Main Page: Latter-day Saint Racial History
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The Church of Jesus Christ and Black People 2007-2010
In 2007, the Genesis Group's Darius Gray collaborated with fellow black Latter-day Saint Marvin Perkins to unveil a series of DVDs and associated website called "Blacks in the Scriptures", which examined the role of black people in Church and biblical history and addressed some of the issues surrounding the priesthood ban.
Mitt Romney
In 2007 Mitt Romney, son of Michigan Governer and civil rights supporter George Romney, embarked on his first campaign to become President of the United States. On December 17 he did an interview with Tim Russert on "Meet the Press". When asked about the priesthood ban, he was not willing to either defend or denounce it, but simply expressed his gratitude to God that it was no longer in effect.
In an interview, black pastor Chip Murray said that Mitt Romney would face more discrimination for his religion than half-black Democratic candidate Barack Obama would for his skin color.
In 2008, thirty years after the ban had ended, Issue 47:2 of BYU Studies published an extensive article called "Spencer W. Kimball and the Revelation on Priesthood" written by his son, Edward. The article gave an objective overview of the ban's murky origins and the folklore used to rationalize it, and then devoted most of its length to the efforts of President Kimball to receive a revelation that would change the policy.
Nobody Knows: The Untold Story of Black Mormons
On January 19, 2008, Darius Gray and BYU professor Margaret Young premiered their documentary "Nobody Knows: The Untold Story of Black Mormons" at the LDS Film Festival. It included personal anecdotes from black members, insight from scholars outside the Church, and previously unreleased footage from a civil rights protest at BYU in 1968. It also targeted a broader audience than the BYU Studies article and raised awareness of little-known history for many members. It now airs on the Documentary Channel every month, although the directors' cut on the DVD includes fifteen more minutes of footage and one hundred minutes of special features.
Dr. Young wrote, "When we premiered Nobody Knows: The Untold Story of Black Mormons last Saturday at the LDS Film Festival, our senior editor, Jim Hughes, sat by a Caucasian man who wept throughout much of the film. Jim didn’t know who the man was until Darius Gray (my co-director/producer), a proud Black man who joined the Mormon Church in 1964, finished up the q/a section by saying, 'I need to acknowledge someone. Dr. Dodge, are you in the audience?' Donald Dodge (seated by Jim) stood up, weeping again. Darius could barely speak. 'This is one of the missionaries who taught me,' he said.
"Brother Dodge had given us pictures of himself as a missionary, which are in the doc, but I had never met him.
"I don’t know everything that made him weep throughout the film. Memories? A sense of the importance of something which had seemed common those many years ago? Joy? Both of the missionaries who broke the news to Darius in 1964 that he wouldn’t be able to hold the priesthood gave us photos for the documentary. Both remain his close friends. Both remain firm in the faith.
"My main thought, as one who inhabits the Provo MTC many times a week, was 'Look at how mighty the effect of one person has been.' Which person? Maybe Donald Dodge, who chose to serve a mission, and (with his companion) asked their mission president if it would be all right to teach a Negro. Maybe Bill Price (the other missionary). Certainly Darius Gray, who (though still very ill) stands as a stalwart in the faith he joined forty-four years ago.
"Darius got a letter from his non-LDS sister recently. She compared him to Martin Luther King Jr. A pretty good compliment, coming from a sibling.
"Look at how mighty the effect of one person has been."
Brother Gray said he had been given permission by church leaders to share his belief that the priesthood ban "was not imposed by God but was allowed by God" and was "not a curse but a calling. It was a test to see how we would treat one another. [The challenge] was the same: to maintain the love of the Savior in our hearts for one another. And when that restriction became too much of an impediment for [God's] work to go forward, there was a revelation."
"Brother Dodge had given us pictures of himself as a missionary, which are in the doc, but I had never met him.
"I don’t know everything that made him weep throughout the film. Memories? A sense of the importance of something which had seemed common those many years ago? Joy? Both of the missionaries who broke the news to Darius in 1964 that he wouldn’t be able to hold the priesthood gave us photos for the documentary. Both remain his close friends. Both remain firm in the faith.
"My main thought, as one who inhabits the Provo MTC many times a week, was 'Look at how mighty the effect of one person has been.' Which person? Maybe Donald Dodge, who chose to serve a mission, and (with his companion) asked their mission president if it would be all right to teach a Negro. Maybe Bill Price (the other missionary). Certainly Darius Gray, who (though still very ill) stands as a stalwart in the faith he joined forty-four years ago.
"Darius got a letter from his non-LDS sister recently. She compared him to Martin Luther King Jr. A pretty good compliment, coming from a sibling.
"Look at how mighty the effect of one person has been."
Brother Gray said he had been given permission by church leaders to share his belief that the priesthood ban "was not imposed by God but was allowed by God" and was "not a curse but a calling. It was a test to see how we would treat one another. [The challenge] was the same: to maintain the love of the Savior in our hearts for one another. And when that restriction became too much of an impediment for [God's] work to go forward, there was a revelation."
Randy Bott
On April 3, 2008, popular BYU professor Randy Bott wrote on his "Know Your Religion" blog, "I have been asked the "Black and the Priesthood" question for many years. It wasn't until I was a mission president that the issue became much clearer. Let me begin (up front) by saying that I still don't understand all of the ramifications on 'Why God gives Priesthood to some and not to others.' However, I have explicit faith that He knows the reasons and when we eventually see as He sees, we'll be completely satisfied that what He has done has been the wisest thing to do.
"Perhaps an example is the fastest way to teach how I handle the question. I was sitting in the Mission Home one Sunday afternoon waiting to leave for another Stake Conference. The telephone rang and the woman on the other end of the line explained that she was a Stake Missionary and had a Black investigator who wanted to talk with me about the 'Black and the Priesthood' issue. I invited them over.
