God Changed his Mind About Black People : Race and Priesthood Authority in Mormonism

Abstract: This study attempts to analyze Mormon justifications for the religion’s policy of denying priesthood authority to black men from both before and after the policy’s removal in 1978. Through a close reading of primary sources released by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, this study attempts to understand how this paradigm shift is understood in the context of Mormon faith traditions. It is revealed that many official statements from the Church contradict one another to such a degree that a simple or coherent explanation is practically impossible.