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Why My Race Is a Gift from God: Perspectives from an African American Latter-day Saint

*Editor's Note: This is a republication of an article written in 2011, prior to the release of the Church's essay "Race and the Priesthood" in 2013.

Racism and the Church: Do we demand change?

A friend mentioned recently that he met his first black Mormon and that he didn't know they existed. Of course they do. I was one. He was shocked and asked, "How could you be a member of a racist church?" I explained the Church's teaching, then turned to my own question about race and religion: why don't we challenge racism in all faiths?

NPR: At ballot, black Mormon couple weighs faith, race

With two African-American candidates and two Mormon candidates vying for the presidency, black Mormons find themselves at the political intersection of race and religion. Host Michel Martin speaks with two black members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Don Harwell and his wife, Jerri, who have different political viewpoints.

'Words would diminish the power' of the revelation on the priesthood

By Lindsey Williams

Editor's note: Our bi-weekly Friday column, “Found in the footnotes,” explores some of the footnotes from remarks given by General Authorities and General Officers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Latter-day Saint Life

Black Bishop Shares His Conversion and Experience with Unanswered Questions About Race and Priesthood

By Danielle B. Wagner

After being arrested at age 14, Donald Kelly knew something needed to change in his life.

Mini Feature

‘We all belong’—How the first Black woman called to serve a full-time mission inspires the next generation

By Kendra Bybee

“When I started nosing through old photo albums, I discovered my mom was the first Black woman to receive a mission call.”

Mauli Bonner and Paul Reeve: Understanding the History of Blacks in the Church

In 1830, the same year the Church was organized, a former slave named Peter became the first documented Black member of the Church. Nearly 200 years later, Mauli Bonner first heard Peter's story when he started exploring his own faith as a Black member of the Church. This journey led him to Paul Reeve, a professor at the University of Utah who has studied Blacks in Church history extensively. On today's episode, Mauli and Paul explain not only the importance of the stories of early Black Latter-day Saints, but also how their stories can strengthen our faith and our testimonies of the restored gospel.

Blacks and the Priesthood

Latter-day Saint Life

Lecture Shows that Restrictions on Blacks & the Priesthood Was Policy, Never Doctrine

Lester Bush said Thursday night he couldn't imagine the future positive historical developments for blacks in the LDS Church when he wrote his landmark 1973 history about the restriction on giving blacks the priesthood.

Latter-day Saint Life

New Website Focuses on History of Blacks in the Church & Celebrates Their Contributions

By Dr. Quintard Taylor

African Americans have been members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints almost since its founding in 1830. Their numbers were initially small, but their role was significant. Green Flake, for example, Brigham Young’s driver and scout, was one of the first Mormon pioneers to reach the Salt Lake Valley in 1847.