"The investigator was working on a Master's degree and seemed to be very confident and articulate. After introductions he immediately attacked me with a barrage of questions. 'Why are you prejudiced against Blacks?' he asked. 'I didn't know I was!' was my reply. He said: 'Don't play mind games with me. I understand you have a doctorate degree and I am fairly educated myself, so let's get to the meat of the issue. Until 1978 Mormons withheld the Priesthood from the Blacks and I want to know why?' He was just assertive enough to kindle my combative spirit a little - it wasn't like a bash session but more a spirited exchange.
"I said: 'You seem to be rather bold in coming into my home and attacking me. Would it be alright if I asked you some questions?' He agreed. I asked him what his definition of the Priesthood was. He replied that it was his understanding that it was 'the power of God....' and then he continued on. I stopped him and said, 'Can we just agree that the Priesthood is the power of God?' He agreed. I asked him if he thought the priesthood was a real power to which he responded in the negative. Then I followed with a rather incredulous question: 'Why, then, are you upset with the Mormons keeping a "non-real thing" away from your people?' He didn't know what to say.
"I continued. 'For sake of discussion, let's assume the Priesthood is a real thing. Who then would control it?' He answered: 'Well, I guess God would since it is His power.' I asked: 'Does He have to account to you on why He does what He does?' To which he recoiled and answered: 'Certainly not. That would border on blasphemy!' to which I agreed.
"Then I asked who held the Priesthood during Old Testament times after the Exodus. He rather proudly demonstrated his understanding that it was only the Tribe of Levi. I asked: 'Would you show me in the Old Testament where the other 11 tribes, which include Judah - through whom the Savior was to be born, and Joseph - the new chosen, birthright son, picketed up and down in front of the Tabernacle demanding the Priesthood?' He admitted that he couldn't and stated that he had never looked at it quite like that before. I suggested that God has always 'discriminated' with regard to who could hold the priesthood.
"Then I decided to help him see discrimination from a different perspective. I said: 'Since you brought it up, let's talk discrimination for a minute. Up until June 8, 1978 a Black could be a member of the Church, have the Holy Ghost, partake of the sacrament, and serve in the Church in whatever capacity that didn't require the Priesthood. They could be administered to, receive blessings, etc. The instant they died they could have their names submitted to the temple for temple work because there was no reference on the form as to race. Therefore, all the blessings of not only Salvation (which come from Baptism and the Holy Ghost) were available to them, but also the blessings of Exaltation (which require Priesthood for the males and temple endowments and sealings), were also available. However, they could not become "sons of perdition" because the unpardonable sin had to be committed before the dissolution of the body.' Since I had just been studying it, I knew the reference, so I excused myself and retrieved my copy of the Teaching of the Prophet Joseph Smith where Joseph taught: 'A man cannot commit the unpardonable sin after the dissolution of the body, and there is a way possible for escape. Knowledge saves a man; and in the world of spirits no man can be exalted but by knowledge. So long as a man will not give heed to the commandments, he must abide without salvation. If a man has knowledge, he can be saved; although, if he has been guilty of great sins, he will be punished for them. But when he consents to obey the Gospel, whether here or in the world of spirits, he is saved.
'A man is his own tormenter and his own condemner. Hence the saying, They shall go into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone. The torment of disappointment in the mind of man is as exquisite as a lake burning with fire and brimstone. I say, so is the torment of man.
'I know the Scriptures and understand them. I said, no man can commit the unpardonable sin after the dissolution of the body, nor in this life, until he receives the Holy Ghost but they must do it in this world. Hence the salvation of Jesus Christ was wrought out for all men, in order to triumph over the devil; for if it did not catch him in one place, it would in another; for he stood up as a Savior. All will suffer until they obey Christ himself.' (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Section Six 1843-44, p.357)
"I continued: 'So up until June 8, 1978, only a white, Melchizedek Priesthood bearing male could be come a son of perdition. Now thanks be to the Lord, since 1978, you too can become a son of perdition.' I thought he was turning pale white in front of me.
"He stammered a little and said: 'I had never looked at it that way before!' I assured him that most people hadn't. Then I turned to the Sister Stake Missionary who had brought the Black investigator, and said to her: 'Up until this very day, God is still discriminating against 50% of His children in not allowing them to hold the priesthood - they are women. But (I continued), I vote that women can also hold the priesthood and they too can become sons of perdition!' By this time their entire demeanor had changed.
"I concluded by explaining that God's stated objective for not only mankind in general but for each individual son or daughter was to give them immortality and eternal life (see Moses 1:39), and that God assured us in 2 Nephi 26:24: 'He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation.' As our belief in and trust of God increases, we are more content to allow Him to be God and us to be His children.
"I then explained that mortality (when viewed in God's time, which is that one day with God is equivalent to 1000 years with man - Abraham 3:4) if we lived for 72 years would only constitute a one hour 43 minute and 41 second test away from God. That we had lived with God for countless years before coming here and the God had designed our mortal existence so that, if we would take advantage of it, the time and the condition under which we were born and lived out our lives would enhance our quest for exaltation faster than any other that could possibly be. Therefore, by trying to dictate to God what should happen to us, what powers we should hold, etc. we were actually demonstrating our lack of faith in God's plan for us and placing ourselves in a position of superiority to God - which is blasphemy.
"The conversation ended on a very congenial note with the Sister Stake Missionary forcefully declining to accept the responsibility of the priesthood and gratefully being content to enjoy the blessings of the Priesthood - just as the Blacks had before 1978.
"You see, it isn't really an issue of the Black and the Priesthood or anything else. The question is, do we trust God to do the very best for us He possibly can without destroying our agency nor giving us too much too fast and thus enabling us to destroy ourselves.
"I hope this short explanation will give you some ideas to help all people, no matter what color to understand a little more about how God lovingly works with His children for their salvation and exaltation."
"Perhaps an example is the fastest way to teach how I handle the question. I was sitting in the Mission Home one Sunday afternoon waiting to leave for another Stake Conference. The telephone rang and the woman on the other end of the line explained that she was a Stake Missionary and had a Black investigator who wanted to talk with me about the 'Black and the Priesthood' issue. I invited them over.
