From 1852 to 1978, temple and priesthood policies in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) prohibited both black women and men from temple ordinances and ordination in the all-male priesthood. In 1978, the church's highest governing body, the First Presidency, declared in the "Official Declaration 2" statement, that the restriction had been lifted. Between 1830 and 1852, a few black men had been ordained to the Mormon priesthood in the Latter Day Saint movement under Joseph Smith.
As part of this restriction, both black men and women of African descent at various times, were prohibited from taking part in ceremonies in the church's temples (e.g. endowments and marriage sealings), serving in certain leadership callings, attending priesthood meetings, and speaking at firesides. Spouses of black people of African descent were also prohibited from entering the temple. Over time, the restriction was relaxed so that dark-skinned people of non-African descent could attend priesthood meetings and people with a "questionable lineage" were given the priesthood, such as Fijians, Indigenous Australians, and Egyptians, as well as Brazilians and South Africans with an unknown heritage who did not appear to have any black heritage.
During this time, leaders in Mormonism's largest denomination—the LDS Church—taught that the restriction came from curses of Cain and Ham and their descendants, and that black people were less valiant in their premortal life. Top church leaders (called general authorities) used LDS scriptures to justify their explanations, including the Book of Moses, which teaches that the descendants of Canaan had "a blackness come upon them", and the Book of Abraham which says a Pharaoh could not have the priesthood because of his lineage. In 1978, the church president and apostles declared that the restrictions were lifted as a result of a revelation. The 1978 declaration was incorporated into the Doctrine and Covenants, a book of LDS scripture.
In December 2013, the LDS Church published an essay approved by the First Presidency which discussed the restriction. In it, the church disavowed most race-based explanations for the past priesthood restriction and denounced racism. A 2016 survey of self-identified LDS adherents revealed that over 60 percent of respondents either "know" or "believe" that the priesthood/temple ban was God's will. A 2023 survey of over 1,000 former church members in the Mormon corridor found race issues in the church to be one of the top three reported reasons why they had disaffiliated.
Racial restrictions
Under the racial restrictions that lasted from the presidency of Brigham Young until 1978, people with any black African ancestry could not hold the priesthood in the LDS Church and could not participate in most temple ordinances, including the endowment and celestial marriage. Black people were permitted to be members of the church, and to participate in some temple ordinances, such as baptism for the dead.In her autobiography, Jane Elizabeth Manning James says she "had the privilege of going into the temple and being baptized for some of my dead."http://www.blacklds.org/manning Life History of Jane Elizabeth Manning James as transcribed by Elizabeth J.D. Round
The racial restrictions were applied to black Africans, persons of black African descent, and anyone with mixed race that included any black African ancestry. The restrictions were not applied to Native Americans, Hispanics, Melanesians, or Polynesians.
Priesthood
Brigham Young taught that black men would not receive the priesthood until "all the other descendants of Adam have received the promises and enjoyed the blessings of the Priesthood and the keys thereof."
The priesthood restriction was particularly limiting, because the LDS Church has a lay priesthood and all worthy male members may receive the priesthood if they choose to do so. Young men are generally admitted to the Aaronic priesthood at age 12, and it is a significant rite of passage. Holders of the priesthood officiate at church meetings, perform blessings of healing, and manage church affairs. Excluding black people from the priesthood meant that they could not hold significant church leadership roles or participate in certain spiritual events such as blessing the sick or giving other blessings reserved for priesthood holders.
Temple ordinances
Between 1852 and 1978, most black people were not permitted to participate in ordinances performed in the LDS Church temples, such as the endowment, celestial marriages, and family sealings. Despite this, Joseph Fielding Smith clarified in 1958 "...if a Negro is baptized and remains true and loyal, he will enter the celestial kingdom... but we cannot promise him that he will receive the priesthood".Answers to Gospel Questions 2:185
LDS leaders teach that those marriages sealed in the church's temples can become celestial marriages that bind the family together forever, whereas those marriages that are not sealed are terminated upon death. As church president, David O. McKay taught that black people "need not worry, as those who receive the testimony of the restored gospel may have their family ties protected and other blessings made secure, for in the justice of the Lord they will possess all the blessings to which they are entitled in the eternal plan of Salvation and Exaltation." This is in line with what was revealed to Joseph Smith Jr. in 1836.
