The Long
Promised Day
Doctrine &
Covenants
Official Declaration 2
Racism and Western Civilization
• The misinterpretation of Genesis 9:18-27
– “Canaan” as the father of “Africans”
• The theory of “Ham” has justified slavery since
the 4th Century
• Ham was racialized in the 7th century by Muslims
conquering Northern Africa, and it then spread
into Judaism and Christianity
• By the 19th Century, it was fully assumed that the
black skin was a curse stemming from Ham
Before the Restriction
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Early Saints were raised in an inherently racist culture
Joseph Smith was remarkably progressive
Elijah Abel
Walker Lewis
– Brigham Young, 1847: “its nothing to do with the blood for of one blood has
God made all flesh, we have to repent (and) regain what we av [sic] lost–we av
[sic] one of the best Elders an African in Lowell [i.e., Walker Lewis.].” Brigham
Young Papers, March 26, 1847, LDS Church History Library
• Debate over interracial marriage in late 1847
– “The curse remained upon them because Cain cut off the lives of Abel. . . . The
Lord had cursed Cain’s seed with blackness and prohibited them the
Priesthood.” Journal History of the Church, February 13, 1849
• Brigham Young declares support for the priesthood ban and slavery in
1852 (though is very ambivalent about the latter)
– “Any man having one drop of the seed of Cane [sic] in him Cannot hold the
priesthood & if no other Prophet ever spake it Before I will say it now in the
name of Jesus Christ. I know it is true & they know it.” Wilford Woodruff Diary,
January 4, 1852
Attempted Explanations
• No one called for an explanation
• Brigham Young’s Cain vs. Abel
– Never caught on
• “Fence-sitters” in the Pre-mortal Existence
– Joseph Fielding Smith: “There is nothing in our standard works,
nor any authoritative statement to the effect that one third of
the hosts of heaven remained neutral in the great conflict and
that the colored races are of that neutral class. The statement
has been put forth at various times until ‘the belief’ it has
become quite general that the Negro race has been cursed for
taking a neutral position in that great contest. But this is not the
official position of the Church, merely the opinion of men.”
• Cursed race in the Book of Abraham
– Founded on a (very) dated understanding of lineage and race
• Mostly, they rarely thought about it
President David O. McKay
• A world-wide tour in 1921 exposed him to more foreign cultures
than any apostle before him
• Visit to Hawaii, 1921 (as recollected in 1954): “I first met this
problem in Hawaii in 1921. A worthy [black] man had married a
Polynesian woman. She was faithful in the Church. They had a large
family everyone of whom was active and worthy. My sympathies
were so aroused that I wrote home to President Grant asking if we
would please make an exception so we could ordain that man to
the Priesthood. He wrote back saying, ‘David, I am as sympathetic
as you are, but until the Lord gives us a revelation regarding that
matter, we shall have to maintain the policy of the Church.”
– “Minutes of a Special Meeting by President David O. McKay, 17th
January, 1754,” David O. McKay Papers, UofU Library
• Rise of Civil Rights Movement
The Africa Question
• Problems in South Africa
• Evan P. Wright, President of South Africa Mission: “In the South
African Mission we are badly in need of leadership through the
priesthood, and I am most anxious to ordain men as fast as we
possibly can. If we could have another fifty or hundred priesthood
bearers in the mission our work would move forward more rapidly
and successfully…Apparently this is the only mission in the Church
where it is necessary for a man to trace his genealogy to establish
his eligibility for the priesthood. As a result, the members of the
Church in this country feel that they are penalized…In my time I
have had native chiefs and officials ask me to come and baptize two
or three thousand of their people. I always try to explain that the
priesthood isn’t conferred upon [black] Africans and at the present
time we aren’t laboring among them.”
– Evan P. Wright to First Presidency, June 17, 1952, in Evan P. Wright, A
History of the South African Mission, 419-420.
President David O. McKay
• President McKay makes a monumental trip to South Africa
• “Now I am impressed that there are worthy men in the South African
Mission who are being deprived of the Priesthood simply because they are
unable to trace their genealogy out of this country. I am impressed that an
injustice is being done to them. Why should every man be required to
prove that his lineage is free from negro strain especially when there is no
evidence of his having Negro blood in his veins? I should rather, much
rather, make a mistake in one case and if it be found out afterwards
suspend his activity in the Priesthood than to deprive to worthy men of
the Priesthood..And so, if a man I worthy, is faithful in the Church and lives
up to the principles of the Gospel, who has no outward evidence of a
Negro strain, even though he might not be able to trace his genealogy out
of the country, the President of the Mission is hereby authorised to confer
upon him the Priesthood.”
– “Minutes of a Special Meeting by President David O. McKay, 17th January,
1854,” in David O. McKay Diary, UofU Library
• Same practice spread to temple ordinances
• Scope of the restriction grew more and more narrow
President David O. McKay
• Private Discussion in 1954, shortly after trip to Africa:
“[President McKay] said, ‘There is not now, and there
never has been a doctrine in this Church that the
Negroes are under a divine curse.’ He insisted that
there is no doctrine in the Church of any kind
pertaining to the Negro. ‘We believe,’ he said, ‘that we
have scriptural precedent for witholding the priesthood
from the Negro. It is a practice, not a doctrine, and the
practice will some day be changed. And that’s all there
is to it.”