"The investigator was working on a Master's degree and seemed to be very confident and articulate. After introductions he immediately attacked me with a barrage of questions. 'Why are you prejudiced against Blacks?' he asked. 'I didn't know I was!' was my reply. He said: 'Don't play mind games with me. I understand you have a doctorate degree and I am fairly educated myself, so let's get to the meat of the issue. Until 1978 Mormons withheld the Priesthood from the Blacks and I want to know why?' He was just assertive enough to kindle my combative spirit a little - it wasn't like a bash session but more a spirited exchange.
"I said: 'You seem to be rather bold in coming into my home and attacking me. Would it be alright if I asked you some questions?' He agreed. I asked him what his definition of the Priesthood was. He replied that it was his understanding that it was 'the power of God....' and then he continued on. I stopped him and said, 'Can we just agree that the Priesthood is the power of God?' He agreed. I asked him if he thought the priesthood was a real power to which he responded in the negative. Then I followed with a rather incredulous question: 'Why, then, are you upset with the Mormons keeping a "non-real thing" away from your people?' He didn't know what to say.
"I continued. 'For sake of discussion, let's assume the Priesthood is a real thing. Who then would control it?' He answered: 'Well, I guess God would since it is His power.' I asked: 'Does He have to account to you on why He does what He does?' To which he recoiled and answered: 'Certainly not. That would border on blasphemy!' to which I agreed.
"Then I asked who held the Priesthood during Old Testament times after the Exodus. He rather proudly demonstrated his understanding that it was only the Tribe of Levi. I asked: 'Would you show me in the Old Testament where the other 11 tribes, which include Judah - through whom the Savior was to be born, and Joseph - the new chosen, birthright son, picketed up and down in front of the Tabernacle demanding the Priesthood?' He admitted that he couldn't and stated that he had never looked at it quite like that before. I suggested that God has always 'discriminated' with regard to who could hold the priesthood.
"Then I decided to help him see discrimination from a different perspective. I said: 'Since you brought it up, let's talk discrimination for a minute. Up until June 8, 1978 a Black could be a member of the Church, have the Holy Ghost, partake of the sacrament, and serve in the Church in whatever capacity that didn't require the Priesthood. They could be administered to, receive blessings, etc. The instant they died they could have their names submitted to the temple for temple work because there was no reference on the form as to race. Therefore, all the blessings of not only Salvation (which come from Baptism and the Holy Ghost) were available to them, but also the blessings of Exaltation (which require Priesthood for the males and temple endowments and sealings), were also available. However, they could not become "sons of perdition" because the unpardonable sin had to be committed before the dissolution of the body.' Since I had just been studying it, I knew the reference, so I excused myself and retrieved my copy of the Teaching of the Prophet Joseph Smith where Joseph taught: 'A man cannot commit the unpardonable sin after the dissolution of the body, and there is a way possible for escape. Knowledge saves a man; and in the world of spirits no man can be exalted but by knowledge. So long as a man will not give heed to the commandments, he must abide without salvation. If a man has knowledge, he can be saved; although, if he has been guilty of great sins, he will be punished for them. But when he consents to obey the Gospel, whether here or in the world of spirits, he is saved.
'A man is his own tormenter and his own condemner. Hence the saying, They shall go into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone. The torment of disappointment in the mind of man is as exquisite as a lake burning with fire and brimstone. I say, so is the torment of man.
'I know the Scriptures and understand them. I said, no man can commit the unpardonable sin after the dissolution of the body, nor in this life, until he receives the Holy Ghost but they must do it in this world. Hence the salvation of Jesus Christ was wrought out for all men, in order to triumph over the devil; for if it did not catch him in one place, it would in another; for he stood up as a Savior. All will suffer until they obey Christ himself.' (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Section Six 1843-44, p.357)
"I continued: 'So up until June 8, 1978, only a white, Melchizedek Priesthood bearing male could be come a son of perdition. Now thanks be to the Lord, since 1978, you too can become a son of perdition.' I thought he was turning pale white in front of me.
"He stammered a little and said: 'I had never looked at it that way before!' I assured him that most people hadn't. Then I turned to the Sister Stake Missionary who had brought the Black investigator, and said to her: 'Up until this very day, God is still discriminating against 50% of His children in not allowing them to hold the priesthood - they are women. But (I continued), I vote that women can also hold the priesthood and they too can become sons of perdition!' By this time their entire demeanor had changed.
"I concluded by explaining that God's stated objective for not only mankind in general but for each individual son or daughter was to give them immortality and eternal life (see Moses 1:39), and that God assured us in 2 Nephi 26:24: 'He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation.' As our belief in and trust of God increases, we are more content to allow Him to be God and us to be His children.
"I then explained that mortality (when viewed in God's time, which is that one day with God is equivalent to 1000 years with man - Abraham 3:4) if we lived for 72 years would only constitute a one hour 43 minute and 41 second test away from God. That we had lived with God for countless years before coming here and the God had designed our mortal existence so that, if we would take advantage of it, the time and the condition under which we were born and lived out our lives would enhance our quest for exaltation faster than any other that could possibly be. Therefore, by trying to dictate to God what should happen to us, what powers we should hold, etc. we were actually demonstrating our lack of faith in God's plan for us and placing ourselves in a position of superiority to God - which is blasphemy.
"The conversation ended on a very congenial note with the Sister Stake Missionary forcefully declining to accept the responsibility of the priesthood and gratefully being content to enjoy the blessings of the Priesthood - just as the Blacks had before 1978.
"You see, it isn't really an issue of the Black and the Priesthood or anything else. The question is, do we trust God to do the very best for us He possibly can without destroying our agency nor giving us too much too fast and thus enabling us to destroy ourselves.
"I hope this short explanation will give you some ideas to help all people, no matter what color to understand a little more about how God lovingly works with His children for their salvation and exaltation."
Thirtieth Anniversary of the Priesthood Revelation
On June 7, 2008, Carrie A. Moore reported in the Deseret News, "Since 1978, when 19 Africans were baptized members of the LDS Church, more than 270,000 people on that continent have become Latter-day Saints, and the estimate of black membership worldwide is pegged at about 1 million.
