Black and Mormon [Hardcover]

Newell G. Bringhurst (Author), Darron T. Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 8, 2004

The year 2003 marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of the lifting of the ban excluding black members from the priesthood of the Mormon church. The articles collected in Newell G. Bringhurst and Darron T. Smith's Black and Mormon look at the mechanisms used to keep blacks from full participation, the motives behind the ban, and the kind of changes that have--and have not--taken place within the church since the revelation responsible for its end. This challenging collection is required reading for anyone concerned with the history of racism, discrimination, and the Latter-day Saints.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In 1978, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reversed a longstanding ban by granting the lay priesthood to all worthy men, regardless of race. In this book, eight scholars weigh in on the history of the ban, the present role of African-Americans in Mormon life and the residue of earlier racism. The editors claim that despite the 1978 revelation, the Church has done little to distance itself from damaging folk doctrines of the past, and "needs to forthrightly confront its past history of racial exclusion and discrimination." The book's best essays are Alma Allred's fascinating analysis of racial themes in LDS scripture; Armand Mauss's summary of post-1978 developments; and Ken Driggs's on-the-ground report of a successful, racially mixed Mormon congregation in Atlanta. Like other scholarly anthologies on narrow topics, this collection contains some repetition of ideas, case reports and anecdotes, but it is one of the most far-reaching studies of black Mormons to date.
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Review

"A pathbreaking, probing book that raises deep questions about the intertwining of religion and racism, not only in the history of U.S. Mormonism, but also in the long-term development of U.S. society."

Product Details

• Hardcover: 184 pages
• Publisher: University of Illinois Press (September 8, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 025202947X
• ISBN-13: 978-0252029479
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 5.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,898,806 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Darron T. Smith was born in Nashville, Tennessee, and was raised in southern California until he was about 10 years old. For 15 years he has taught courses in higher education on sociological topics about race, racism and discrimination. His first book, "What Matter's Most," was his first foray into writing. Assisted by Susan E. McCloud, he chronicled his personal story growing up in Nashville and Los Angeles to eventually joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In 2004, he co-edited the book, Black and Mormon, with Newell K. Bringhurst. Currently, Dr. Darron Smith is a professor at Wichita State University.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars LDS' stormy relationship with black people....., July 10, 2007

By 

lordhoot "lordhoot" (Anchorage, Alaska USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Black and Mormon (Paperback)

Black and Mormon proves to be a highly interesting book that relates directly with the LDS and their relationship with the black people of the United States throughout their history. The key element of this book lies around then President Kimball's revelation that blacks who have been denied priesthood rites by their church due to their ethnic heritage, was finally granted that right on 8 June 1978. This book is collection of essays that deals with the priesthood ban imposed by the LDS leadership during the late 1840s, its effects on the black members and after the banning have been removed, how that racist past still affected the church today.

All essays written here proves to be well written, well research and highly informative to the subject at hand. Some of the authors are black LDS members and their words and perceptions may surprise many of the white LDS members who may read this book. Many of the essays overlapped each other due to the narrow subject matter and sometimes, that helped to reinforced the information. The book is only 172 pages and that includes the index and footnotes pages.

It is no great secret that LDS practiced overt racism toward their black members before the ban was lifted and relied on old near-mythological doctrines to denied many of their black membership, the full fellowship into their ranks. The book explained these doctrines very clearly and how they became part of the accepted practice of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints until that fateful day in June 1978.

The book also sadly reflects on LDS refusal to confront their own racist history and how such attitude hampered their efforts to deal with these problems they have with their non-white members - especially blacks. Adjustment of white Mormons in accepting blacks as full members have not been easy and its no small wonder that many blacks still feel alienated in their own church. Ironically, the book pointed out that like polygamy, racist anti-black doctrines still lies within the framework of the LDS church. LDS' refusal to deal or remove these doctrines may trouble many. This means that only their policies that has changed, not their doctrines. This means that LDS could easily restore polygamy or ban blacks from priesthood anytime in the future if the political and social situation allow them so.

Overall, a very informative book that provides a lot of information about the racial relationship between LDS and the black people, especially those within their own ranks. Book come highly recommended as an introduction to this subject matter for further reading.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars About the Author, imo an excellent, impressive, and sensitive man, December 19, 2011

By 

Davers (Elkton, MD) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Black and Mormon (Paperback)

I knew Darron as Elder Smith in Michigan. We were both missionaries in the Saginaw area at the same time. He was an awesome missionary, and I was frequently impressed with him and how he brought his preexisting talents into play (including his martial arts expertise) to forward the word of God one way or another. I remember well that he had an exceptional way with people and was a perfect example of a true LDS Saint in my opinion.

