Second-Class Saints

Black Mormons and the Struggle for Racial Equality

De: Matthew L. Harris

Narrado por: Bill Andrew Quinn

On June 9, 1978, the phones at the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) were ringing nonstop. On that historic day, LDS church president Spencer W. Kimball announced a revelation lifting the church's 126-year-old ban barring Black people from the priesthood and Mormon temples. It was the most significant change in LDS doctrine since the end of polygamy almost 100 years earlier.

Drawing on never-before-seen private papers of LDS apostles and church presidents, including Spencer W. Kimball, Matthew L. Harris probes the plot twists and turns, the near-misses and paths not taken, of this incredible story. While the notion that Kimball received a revelation might imply a sudden command from God, Harris shows that a variety of factors motivated Kimball and other church leaders to reconsider the ban, including the civil rights movement, which placed LDS racial policies and practices under a glaring spotlight, perceptions of racism that dogged the church and its leaders, and Kimball's own growing sense that the ban was morally wrong.

Deeply informed, engagingly written, and grounded in deep archival research, Harris provides a compelling and detailed account of how Mormon leaders lifted the priesthood and temple ban, then came to reckon with the church's controversial racial heritage.

©2024 Oxford University Press (P)2025 Tantor Media

Most important book on Mormon racial theology

This is the most important book on Mormon racial theology on the market. If you have any questions about the topic, this has the answer. It has stories and examples and first hand sources not previously available. I wish this had been written and available years ago, but I also understand that many of the sources were not available until more recently. I highly recommend it!

Very Informative; Frustrating but Hopeful

Fantastically written. I love the research that has gone into this, proving that “practices” and “policies” are very different than “doctrine” and “principles.” I was frustrated throughout the book with the “hardliners” and their dogma, but, in the end, I love the optimism presented for the direction the Church is heading.

The Justicfication of Racism by Latter-Day Saints

Due to my Black/African American parent's conversion to the church in the late 1960's, my brothers, sister, and I were all born and raised in this church before 1978. Despite patriarchal blessings, serving missions, temple marriages, and many priesthood leadership positions, we were ignorant of the debts of racism in the church. Blacks and the Priesthood was just the tip of the iceberg of this global racist belief. A few years ago I read a book called "Mormonism and White Supremacy". It opened my eyes to the racism of the leadership of the church and how their many documented teachings influenced member's beliefs and behaviors towards Blacks / Africans. However, I believe this book by Matthew L Harris is the best ever written on the subject. The details of the leadership’s mental disposition toward Black/Africans is astounding.
How can a church who claims to be "the ONLY true and living church upon the face of the earth" and bear the name of JESUS CHRIST have an undeniable and continued history of 100% racism in every aspect of the word? So. . .what are the true behaviors and beliefs of Christianity one may ask? Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Are people of African descent your neighbor? In my opinion, this answer is the true definition of Christianity.
I believe white or fair skin members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints could be some of the most racist people in all of Christianity because they justify their mental disorder of racism by blaming God, curses of Cain & Ham, and belief in the words of so-called Prophets and Apostles. It does not take much research to find out believers of Christianity have a very long history of racism and not recognizing those of brown or black skin as their neighbor. I have always wondered, does Christianity cause people to be racist? What's even more revealing in the book is the countless amounts of lies, spin, and deception by so-called Prophets and Apostles on this subject. Do you believe the church can still be true or the Church of Jesus Christ?

Incredible book with fascinating insights into just how the racist policies of the Mormon church changed. Excellent narration!

I'll first start with the narrator. I don't know if this narrator has some sort of history with Mormonism, but their narration is as far as I can tell almost perfect. there are so many terms in the Mormon movement that are frequently mispronounced by those who have not had significant interactions with broader Mormon movement. This narrator did an excellent job of pronouncing (as far as I can tell) almost every single name and place perfectly.

As for the book itself, Dr. Harris does an excellent job of bringing together sources new and old to give so much context that has been known to precious few in the past. This context sheds a light on not only how the priesthood ban was lifted, but also how the church operates at the highest levels. this book shows from so many points of view how LDS leaders and members wrestle with complex problems. Truly worthwhile, read, or since you're reading this review on audible, a worthwhile listen.