In order, from the beginning. Each page has the audio, the video, chapter markers, and a full transcript.
In this new series on Mormon Leadership, historian Matt Harris discusses Mormonism’s early racism, focusing on the priesthood and temple ban for Black members. He explores the church’s opposition to civil rights, the…
Join with us today as we discuss the priesthood and temple ban with historian Matt Harris. Joseph F. Smith and Joseph Fielding Smith, both Mormon leaders, could not find any doctrinal bases for the priesthood and temple…
In 1947, Lowry Nelson, a respected Mormon academic, challenged the LDS Church’s racist policies in a series of letters to top leadership. Occurring on the cusp of the Civil Rights Movement, the First Presidency reacted…
Today we are joined by Dr. Darron Smith, Summur-Rayn Barrett, and Nate Byrd of Black Menaces to react to the first three episodes with Matt Harris. Their commentary unpacks Joseph Smith’s complex racial attitudes…
Join us today as we discuss Mormon the priesthood and temple ban with historian Matt Harris. We will be talking about missionary work in South Africa, patriarchal blessings for black individuals, the removal of church…
Join with us today as we continue to discuss the history of racism in the Mormon church with historian Matt Harris. We will discuss segregation in Utah, including blood banks, hotels, in Relief Societies, etc. In the…
In the 1950s and 60s, the Mormon church faced internal turmoil as a group of intellectuals known as the “Swearing Elders” challenged orthodox doctrines. This clash between free-thinking scholars and conservative leaders…
Today we are joined with historian Matthew Harris to discuss Hugh B. Brown and his attempts to lift the priesthood and temple ban for black members of the church. Hugh B. Brown was an attorney and joined the Quorum of…
Join Nate Byrd, Summer-Rayn, Dr. Darron Smith, and John Dehlin as they tackle the uncomfortable truths of Mormon leaders supporting racial segregation. This episode dives into topics like the European origin theory of…
Join us as historian Matthew Harris returns to discuss what happens when members of the Mormon Church First Presidency go rogue. We explore George Romney’s support of Civil Rights versus Ezra Taft Benson’s involvement…
Join us as we uncover what drove change within the Mormon Church, from government pressure on BYU to admit more black students to the church’s troubling response. We’ll dive into shocking letters sent to black…
In the 1960s, Mormon Apostle Hugh B. Brown made significant efforts to lift the priesthood and temple ban for Black members of the church, even speaking with the media about the possibility of change. President Harold…
In today’s video, we dive into the protests at BYU during the 1970s, including threats from black activists and government pressure to increase diversity in hiring and recruitment. We’ll also discuss a shocking incident…
What were the events and who were the key characters that led to the lifting of the priesthood and temple ban for black people? In this episode Matt Harris will answer those questions. Rumors have gone around that the…
In this episode, we join Matt Harris to discuss the aftermath of lifting the priesthood and temple ban in the LDS Church. We explore how Bruce R. McConkie’s account of the revelation was embellished and the damage…
The priesthood and temple ban began when Brigham Young learned that Black Saints were marrying white women, fearing interracial marriage. When the ban was finally lifted it was only with the caveat that they continued…
Join us today as we meet again with historian Matt Harris to discuss his new book “Second Class Saints: Black Mormons and the Struggle for Racial Equality.” Matt Harris talks about the relationship between the Church…
Join us as Matthew Harris returns to discuss Gordon B. Hinckley’s efforts to address lingering racism in the church, the push to remove Bruce R. McConkie’s Mormon Doctrine from shelves, and members’ calls for an apology…
Today we are discussing pivotal moments, from the Church’s “Race and the Priesthood” essay to public statements on racism, and the ongoing struggle for meaningful engagement on these issues. Highlights include racial…