"Currently, Africa has 46 LDS stakes, 19 missions, 41 districts, 336 wards, 466 branches, three temples and two missionary training centers (in Ghana and South Africa.)
"Those numbers are not only cause for celebration, but they will likely grow in the future, according to Elder Sheldon F. Child, a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy, reflecting on what has happened to the face of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in three decades since the priesthood was extended to 'all worthy males.'
"On Sunday, the church will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the June 8, 1978, announcement that then-President Spencer W. Kimball had received a revelation lifting a ban on priesthood ordination - and thus temple ordinances - for black Latter-day Saints worldwide.
"The 7 p.m. service in the Tabernacle will feature Elder Child and Elder Earl S. Tingey of the Presidency of the Seventy, along with two stake presidents who preside over several LDS congregations in New Jersey and Atlanta. Tickets for the event are gone, but standby seating will be available on Temple Square.
"Elder Child, a former mission president in New York, said he was contacted Thursday night by one of his former missionaries, Phoenix attorney Dustin Jones, who had heard about the event and was asking if he could find tickets. He has made plans to fly in Sunday to attend.
"As a missionary in the early '90s, Jones was one of a handful of blacks who served under Elder Child. 'He was just a great missionary. He loves the church, he taught the gospel well, he did a great job. He wanted to be here because this is very significant to them.'
"When told that two stake presidents would be sharing experiences, Jones said he believes there will be many more black Latter-day Saints called to leadership in the church. 'He's very upbeat about African Americans becoming stronger in the church,' Elder Child said.
"The Sunday event is the first of its kind to be sponsored by the church. A local group of black Latter-day Saints, known as Genesis, sponsored a similar event in the Tabernacle five years ago.
"The commemoration is another indication of the vast diversity represented by church growth worldwide, Elder Child said, recalling the first time he attended the Queens Ward in New York. 'It was like the United Nations,' he said, with blacks, Tongans, Hispanics, Indians and Chinese members all working in leadership roles.
'It was my first experience with a large ethnic population directly,' Elder Child said, noting that as a Utah native, he hadn't been widely exposed to ethnic diversity. 'They all brought their different cultures, and we were all brothers and sisters. It was just a great experience.'
"He acknowledged that many Latter-day Saints who spend years in Utah don't have the kind of exposure to diversity that can help them be sensitive to, and appreciative of, the richness that is cultivated in areas where the LDS population is more diverse.
'But if they did, they would have the same feelings I do. You just can't help but love the people. The more you get to know different races, the more you realize that we are all Heavenly Father's children, brothers and sisters.
'To be honest, I think we've got a ways to go in Utah because of the lack of diversity. But I can see things improving. The more people of various races move in, I think it will be helpful.'
"Elder Child said he doesn't recall that his missionaries encountered 'any problem with someone asking' about why the priesthood ban existed or the folklore that was used to explain why it endured for almost 150 years within the church.
'When you think about it, that's just what it is - folklore. It's never really been official doctrine. I know there have been some misconceptions and some statements made by people in the past, but as Elder (Bruce R.) McConkie said, we've received new and additional light and knowledge through revelation, and even the folklore is obsolete now because of the fact that we have the revelation.'
"He said he doesn't know of specific efforts to remove erroneous material from LDS publications. Church spokesman Mark Tuttle said the church 'can't remove it from our history books, and that's mostly where it is.'
'We have to keep in mind that it's folklore and not doctrine,' Elder Child said. 'It's never been recorded as such. Many opinions, personal opinions, were spoken. I'm just so grateful for this revelation,' he said, adding he can recall exactly where he was and what he was doing when he heard the news 30 years ago.
"Based on his experience during four years living in West Africa, he said, 'We could have baptized a lot more people than we really did. The Lord has prepared the hearts of those people to receive the gospel.'
"He said the reason more members weren't baptized during his time there was 'we couldn't assimilate them into the wards and branches (quickly enough). We didn't want to baptize them and then just have them fall away. Now that the wards and branches are stronger,' and have local leadership, he sees continued expansion and strength.
'In Accra, Ghana, the stake there is as strong as any Wasatch Front stake,' Tuttle said, adding that the average percentage of church attendance in that region approximates 'what you would expect to find in the United States.'
"How would he respond to those who continue to wonder why the priesthood ban was ever part of LDS practice? Elder Child said he would tell them, 'we're all Heavenly Father's children; let's put this behind us and just go forward.
'I would guess there are close to a million members who are of African descent. That's just an estimate, (the church doesn't record ethnicity on membership records) but I think that it's just going to continue to move forward and grow and grow.'
"Currently, Africa has 46 LDS stakes, 19 missions, 41 districts, 336 wards, 466 branches, three temples and two missionary training centers (in Ghana and South Africa.)
"Those numbers are not only cause for celebration, but they will likely grow in the future, according to Elder Sheldon F. Child, a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy, reflecting on what has happened to the face of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in three decades since the priesthood was extended to 'all worthy males.'
"On Sunday, the church will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the June 8, 1978, announcement that then-President Spencer W. Kimball had received a revelation lifting a ban on priesthood ordination - and thus temple ordinances - for black Latter-day Saints worldwide.
"The 7 p.m. service in the Tabernacle will feature Elder Child and Elder Earl S. Tingey of the Presidency of the Seventy, along with two stake presidents who preside over several LDS congregations in New Jersey and Atlanta. Tickets for the event are gone, but standby seating will be available on Temple Square.
"Elder Child, a former mission president in New York, said he was contacted Thursday night by one of his former missionaries, Phoenix attorney Dustin Jones, who had heard about the event and was asking if he could find tickets. He has made plans to fly in Sunday to attend.
"As a missionary in the early '90s, Jones was one of a handful of blacks who served under Elder Child. 'He was just a great missionary. He loves the church, he taught the gospel well, he did a great job. He wanted to be here because this is very significant to them.'
