Did Mormons forbid African Americans from joining their Church?
From the 1850s until 1978, persons of African descent could (and many did) join the Mormon Church, but Blacks were not allowed to hold the priesthood or certain positions within the Church. This has led to charges of racism and prejudice by the Mormon Church and its leaders. Never at any time have Blacks been denied membership in the Church and there were black Mormons in the early days of the Church, many of whom crossed the plains with the other Mormon pioneers and settled Utah. Also, Blacks have never been segregated from the white membership of the Church. Still, this practice continues to draw criticism. To understand why this practice came about, it is important to understand a little about the Mormon Church. In Mormonism, Priesthood represents God’s power and authority which He delegates to men on earth in order to lead God’s Church and perform ordinances like baptism. While translating the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith, the first prophet and founder of the Mormon Church, read ab
