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Mormonism, Race and Priesthood

 Mormon church traces black priesthood ban to Brigham Young

This page is dedicated to resources pertaining to the subject of Mormonism, race, and the priesthood. It includes the following:

  • a detailed analysis of the most recent official Mormon statement on the subject
  • a timeline of the history of Mormonism and race
  • a bibliography of important articles and studies on the subject
  • a wealth of articles that give primary-source documentation showing what the Mormon scriptures, Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and more recent LDS leaders have said on the subject

No Group

Christianity and Mormonism on Race

Biblical prophets did not teach racist doctrines; Mormon scriptures and prophets have.

Race and the Priesthood: Analysis of the New Mormon Statement

A detailed, point-by-point response to the December 2013 article on LDS.org

Race and the Mormon Priesthood: A Timeline
An easy-to-follow historical overview of Mormon teaching on the subject from Joseph Smith to the present, with links to relevant resources
Mormonism, Race, and the Priesthood: A Select Bibliography
A list of online articles, periodical articles, and books on the subject, including many by LDS authors
The New Mormon Statement on Race and the Priesthood

A brief, simple overview of the issue of race and the priesthood in Mormonism, especially intended for those needing a quick explanation.

Blacks Get Priesthood
Mormon Church Disavows Previous Teachings on Blacks and Priesthood

Did past LDS leaders lead the Mormon Church astray when they attributed the denial of the priesthood to Blacks to God himself? Or are current Mormon leaders leading the faithful astray by blaming it all on Brigham Young?  Features a two-column comparison of what past leaders taught and the current official LDS statement disavowing those teachings. 

Official Statements Prior to the 1978 Declaration:

1949 Official Mormon Statement on Blacks and the Priesthood
1969 Official Mormon Statement on Blacks and the Priesthood

Primary-source documentation from early Mormon leaders:

Joseph Smith and the Abolition of Slavery
Brigham Young on Race

Primary-source documentation from the LDS scriptures

Racism in the Book of Mormon
Blacks and the Book of Moses
Blacks, the Mormon Priesthood, and the Book of Abraham
Mormon Statements on Race in Doctrine & Covenants