– Sterling M. McMurrin, affidavit, March 6, 1979
• First Presidency Statement in 1969
The Role of Nigeria
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Proselyting Mission announced in 1960
N. Elden Tanner sent in 1962
Prospects looked bright
1963 Nigerian Outlook editorial halted
progress
• 1966-1975: war and unrest
• Increase in interest following war
The Role of Brazil
• Explosion of Converts
• Assumed that up to 80% of Brazil residents
had negro blood
• Announcement of Temple to be built in Sao
Paolo in 1975
The Role of Scholarship
• Armand Mauss’s “Mormonism and the
Negro,” published in 1967, explored the
folkloric nature of the ban
• 1970 book by Steven Taggart presents the
“Missouri Thesis”
• 1973 article by Lester Bush, “Mormonism’s
Negro Doctrine,” identifies the policy’s origins
to Brigham Young and “foments the pot”
Developments in the 1970s
• Presidents Smith and Lee publically stated that
the policy would never change
• Organization of the “Genesis Group” in 1970,
met often with Elders Hinckley, Monson, and
Packer
• President Kimball was raised in an
environment with close proximity to
minorities, especially Mexican and Native
Americans
• “Admittedly our direct and positive
information is limited. I have wished
the Lord had given us a little more
clarity on the matter.” Elder Kimball
did not know whether to characterize
the decision as a “doctrine or policy,”
but acknowledged that it “has not
varied in my memory.” He continued,
“I know it could. I know the Lord
could change his policy and release
the ban and forgive the possible error
which brought about the deprivation.
If the time comes, that he will do, I
am sure.”
–
Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, 448-49 (1963)
• “[I have given it] a great deal of thought, a
great deal of prayer. The day might come
when they would be given the priesthood,
but that day has not come yet. Should the
day come it will be a matter of revelation.
Before changing any important policy, it
has to be through a revelation from the
Lord. But we believe in revelation. We
believe there are yet many more things to
be revealed from the Lord. . . . We are
open to the Father on every suggestion
that he gives us, to every direction he gives
us, to every revelation of desire for
change.”
– Opening Press Conference, as recorded in
Charles J. Seldin, “Priesthood of LDS
Opened to Blacks,” Salt Lake Tribune, June
10, 1978, 1A;
Pressing issues in the mid-late 70s
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Increase in requests from Africa
Greater consciousness of civil rights issues
Issues of global missionary work
Research, both inside and outside Church
hierarchy, weakened the traditional idea of
Joseph Smith beginning the ban
The Questioner
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President Kimball often asked people their views on the Restriction
Organized a committee to explore the doctrinal basis
Constantly prayed about the issue
Wrote to his son: “Revelations will probably never come unless they
are desired. I think few people receive revelations while lounging on
the couch or while playing cards or while relaxing. I believe most
revelations would come when a man is on his tip toes, reaching as
high as he can for something which he knows he needs, and then
there bursts upon him the answer to his problems.” Edward
Kimball, “Spencer W. Kimball and the Priesthood Ban,” 46.
• Came to the conclusion to expand the priesthood by March 1978,
but wanted full agreement within the Quorum before moving on
• I went into the temple alone, day after
day, and especially on Sundays and
Saturdays when there were no
organizations in the temple, when I could
have it alone. This went on for some time
as I was searching, because I wanted to be
sure.
• I had a great deal to fight, of course,
myself largely, because I had grown up
with the thought that Negroes should not
have the priesthood, and I was prepared
to go all the rest of my life till my death
and defend it as it was. But this revelation
and assurance came to me so clearly that
there was no question about it.
– President Spencer W. Kimball, quoted by Edward L.
Kimball, This People (Summer 1988), 22
Unknown to anyone except the First Presidency and the Twelve, President
Kimball had asked each of them to carefully research the scriptures and
statements of the earlier brethren, to make an exhaustive study of all that
had been recorded concerning this issue. For months before the revelation,
the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve discussed these sacred
matters at length in their temple meetings. He also met privately with each
of the brethren to learn their feelings on the matter.
On Thursday, 1 June 1978, the general authorities held their regular monthly
fast and testimony meeting. The members of the Seventy and the Presiding
Bishopric were then excused, and President Kimball, his two counselors, and
ten of the apostles remained (Elder Mark E. Peterson was in South America,
and Elder Delbert L. Stapley was in the hospital).
Before offering the prayer that brought the revelation, President Kimball
asked each of the brethren to express their feelings and views on this
important issue. For more than two hours they talked freely and openly.
Elder David B. Haight, the newest member of the Twelve, observed: “As each
responded, we witnessed an outpouring of the Spirit which bonded our souls
together in perfect unity—a glorious experience. In that bond of unity we felt
our total dependence upon heavenly direction if we were to more effectively
accomplish the Lord’s charge to carry the message of hope and salvation to all
the world.”
