be there and it was a Black lady and a Jewish lady. We had an interview, just talking to them about the Church and who we were.
"And I said, 'If you want to know what we really believe about the Blacks, here in our book, The Book of Mormon, it says, "And he inviteth them all to come unto Him, and partake of His goodness, black and white, bond and free, male and female and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile."
"And both those women, the Jewish one said, 'Oh could we get a copy of that book?'
"And the other one said, 'Could we get a copy?'
"And I said, 'I think we can arrange that.'
"And so we got them copies of the book and when they left they said, 'We don‘t see any problem at all. We can tell the Congressman they shouldn‘t worry about the Mormons coming here.'
"At any rate, I was talking to the regional representative and he said, 'The Lincoln Center Community Council is causing us all sorts of problems because they don‘t want us here,' but he said, 'I finally solved the problem.'
"I said, 'How‘d you solve it?'
"He said, 'I quit taking their telephone calls.'
"And I said, 'Really? How long is this attitude of theirs getting worse and worse? How long has it been since you quit taking their telephone calls?'
"He said, 'Oh about six weeks.'
"I said, 'How long is this program getting, feeling worse about you been going on?'
"He said, 'Oh about six weeks.'
"He couldn‘t see the combination, the combination between the two, but at any rate I told him, 'Let‘s get a meeting with the heads of the Community Council.'
"So he called up the head of Community Council and they set us up in a meeting with two of their top men. And we talked to them about who we were, what we believed, and the Executive Vice President said, 'Well, we can‘t stop you from coming to the meeting, big meeting tomorrow night, but I want you to know, I‘m going to vote against you, we don‘t want you here.'
"So we got the chance to talk to the Lincoln Center Community Council the following night and this regional representative asked for permission. He said, 'Why don‘t you be the voice, since you‘re from Salt Lake?'
"And so I was the voice of the two of us and when they gave us a chance to talk, I explained in detail who we were and how we would pay our bills and how we went way beyond the going rate to pay all these little businesses and that, you know. And I said, 'You can count on it.'
"And when I finished, a Black lady, (she was on the other side of the representative) and she leaned over to me, looked me right in the eye and said, 'Mr. Wolsey, you have the words of an angel and I don‘t believe one single word you said. I know about you Mormons. I‘ve read about you.'
"And I said, only to remind us that that was the attitude of most people, all I could say was, 'I wish we knew each other better. We‘ll have to get together so we can really get to know who we are.'
"We were invited to leave after we finished our presentation and about twenty minutes later they came out and they were voting on two major things: one of them was to condemn the Mormon Church for not letting the Blacks hold the priesthood and the other was to go to the city headquarters to prevent us from building that building.
"And they came out and said, 'Well, we want you to know that the Community Council has agreed that they are opposed to your attitude toward Blacks, but they‘ve also agreed not to do anything to stop your building the building.'
"And this regional representative was elated. He said, 'Heber don‘t you know that‘s what we‘re here for? The brethren will just be excited.'
"And I said, 'Well, I‘ll have to report to them tomorrow when I get back, you know.'
"And I went to report to Wendell, and I went to their meeting, the First Presidency‘s meeting, and he asked me to be voice because I was the one that was there, and we explained in detail what had happened and they said, 'Well, do you have any recommendations?'
"And I said, 'From the public communications point of view, I recommend that we put our PR man there on the Lincoln Center Community Council so we can talk to them, let them know what‘s going on, let them get to know us.' And they approved of that.
"And anyway when we left, (you don‘t forget these things), President Lee took my hand and said, 'Brother Wolsey, we‘ve been hearing a lot about the things you‘ve been doing down at BYU with the Blacks and that. We want you to know how much we appreciate you. Thank you very much.'
"And then President Tanner walked out to the door and he shook Wendell‘s hand and he took my hand and he looked me right in the eye and said, 'Well done thou good and faithful servant.'
"I‘ll never forget that, never forget those things. But it just goes again to remind us, we need to be more open and candid and friendly and let people know who we are and what we believe, just like Bud Kassler said: 'If people knew what you really believe, you‘d have more converts than you know what to do with.'
Apostasy in Nigeria
On December 21 Anie Dick Obot wrote again to J.B. Peterson, "Dear Brother in Christ,
"Greetings to you in Jesus Christ Precious Name. Thank you very much for your booklet, Three reasons to not become a mormon.
"Since on August 1972, I am no more with the Organisation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and I will never go back to that group. I am in the Crusades group. I have passed your booklet to the Mormon group of which I believe the booklet will reveal more to them and they will spread it round.
"My self I donot [sic] know more about them until Dr. O. J. Udo who was at BYU, Provo, Utah return back home and he told me all about Mormon and from there I resign and make up my mind to be Crusader.
"I hope to hear from you, God bless you and lead you to do his good work Amen.
"Yours sincerely
A.D. Obot"
Next: The Church of Jesus Christ and Black People 1973-1975
Main Page: Latter-day Saint Racial History
"Greetings to you in Jesus Christ Precious Name. Thank you very much for your booklet, Three reasons to not become a mormon.
"Since on August 1972, I am no more with the Organisation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and I will never go back to that group. I am in the Crusades group. I have passed your booklet to the Mormon group of which I believe the booklet will reveal more to them and they will spread it round.
"My self I donot [sic] know more about them until Dr. O. J. Udo who was at BYU, Provo, Utah return back home and he told me all about Mormon and from there I resign and make up my mind to be Crusader.
"I hope to hear from you, God bless you and lead you to do his good work Amen.
"Yours sincerely
A.D. Obot"
Next: The Church of Jesus Christ and Black People 1973-1975
Main Page: Latter-day Saint Racial History