"When told that two stake presidents would be sharing experiences, Jones said he believes there will be many more black Latter-day Saints called to leadership in the church. 'He's very upbeat about African Americans becoming stronger in the church,' Elder Child said.
"The Sunday event is the first of its kind to be sponsored by the church. A local group of black Latter-day Saints, known as Genesis, sponsored a similar event in the Tabernacle five years ago.
"The commemoration is another indication of the vast diversity represented by church growth worldwide, Elder Child said, recalling the first time he attended the Queens Ward in New York. 'It was like the United Nations,' he said, with blacks, Tongans, Hispanics, Indians and Chinese members all working in leadership roles.
'It was my first experience with a large ethnic population directly,' Elder Child said, noting that as a Utah native, he hadn't been widely exposed to ethnic diversity. 'They all brought their different cultures, and we were all brothers and sisters. It was just a great experience.'
"He acknowledged that many Latter-day Saints who spend years in Utah don't have the kind of exposure to diversity that can help them be sensitive to, and appreciative of, the richness that is cultivated in areas where the LDS population is more diverse.
'But if they did, they would have the same feelings I do. You just can't help but love the people. The more you get to know different races, the more you realize that we are all Heavenly Father's children, brothers and sisters.
'To be honest, I think we've got a ways to go in Utah because of the lack of diversity. But I can see things improving. The more people of various races move in, I think it will be helpful.'
"Elder Child said he doesn't recall that his missionaries encountered 'any problem with someone asking' about why the priesthood ban existed or the folklore that was used to explain why it endured for almost 150 years within the church.
'When you think about it, that's just what it is - folklore. It's never really been official doctrine. I know there have been some misconceptions and some statements made by people in the past, but as Elder (Bruce R.) McConkie said, we've received new and additional light and knowledge through revelation, and even the folklore is obsolete now because of the fact that we have the revelation.'
"He said he doesn't know of specific efforts to remove erroneous material from LDS publications. Church spokesman Mark Tuttle said the church 'can't remove it from our history books, and that's mostly where it is.'
'We have to keep in mind that it's folklore and not doctrine,' Elder Child said. 'It's never been recorded as such. Many opinions, personal opinions, were spoken. I'm just so grateful for this revelation,' he said, adding he can recall exactly where he was and what he was doing when he heard the news 30 years ago.
"Based on his experience during four years living in West Africa, he said, 'We could have baptized a lot more people than we really did. The Lord has prepared the hearts of those people to receive the gospel.'
"He said the reason more members weren't baptized during his time there was 'we couldn't assimilate them into the wards and branches (quickly enough). We didn't want to baptize them and then just have them fall away. Now that the wards and branches are stronger,' and have local leadership, he sees continued expansion and strength.
'In Accra, Ghana, the stake there is as strong as any Wasatch Front stake,' Tuttle said, adding that the average percentage of church attendance in that region approximates 'what you would expect to find in the United States.'
"How would he respond to those who continue to wonder why the priesthood ban was ever part of LDS practice? Elder Child said he would tell them, 'we're all Heavenly Father's children; let's put this behind us and just go forward.
'I would guess there are close to a million members who are of African descent. That's just an estimate, (the church doesn't record ethnicity on membership records) but I think that it's just going to continue to move forward and grow and grow.'
Two days later, Carrie A. Moore again reported in the Deseret News, "Though they may not fully understand the reasons for the LDS Church's one-time ban on priesthood for black males, three black leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints called for a spirit of unity amid the growing diversity within the church on Sunday as they joined thousands in celebration at the Tabernacle.
"Held in the Tabernacle on Temple Square, the first church-sponsored commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the faith's announcement extending its priesthood to 'all worthy males' on June 8, 1978, drew more than 2,500 to hear words of encouragement, both spoken and sung.
"Fred A. Parker, president of the Atlanta Stake, said during his 'short tenure in the gospel, I've been asked time and again' by media, church members, investigators, friends and family members about the reason for the priesthood ban for black males for nearly a century and a half before 1978.
"He said he is 'very clear in answer to this unsettled question' that he is 'grounded in my testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ' and that 'Heavenly Father knows best. I may not have a satisfying explanation,' he said, quoting a Book of Mormon prophet who said God created all things, and that 'he has all wisdom and all power, both in heaven and in earth.'
'I don't feel it's necessary for me to understand all the Lord's dealings to believe that he is God and that he loves all his children... I know that he can make us happy. We can't understand all his thoughts, and my faith isn't limited by things I don't understand.... The power and ordinances of priesthood are real, majestic and compelling.'
"Parker issued a personal invitation to 'every nation, kindred, tongue and people to explore the true gospel of Jesus Christ. Find out for yourselves and act on the promptings of the holy spirit.' He said he's often reminded that 'to everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven. Our time is now and our Heavenly Father knows best.'
"Catherine Stokes, a longtime church member and former administrator with the Illinois Department of Public Health, said she has a hard time measuring 'institutional progress' in the church since 1978, but there are many personal stories of bridge-building between people of different races and love within the LDS Church. She quoted one friend who has seen 'extraordinary progress since 1978,' sharing memories about 'wonderful experiences observing and experiencing the interracial interactions the church provided' in one Chicago ward. 'I learned a lot about myself and the absolute power of Christ-like love.'
"Stokes said she can't personally count the people 'who have blessed my life. I've been absorbed into precious families,' with invitations to temple marriages, baby blessings, funerals, family events and everyday meals from her LDS friends. 'We've shared joys and sorrows. I came into the church based on its teachings and the degree of correlation with those teaching and actions of most members.' She said she's been 'blessed to observe righteous priesthood holders... the persuasion, long-suffering, gentleness, meekness and love unfeigned,' spoken of in LDS scripture.
'As I observe what the church does... I know I am in the right place. Indeed, this is the place.'
"Even so, she said, there are those who still reject the revelation allowing priesthood for all worthy males. For those 'who prefer to hold on to the teachings of the past,' she quoted Elder Bruce R. McConkie, who told students at BYU following the 1978 announcement, 'it's time for disbelieving people to get in line and believe in a living prophet.'
