Today, the church tells a story that goes something like this: it was a revelation from God that prompted LDS leaders to change course. And while it may have felt that way to those in charge at the time, the historian Matthew Harris says that finally giving Black men the Mormon priesthood was also the work of gathering consensus — of bringing together a group of hardliners, progressives and moderates. The change was a long time coming, and Mormons of color, as well as white members, are still contending with the church’s teachings on race today.
GUEST –
Matthew Harris | Professor of History at Colorado State University Pueblo. His book is “Second Class Saints: Black Mormons and the Struggle for Racial Equality” [Amazon|Bookshop].
Airdate: Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024 at 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.