Brigham Young taught, "When the ordinances are carried out in the temples that will be erected, [children] will be sealed to their [parents], and those who have slept, clear up to Father Adam. This will have to be done ... until we shall form a perfect chain from Father Adam down to the closing up scene."Chapter 41: Temple Ordinances, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young (Salt Lake City, Utah: LDS Church, 1997) p. 299.
An exception to the temple ban for black members was that (except for the complete temple ban period from the mid-1960s until the early 1970s under McKay), black members had been allowed a limited use recommend to act as proxies in baptisms for the dead. Additionally, black children who were legally adopted by white parents could be sealed to their parents.
Church service
Under the priesthood ban, black men and women could not hold any significant church callings, be leaders, or serve missions. The LDS Church relies heavily on its unpaid members to fulfill leadership positions and serve in church callings. For men, the priesthood is required for many leadership and church callings and is given to virtually every male as early as age 11. For both men and women, a temple endowment is required or encouraged for other callings, such as missionary service. This limited the ability of black members to serve in various callings. When the priesthood was given to black people under Joseph Smith, they were also able to serve in a variety of callings. For example, Elijah Abel served a mission and was called to hold the priesthood office of seventy. When Brigham Young instituted the priesthood restriction, black members were barred from many leadership and service positions, and, initially, from attending priesthood meetings. In 1952, McKay banned black people from speaking at priesthood meetings and firesides.
Through the years, some exceptions were made to allow black members to serve without the priesthood. For example, Samuel Chamber was appointed to be an assistant deacon in 1873. He had the same duties as a deacon, but without being given the priesthood.William G. Hartley, "Samuel D. Chambers, The Improvement Era, Spring 1977; "Saint Without Priesthood: The Collected Testimonies of Ex-Slave Samuel D. Chambers," Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 12: 2 (Summer 1979; Jessie L. Embry, Black Saints in a White Church: Contemporary African American Mormons (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1994.) In 1945, Abner and Martha Howell were called to serve a mission to establish segregated congregations in the southern states. Howell was given a letter signed by LeGrand Richards that allowed him to speak even though black people were not permitted to attend services there. He was later given a card designating him as an "Honorary High Priest".
By the 1960s, black men could serve in leadership roles in auxiliary organizations and attend priesthood meetings, including serving in the Sunday School or Young Men presidency. In the 1960s, church president McKay began considering opening up a mission in Nigeria. After several difficulties with visas, LeMar Williams was in Nigeria preparing to open the mission. It was decided that only the auxiliaries would be set up in Nigeria, which could be operated without the priesthood. Nigerian men would be allowed to pass the sacrament, but white missionaries would need to bless it. However, the program was canceled after several members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles objected. In 1971, the Genesis Group was formed as an auxiliary to the church for black members. Black members were able to fill positions in the Relief Society, Young Men, and Young Women presidencies. Mary Bankhead served as the first Relief Society president.
Since the 1978 rescinding of racial restrictions, black people have been able to serve in church callings and fulfill leadership positions. However, service at general church levels has been limited. While there have been several black members of the Quorums of the Seventy and auxiliary general boards,Huffington Post article on September 2014 Women's MeetingFor example, Helvécio Martins, Joseph W. Sitati, and Edward Dube until 2020 there had not been a member of the First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, or the general organizational presidencies (Relief Society, Young Women, Primary, Young Men, or Sunday School) that was black. On April 4, 2020, Ahmad Corbitt was sustained as First Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency, and is the first black person to hold that position.
People who married black people
The first time a church leader taught that a non-black person was cursed for having married a black person was on February 6, 1835. An assistant president of the church, W. W. Phelps, wrote a letter theorizing that Ham's wife was a descendant of Cain and that Ham himself was cursed for "marrying a black wife". Young expanded this idea, teaching that non-black people who had children with a black person would themselves be cursed to the priesthood, and that the law of the Lord required the couple and their children to be killed. George Q. Cannon of the First Presidency reaffirmed this was the law of the Lord and explained it was to keep the descendants of Cain from getting the priesthood.
Several white members were denied access to temple ceremonies after they had married a black person. One white woman was denied a temple sealing to her white husband because she had previously married a black man, even though she had divorced him. Cannon argued that allowing her access to the temple would not be fair to her two daughters, which she had with her black husband. Another white man was denied the priesthood because he had married a black woman. In 1966, a white woman who had received her endowments was banned by local leaders from going to the temple and was told her endowments were invalid because she had since married a black man. Church president McKay agreed with the ban on going to the temple, but said her endowments were still valid. After 1978, husbands of black women could receive the priesthood and spouses of black people could perform temple rituals.
Implementation