"She urged all of those assembled to 'reach out to those with a lack of understanding about this matter... that we might help them come unto Christ and by so doing, help ourselves to come unto Christ. Since our coming to this land in chains, I believe it was the blessing of forgiving that enabled us to survive. Today we're capable of even more - of loving those who do not love us.'
'Do we have a ways to go? Yes - a very long way to go. But we're raising a generation so much less color-conscious than the last one.... I have great hope for the future.'
"Ahmad Corbitt, president of the New Jersey Cherry Hill Stake, said he admires 'the stalwart black pioneers who valiantly bore testimony of the Savior and his gospel without benefit of priesthood' before the announcement that then-church President Spencer W. Kimball had received a revelation lifting the ban.
'We as Latter-day Saints who are black must assure our primary focus is on the saving doctrines and practices of the gospel, especially the Atonement.' He urged those in the audience to 'increase the teaching of children that they are literal spirit sons and daughters of a kind Father in Heaven who loves them beyond our ability to express.'
"He asked them to teach all young people to 'come to Christ faithfully and apply the atonement diligently' as the foundation of 'what will most help them. We must increase our own focus on these things, embracing weightier matters of the gospel.'
"Teaching unity among all of God's children is also critical, he said. 'The more unified as brothers and sisters our children feel with other races and ethnicities, the broader their service will be.' Told by a patriarch before his LDS mission that he would become 'a teacher in the church among your people,' he was convinced he would be asked to serve in some inner-city area, like the one in which he was raised. But his mission call was to Latin America, speaking Spanish. Yet, 'when I left my mission, I did so in tears. My people had become Latino. Hispanics were and are my people.'
"Similarly, he's found that whites, Tongans, Hawaiians, Samoans, Polynesians, Asians and those of other ethnicities are also 'my people. We share common thoughts and deep spiritual connections.' He lauded the growing role that 'our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren' will play not only in preparing for 'the return of our Savior,' but in perpetuating unity within the church.
'Some questions are difficult for us to fully comprehend, but focusing on his eternal plan we of all colors will walk through celestial gates and return to the glory only (Christ) can offer. May we help lead to that legacy.... Unity is a tell-tale sign not only of the true church, but of the Lord himself and his atoning sacrifice.
'Our oneness as a people is a manifestation to the world of the Lord's power to reconcile us not only to God but to each other. This he does through the great Atonement, without regard to borders, barriers or ethnicity. This universal unity and joy are the destiny of the church.'
"Elder Sheldon F. Child, of the Quorums of the Seventy, shared some of his experiences in New York City while serving as a mission president, and others while living in West Africa, where he witnessed the growth of the church among black members firsthand.
'There are no strangers or foreigners among those who enjoy the blessing of the priesthood, make sacred covenants and keep them. They belong to the household of God. Because of God's love for all his children, in every gospel dispensation he has placed prophets on the earth to communicate his will to them. His love and his will was made manifest to us on June 8, 1978.... We certainly have cause to rejoice and to celebrate. May we show our love to him by the way we live our lives and reach out to others with love.'
"Elder Earl C. Tingey of the Presidency of the Seventy conducted the meeting and said, 'We look to the day when all men and women of the Earth will be seen as God's children.'
"Soloist Alex Boye, a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, sang two hymns, 'How Great Thou Art' and 'I Know That My Redeemer Lives,' and choir director Mack Wilberg led a multicultural choir of more than 300 in providing additional music for the service.
"The event also included a short video presentation, 'He Inviteth Us All,' featuring black Latter-day Saints voicing their memories and experiences within the church.
"Held in the Tabernacle on Temple Square, the first church-sponsored commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the faith's announcement extending its priesthood to 'all worthy males' on June 8, 1978, drew more than 2,500 to hear words of encouragement, both spoken and sung.
"Fred A. Parker, president of the Atlanta Stake, said during his 'short tenure in the gospel, I've been asked time and again' by media, church members, investigators, friends and family members about the reason for the priesthood ban for black males for nearly a century and a half before 1978.
"He said he is 'very clear in answer to this unsettled question' that he is 'grounded in my testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ' and that 'Heavenly Father knows best. I may not have a satisfying explanation,' he said, quoting a Book of Mormon prophet who said God created all things, and that 'he has all wisdom and all power, both in heaven and in earth.'
'I don't feel it's necessary for me to understand all the Lord's dealings to believe that he is God and that he loves all his children... I know that he can make us happy. We can't understand all his thoughts, and my faith isn't limited by things I don't understand.... The power and ordinances of priesthood are real, majestic and compelling.'
"Parker issued a personal invitation to 'every nation, kindred, tongue and people to explore the true gospel of Jesus Christ. Find out for yourselves and act on the promptings of the holy spirit.' He said he's often reminded that 'to everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven. Our time is now and our Heavenly Father knows best.'
"Catherine Stokes, a longtime church member and former administrator with the Illinois Department of Public Health, said she has a hard time measuring 'institutional progress' in the church since 1978, but there are many personal stories of bridge-building between people of different races and love within the LDS Church. She quoted one friend who has seen 'extraordinary progress since 1978,' sharing memories about 'wonderful experiences observing and experiencing the interracial interactions the church provided' in one Chicago ward. 'I learned a lot about myself and the absolute power of Christ-like love.'
"Stokes said she can't personally count the people 'who have blessed my life. I've been absorbed into precious families,' with invitations to temple marriages, baby blessings, funerals, family events and everyday meals from her LDS friends. 'We've shared joys and sorrows. I came into the church based on its teachings and the degree of correlation with those teaching and actions of most members.' She said she's been 'blessed to observe righteous priesthood holders... the persuasion, long-suffering, gentleness, meekness and love unfeigned,' spoken of in LDS scripture.
'As I observe what the church does... I know I am in the right place. Indeed, this is the place.'
"Even so, she said, there are those who still reject the revelation allowing priesthood for all worthy males. For those 'who prefer to hold on to the teachings of the past,' she quoted Elder Bruce R. McConkie, who told students at BYU following the 1978 announcement, 'it's time for disbelieving people to get in line and believe in a living prophet.'