Sadly for me, it seemed he did not think so highly of me. I was shocked and really honestly confused when he called me a racist to my face. I never understood what I had done or said or how I acted, if I had acted any differently around him than anyone else, to be accused of such a repugnant title. I've thought about that many many times since then (25 years ago) as the description hurt me very much and has always been so polar opposite to how anyone else has described me before then, and since, regardless of their race/ethic/religion/politics. I am still quite sorry that I gave him that impression.

I can only conclude that others have probably given him that impression throughout his life despite (like me) having also held him in the highest regard as a human being and a child of God, bar none.

That said, I am so grateful that his testimony in the gospel is still so firm. It has also meant so much to me, and of course that does not include the mormon-folklore promoted by Alvin R Dyer or Mark E Petersen or others ... falsehoods that are not in harmony with revelations through Joseph Smith. I hope someday when we slough off this mortal shell that he can look upon my bared soul and see that whatever he felt earned me that title when he and I were acquainted is not, will not, be there in any way. I hope he is similarly surprised at that great reckoning day when he sees the hearts of others he's so effortlessly labeled as racist in the past.

In the meantime I applaud his excellent effort to set at right many of these wrongs ... the church needs it and I deeply agree with much of what he says here and have made similar efforts myself online and in quorum meetings and such - not because of what Elder Smith called me but because I find racism repugnant.

Nobody can control how a reader or listener (be it Darron Smith or anyone else) chooses to interpret another one's words. The fact is that there are racists in our church, and the rest of us should correct them vehemently, and do our best when speaking or doing to be sensitive, and much more effort needs to be made by LDS leadership in that respect. The church does also need to come out and admit that wrongs have been done, and that what's most important is that the church comes clean in matters where some of it's leaders said racist and claimed false teachings while others who knew better looked the other way and allowed folklore to muddy up the true and fair nature of the revealed gospel.

There is much to learn from this about the nature of revelation and the priesthood through the study of these things ... and much good can be done by having LDS leaders explain these things to the membership rather than saying "that was in the past, let's move on". That might make the media go away, but it doesn't serve justice. It does seem though that for many there is little that can ever be said that will make the current state of affairs right enough. And that is understandable. It still needs to be done, and I suspect it will be ... it will take time ... I hope not much longer.

I look forward to the day when the church leaders more clearly identify that things like a changing of skin color when Nephites embraced a ferocious lifestyle is not racial (genetic) but the natural, yet foretold, consequence of a sun-basking lifestyle (the relationship is of course intuitively scientifically obvious and God works by the scientific laws of nature than He created). Symbolism is everything (in all churches in fact) which is why Book of Mormon prophets spoke of it as they did, but some of the symbolism of the past simply does not have the proper place today that it did then. That is precisely why we need a prophet and modern day revelation as stated in Amos 3:7. That's what we received in 1978. Now, let's hope our prophet helps right these wrongs more aggressively instead of just saying "let's leave that in the past". The gospel is too great for that to be the end all be all.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Insightful discussion, February 21, 2010

By 

Heather Crozier "Gofita" (Utah) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Black and Mormon (Paperback)

These articles were so insightful on being African American in a society that runs everything by white standards and then it delves deeper into how that affects African Americans in the Mormon church. How do they deal with the racist policies of the Church before the Priesthood ban was lifted in June of 1978? Many talk about how hurt they were, but how through their own personal experience with God they've been able to work through it.

Other articles talk about how since most of the LDS church in America is white, how they don't want to talk about race, but how it really needs to be addressed and that a lot of people in answer to why there was a priesthood ban continue to spread false folklore like "they weren't valiant enough in the preexistence or they are descended from Cain and thus cursed." These are completely false and yet are still used as reasons, which truly impact negatively African American members.

Black Americans have huge insights and ideas and culture to bring to the Church...I would really love to see more active hymns in the church, saying a few amens in agreement during sacrament meeting would be great!

I think it's very important to be aware about who we are and how we relate to others. Let's embrace all cultures over the world and incorporate their beautiful traditions into ours as well and truly become a worldwide church.

I really recommend this book for all members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or for those interested in African American studies. It helps us see ourselves in a new light and to change what we didn't know was ignorant or insensitive before.