President Kimball then suggested that we have our prayer at the altar.
Usually he asked one of us to lead the prayer; however, on this day he asked,
‘Would you mind if I be the voice at the altar today?’ This was the Lord’s
prophet asking us. Such humility! Such meekness! So typical of this special
servant of all…
The prophet of God pour[ed] out his heart, pleading eloquently for the Lord
to make his mind and will known to his servant, Spencer W. Kimball. The
prophet pleaded that he would be given the necessary direction which could
expand the Church throughout the world by offering the fullness of the
everlasting gospel to all men, based solely upon their personal worthiness
without reference to race or color.”
In response to a prophet’s humble prayer of faith, united with those of the
twelve other prophets, seers, and revelators, the Lord poured out his Spirit—
and his answer—in a most powerful way.
Dale LaBaron. “That Every Man…” p. 50
• We had a glorious experience of having the
Lord indicate clearly that the time had come
when all worthy men and women everywhere
can be fellow heirs and partakers of the full
blessings of the gospel. I want you to know, as
a special witness of the Savior, how close I have
felt to him and to our Heavenly Father as I have
made numerous visits to the upper rooms in
the temple, going on some days several times
by myself. The Lord made it very clear to me
what was to be done. We do not expect the
people of the world to understand such things,
for they will always be quick to assign their
own reasons or to discount the divine process
of revelation.
– President Spencer W. Kimball, New Era (April
1980), 36
• The Spirit of the Lord rested mightily upon
us all; we felt something akin to what
happened on the day of Pentecost and at
the dedication of the Kirtland Temple. From
the midst of eternity, the voice of God,
conveyed by the power of the Spirit, spoke
to his prophet. The message was that the
time had now come to offer the fulness of
the everlasting gospel, including celestial
marriage, and the priesthood, and the
blessings of the temple, to all men, without
reference to race or color, solely on the
Elder Bruce R.
McConkie, Priesthood basis of personal worthiness. And we heard
(1981), 128
the same voice, received the same message,
and became personal witnesses that the
word received was the mind and will and
voice of the Lord.
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• There was a hallowed and
sanctified atmosphere in the room.
For me, it felt as if a conduit
opened between the heavenly
throne and the kneeling, pleading
prophet of God who was joined by
his Brethren.
• There was a Pentecostal spirit, for
the Holy Ghost was there.
• Not one of us who was present on
that occasion was ever quite the
same after that. Nor has the
Church been quite the same.
 There was perfect unity among us
President Gordon B. Hinckley,
in our experience and in our
“Priesthood Restoration,” Ensign,
understanding.
October 1988, 70
• For all of us old enough
to remember the June 9
announcement that
year, it will always
remain a joyous
moment frozen in time.
From then on for the
first time it could truly
be said that “every man
might speak in the name
of God the Lord” (D&C
1:20).
– Elder Marlin K. Jensen, Out of
Obscurity, 11
Confirmation in Sierra Lione, Museum of Church
History and Art (Emile Wilson, 1992)
• There are statements in our literature by the early brethren
that we have interpreted to mean that the Negroes would not
receive the priesthood in mortality. I have said the same
things, and people write me letters and say, ‘You said such and
such, and how is it now that we do such and such?’ And all I
can say to that is that it is time disbelieving people repented
and got in line and believed in a living, modern prophet.
Forget everything that I have said, or what President Brigham
Young or President George Q. Cannon or whosoever has said
in days past, that is contrary to the present revelation.
• We spoke with a limited understanding and without the light
and knowledge that now has come into the world.
• We get our truth and our light line upon line and precept upon
precept. We have now added a new flood of intelligence and
light on this particular subject, and it erases all the darkness
and all the views and all the thoughts of the past. They don’t
matter any more.
• It doesn’t make a particle of difference what anybody ever
said about the Negro matter before the first day of June 1978.
It is a new day and a new arrangement, and the Lord has now
given the revelation that sheds light out into the world on this
subject
–
Elder Bruce R. McConkie, Priesthood (1981), 131-32
• One clear-cut position is that the
folklore must never be
perpetuated. …[M]y earlier
colleagues.., I’m sure, in their own
way, were doing the best they
knew to give shape to [the policy],
to give context for it, to give even
history to it. All I can say is
however well intended the
explanations were, I think almost
all of them were inadequate
and/or wrong. …But some
explanations were given and had
been given for a lot of years. … At
the very least, there should be no
effort to perpetuate those efforts
to explain why that doctrine
existed.
• Now I am told that racial slurs
and denigrating remarks are
sometimes heard among us. I
remind you that no man who
makes disparaging remarks
concerning those of another
race can consider himself a true
disciple of Christ. Nor can he
consider himself to be in
harmony with the teachings of
the Church of Christ. How can
any man holding the
Melchizedek Priesthood
arrogantly assume that he is
eligible for the priesthood
whereas another who lives a
righteous life but whose skin is
of a different color is ineligible?