In 1981, the lds church decided to change what joseph smith called the most correct of any book on earth by reverting to the wording of the lone 1840 edition. In 1978, the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. A historian looks at the legacy of racism in the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. Church removes racial references in book of mormon headings.
The history of racism and white supremacy in the mormon church. The change is not as the critics want to portray it a recent change designed to remove a racist original. The lamanites are one of the four ancient peoples described as having settled in the ancient americas in the book of mormon, a sacred text of the latter day. Several native americans are suing the mormon church for. The prophet joseph smith made an important textual emendation to this passage in the 1840 edition of the book of mormon, where the phrase a white and a delightsome people was changed to a pure and a delightsome people. When brigham young and his band of mormon settlers marched into utah in 1847, they saw a vast expanse of land they envisioned as a.
Until a few decades ago, the church of jesus christ of latterday saints taught that they shall be a white and a delightsome people, a phrase taken from the book of mormon. Mormons tried to stop native child slavery in utah. One group has claimed it cannot be racist as white skinned nephites and blackskinned lamanites are nothing more than metaphors for cultures, not for skin. Book of mormontextual changeswhite changed to pure. This change was first made in the 1840 nauvoo edition of the book of mormon by joseph smith, but later editions did not rely on that one, so the change was not reflected for more than a century, until it was restored to the 1981 edition. According to a prophecy in the original text of the book of mormon, the lamanites were destined to become white and delightsome once they. Book of mormon introduction change may reflect new thinking about an ancient people. Many generations shall not pass away among them, save they. Video this change was originally made in the 1840 edition, lost, and then restored again in. Nonwhitesome mormons the university of chicago divinity school. Mormons, members of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints, represent only about two percent of the american people, but.
Lds scripture church drops dark and skin of blackness from lamanite descriptions. The history of racism and white supremacy in the mormon. First gabon baptisms, photo by the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. While the mormon church leaders taught that indians were cursed with a dark skin they went a step further with regard to blacks.
The 1830 and most earlier editions said that the descendants of lehi would become a white and delightsome people. Video this change was originally made in the 1840 edition, lost, and then restored again in the 1981 edition. One group has claimed it cannot be racist as white skinned nephites and black skinned lamanites are nothing more than metaphors for cultures, not for skin. The 1830 edition of the book of mormon had nephi prophesy that his descendants would become a white and a delightsome people through the gospel of jesus christ. Church members accept the book of mormon as holy scripture equivalent to the bible. Mormons altering indian prophecy the new york times. Book of mormon introduction change may reflect new. The lds church teaches that native americans are descendants of the lamanites, a group of people who, according to the book of mormon, left israel in 600 b. This was changed by joseph smith in 1840 to read that nephis descendants would become a pure and a delightsome people. What does it mean to be a white and delightsome people. The book of mormon speaks of nephis descendants becoming a white and delightsome people. What does white and delightsome people mean in the.