"She urged all of those assembled to 'reach out to those with a lack of understanding about this matter... that we might help them come unto Christ and by so doing, help ourselves to come unto Christ. Since our coming to this land in chains, I believe it was the blessing of forgiving that enabled us to survive. Today we're capable of even more - of loving those who do not love us.'
'Do we have a ways to go? Yes - a very long way to go. But we're raising a generation so much less color-conscious than the last one.... I have great hope for the future.'
"Ahmad Corbitt, president of the New Jersey Cherry Hill Stake, said he admires 'the stalwart black pioneers who valiantly bore testimony of the Savior and his gospel without benefit of priesthood' before the announcement that then-church President Spencer W. Kimball had received a revelation lifting the ban.
'We as Latter-day Saints who are black must assure our primary focus is on the saving doctrines and practices of the gospel, especially the Atonement.' He urged those in the audience to 'increase the teaching of children that they are literal spirit sons and daughters of a kind Father in Heaven who loves them beyond our ability to express.'
"He asked them to teach all young people to 'come to Christ faithfully and apply the atonement diligently' as the foundation of 'what will most help them. We must increase our own focus on these things, embracing weightier matters of the gospel.'
"Teaching unity among all of God's children is also critical, he said. 'The more unified as brothers and sisters our children feel with other races and ethnicities, the broader their service will be.' Told by a patriarch before his LDS mission that he would become 'a teacher in the church among your people,' he was convinced he would be asked to serve in some inner-city area, like the one in which he was raised. But his mission call was to Latin America, speaking Spanish. Yet, 'when I left my mission, I did so in tears. My people had become Latino. Hispanics were and are my people.'
"Similarly, he's found that whites, Tongans, Hawaiians, Samoans, Polynesians, Asians and those of other ethnicities are also 'my people. We share common thoughts and deep spiritual connections.' He lauded the growing role that 'our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren' will play not only in preparing for 'the return of our Savior,' but in perpetuating unity within the church.
'Some questions are difficult for us to fully comprehend, but focusing on his eternal plan we of all colors will walk through celestial gates and return to the glory only (Christ) can offer. May we help lead to that legacy.... Unity is a tell-tale sign not only of the true church, but of the Lord himself and his atoning sacrifice.
'Our oneness as a people is a manifestation to the world of the Lord's power to reconcile us not only to God but to each other. This he does through the great Atonement, without regard to borders, barriers or ethnicity. This universal unity and joy are the destiny of the church.'
"Elder Sheldon F. Child, of the Quorums of the Seventy, shared some of his experiences in New York City while serving as a mission president, and others while living in West Africa, where he witnessed the growth of the church among black members firsthand.
'There are no strangers or foreigners among those who enjoy the blessing of the priesthood, make sacred covenants and keep them. They belong to the household of God. Because of God's love for all his children, in every gospel dispensation he has placed prophets on the earth to communicate his will to them. His love and his will was made manifest to us on June 8, 1978.... We certainly have cause to rejoice and to celebrate. May we show our love to him by the way we live our lives and reach out to others with love.'
"Elder Earl C. Tingey of the Presidency of the Seventy conducted the meeting and said, 'We look to the day when all men and women of the Earth will be seen as God's children.'
"Soloist Alex Boye, a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, sang two hymns, 'How Great Thou Art' and 'I Know That My Redeemer Lives,' and choir director Mack Wilberg led a multicultural choir of more than 300 in providing additional music for the service.
"The event also included a short video presentation, 'He Inviteth Us All,' featuring black Latter-day Saints voicing their memories and experiences within the church.
"A small group of protesters gathered outside the grounds of Temple Square Sunday evening to advocate for the issuance of a formal apology and open recognition from the church for having prohibited black men from entering the priesthood.
"Bill McKeever, the director of a group called Mormonism Research Ministry, was heading the happening, which he characterized as 'an effort to distribute information' rather than a protest.
'We're out here calling attention to some of the teachings of past Mormon leaders regarding why the ban was placed on those of African heritage and the priesthood,' McKeever said.
"Bill McKeever, the director of a group called Mormonism Research Ministry, was heading the happening, which he characterized as 'an effort to distribute information' rather than a protest.
'We're out here calling attention to some of the teachings of past Mormon leaders regarding why the ban was placed on those of African heritage and the priesthood,' McKeever said.
African Ex-Mormon Foundation
Darlington W. Gbee posted on his new website, "In 2008, I wrote the District Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and requested that my name to be removed from the records of Mormonism. I established the 'African Ex-Mormon Foundation,' a non-profit organization registered under the laws of the Republic of Liberia, to help others understand the harms that Mormonism causes. Since I established the organization, I have counseled individual Christians dealing with Mormonism and have appeared on radio stations, newspapers and media institutions to help Christians understand the actual doctrines of Mormonism....
"Dear Friends, Darlington is asking Christians from the United States and the United Kingdom to help the AEMF to STOP the growth of Mormonism in Liberia; where the Church already has 5,000 members and is growing extremely rapidly via their huge missionary force in Liberia.
"Darlington needs your financial help in order to print tracts and place articles in Liberian newspapers!
"Can you help him by sending him $30 a month, or $30 as a one-time gift?"
Early the next year he reported, "The organization currently does not have office space but usually meet [sic] at its Vice President [sic] residence to attend meetings and other programs.
"The African Exmormon Foundation has about forty eight members, 75% are formers [sic] members.
"Beloved Ex-Mormons, if God exist [sic], I do not think that He is a racist; the eyes of the Negroes are open!"
"Dear Friends, Darlington is asking Christians from the United States and the United Kingdom to help the AEMF to STOP the growth of Mormonism in Liberia; where the Church already has 5,000 members and is growing extremely rapidly via their huge missionary force in Liberia.
"Darlington needs your financial help in order to print tracts and place articles in Liberian newspapers!
"Can you help him by sending him $30 a month, or $30 as a one-time gift?"
Early the next year he reported, "The organization currently does not have office space but usually meet [sic] at its Vice President [sic] residence to attend meetings and other programs.
"The African Exmormon Foundation has about forty eight members, 75% are formers [sic] members.
"Beloved Ex-Mormons, if God exist [sic], I do not think that He is a racist; the eyes of the Negroes are open!"
The First Black African General Authority
Elder Joseph W. Sitati joined the Church in his native Kenya in 1986 after learning about it from a fellow businessman, and went on to serve as the first district president in Kenya, the first stake president in Kenya, part of the first Kenyan family to be sealed in the Johannesburg South Africa Temple, an area seventy, and president of the Nigeria Uyo Mission. Beyond that, his influence was instrumental in gaining societal acceptance and government recognition for the Church in Kenya after anti-Mormon Walter Martin's earlier successful attempt to have it denied. "Some people who are trying to protect their own faith spread bad stories about Mormonism [imported from America]," he explained. "There is no indigenous hostility to the Church."
While still a mission president in April 2009 he was called to the First Quorum of the Seventy, becoming the first black African General Authority (Helvécio Martins was black but was from Brazil, and Christoffel Golden Jr. is African but is white).
Elder Sitati was never bothered by the priesthood ban. "Christ came only to the Jews and not until the end of his mission did he commission the apostles to go to all the world," he said. "Different communities are invited to participate in the plan of salvation at different times. What is important is that the salvation to which they are invited is the same. It doesn't matter that the Jews were the first, if you like, and the Africans are the last." That October he gave a General Conference talk called "Blessings of the Gospel".
Elder Sitati was never bothered by the priesthood ban. "Christ came only to the Jews and not until the end of his mission did he commission the apostles to go to all the world," he said. "Different communities are invited to participate in the plan of salvation at different times. What is important is that the salvation to which they are invited is the same. It doesn't matter that the Jews were the first, if you like, and the Africans are the last." That October he gave a General Conference talk called "Blessings of the Gospel".
Civil Rights Persecution
On October 13, 2009, Elder Dallin H. Oaks gave a speech at BYU-Idaho about religious freedom. In his remarks, he said, "Along with many others, we were disappointed with what we experienced in the aftermath of California’s adoption of Proposition 8, including vandalism of church facilities and harassment of church members by firings and boycotts of member businesses and by retaliation against donors. Mormons were the targets of most of this, but it also hit other churches in the pro-8 coalition and other persons who could be identified as supporters. Fortunately, some recognized such retaliation for what it was. A full-page ad in the New York Times branded this 'violence and intimidation' against religious organizations and individual believers 'simply because they supported Proposition 8 [as] an outrage that must stop.' The fact that this ad was signed by some leaders who had no history of friendship for our faith only added to its force.
"It is important to note that while this aggressive intimidation in connection with the Proposition 8 election was primarily directed at religious persons and symbols, it was not anti-religious as such. These incidents were expressions of outrage against those who disagreed with the gay-rights position and had prevailed in a public contest. As such, these incidents of violence and intimidation are not so much anti-religious as anti-democratic. In their effect they are like the well-known and widely condemned voter-intimidation of blacks in the South that produced corrective federal civil-rights legislation."
The next day, liberal commentator Keith Olbermann awarded Elder Oaks one of his nightly slots as "Worst Person in the World", saying "One would think that with the Mormons' history of being on the wrong side of integration and the wrong side of that pesky ancient order of one woman per marriage, that these are subjects about which Elder Oaks would want to shut the hell up."
Elder Oaks responded to the controversy, "The civil rights analogy is a good one in the sense that it calls to mind the fact that people who were exercising a civil right, the right to vote, the right to be free from certain kinds of legal discriminations were intimidated and coerced; they were punished for asserting their civil right."
"It is important to note that while this aggressive intimidation in connection with the Proposition 8 election was primarily directed at religious persons and symbols, it was not anti-religious as such. These incidents were expressions of outrage against those who disagreed with the gay-rights position and had prevailed in a public contest. As such, these incidents of violence and intimidation are not so much anti-religious as anti-democratic. In their effect they are like the well-known and widely condemned voter-intimidation of blacks in the South that produced corrective federal civil-rights legislation."
The next day, liberal commentator Keith Olbermann awarded Elder Oaks one of his nightly slots as "Worst Person in the World", saying "One would think that with the Mormons' history of being on the wrong side of integration and the wrong side of that pesky ancient order of one woman per marriage, that these are subjects about which Elder Oaks would want to shut the hell up."
Elder Oaks responded to the controversy, "The civil rights analogy is a good one in the sense that it calls to mind the fact that people who were exercising a civil right, the right to vote, the right to be free from certain kinds of legal discriminations were intimidated and coerced; they were punished for asserting their civil right."
I'm a Mormon
The publicity surrounding Mitt Romney's campaign made clear to the Church's public relations department that several misconceptions and negative stereotypes still existed about the Church, including the idea that most of its members were white people from the Western United States. In 2010 it launched its "I'm a Mormon" ad campaign, which aimed to highlight the normalcy and diversity of its members, and several black Latter-day Saints were featured over the next few years.
Around the same time Elder Bruce R. McConkie's book Mormon Doctrine, notorious among other things for its racial folklore that remained even after 1978, was removed from publication despite its continued popularity and all references to it in the Gospel Principles manual were removed.
On November 12, black Latter-day Saint Kenya Malcolm released a webcam video called "Black People In the Mormon Church Are NOT DUMB !!!!" She shared her testimony, noting in particular that when she had asked God about the priesthood ban, He had told her that the gospel of Jesus Christ was true but sometimes the people were not.
On November 12, black Latter-day Saint Kenya Malcolm released a webcam video called "Black People In the Mormon Church Are NOT DUMB !!!!" She shared her testimony, noting in particular that when she had asked God about the priesthood ban, He had told her that the gospel of Jesus Christ was true but sometimes the people were not.
Next: The Church of Jesus Christ and Black People 2011-2012
Main Page: Latter-day Saint Racial History
Main Page: Latter-day Saint Racial History
