Mormonism’s Negro Doctrine: An Historical Overview* Lester E. Bush Jr. So long as we have no special rule in the Church, as to people of color, let prudence guide, and while they, as well as we, are in the hands ofa merciful God, we say: Shun every appearance of evil—W. W. Phelps, 1833 ‘THERE ONCE WAS A TIME, albeit brief, when a “Negro problem” did not exist for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. During those early months in New York and Ohio, no mention was even made of church attitudes towards blacks. The gospel was for “all nations, kin- dreds, tongues and peoples,” and no exceptions were made. A Negro, “Black Pete,” was among the first converts in Ohio, and his story was, prominently reported in the local press.? W. W. Phelps opened a mission to Missouri in July 1831 and preached to “all the families of the earth,” “This article first appeared in Vol. 8, No.1 (Spring 1973): 11-68. A decade later the au thor published an update, "Whence the Negro Doctrine? A Review of Ten Years of An- swers,” which appeared with related article in Lester E Bush and Armand L. Mauss, eds, Neither White or Black: Mormon Scholars Confront the Race Issue na Universal Church (Slt Lake City: Signature Books, 1984). More recently, additonal materis| sas included in his "Waiting ‘Moreonisms’s Negro Doctrine: An Historical Overview” (1973) Context and Re- Sections, 1998" in Journal of Mormon History 25 Spring 1999): 229-271. 1. The injunction was found in many places in the recently published Book of Mor- mon (eg, 1 Ne. 19:17; 1 Ne. 22:28; 2 Ne. 308; Mos. 2725; Alma 298;3 Ne. 2825; similarly, 4 Ne. 1735;2 Ne, 2626-2833; Mos. 237; Alma 26337), and was reaffirmed in a revelation to Joseph Smith, 9 Feb. 1831, published the following July: ‘And I give unto you a command ‘ment that ye Shall teach them tnto all men, for they shall be taught unto all nations, kin- ‘deeds, tongues and peoples” (Evening and Morning Star [hereafter E&MS, July 1832, presently D&C 42:58). 2. Ashtabula Journal, § Feb. 1831, and Albany Journal, 16 Feb. 1831. These papers at- tribute the account tothe Puinesuille Gazette andthe Geeuga Gazette, respectively.226 Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought specifically mentioning Negroes among his first audience.? The follow- ing year another black, Elijah Abel, was baptized in Maryland* This initial period was ultimately brought to an end by the influx of ‘Mormons into the Missouri mission in late 1831 and early 1832, Not long before the arrival of the Mormon vanguard, the “deformed and haggard visage” of abolitionism was manifest in Missouri; elsewhere Nat Turner graphically reinforced the southern phobia of slave insurrection. ‘At this time the Mormons were mostly emigrants from northern and ‘eastern states, and were not slaveholders. In less than a year, a rumor was afoot that they were “tampering” with the slaves. Not insensitive to this charge, the Mormons agreed to investigate and “bring to justice any person who might. . violate the law of the land by stirring up the blacks to an insurrection, or in any degree dissuade them from being perfectly obedient to their masters.”® Their investigations proved negative as only ‘one specific accusation was uncovered, and the elder accused had re- tured to the East; however, the rumors continued unabated.¢ ‘One aspect of the slaveholders’ paranoia not initially touched by the ‘Mormon presence was the dictum that free Negroes promoted slave re- volts. Ten years earlier Missouri had been delayed admission into the Union for barring free Negroes from the state. A modification in the state constitution was compelled which allowed entry to the few free blacks who were citizens of other states. Consequently, free Negroes were rare in Missouri; Jackson County had none. In the summer of 1833, the older settlers perceived a new threat to this status embodied in the church’s Evening and Morning Star. Due to special requirements in the Missouri law affecting the immigration of free Negroes into the state, Phelps had published the relevant material “to prevent any misunderstanding among the churches abroad, respect- ing free people of color, who may think of coming to the western bound- aries of Missouri, as members of the Church.”” The Missourians inter- preted the article as an invitation to “free negroes and mulattoes from other states to become ‘Mormons,’ and remove and settle among us.”* 3. Manuscript History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, entry un- dated. Last preceding dated entey was from June 1831, but an intervening reprint from July ‘suggests that the account originated inthe latter month, ‘4. Andrew Jenson, Later-day Saint Biographical Encylopedia (Salt Lake City: A. Jenson History Co, 1901-36), 3577. 5. "Outrage in Jackson County, Missouri,” F&MS 2 (Jan. 1834): 122. 6. Adiscussion of this problem is tobe found in Warren A. Jennings, “Factors tn the Destruction of the Mormon Press in Missouri, 1833,” Utah Historia! Quarterly 35 (1967): 59-76, 7, "Free People of Color” E&MS 2 July 1833): 108. 8, "The Manifeso of the Mob,” as recorded in John Whitmer's History, 9 also foundBush: Mormonism’ Negro Doctrine: An Historical Overview 227 This interpretation was probably unfair to Phelps as he had stated twice that the subject was especially delicate, and one on which great care should be taken to “shun every appearance of evil.” However, he al: cluded a remarkably injudicious comment: “In connection with the won- derful events of this age, much is doing towards abolishing slavery, and colonizing the blacks, in Africa.”® The local citizenry immediately drafted a list of accusations against the Saints, prominently featuring the anti-slavery issue and Phelps's arti- cle. In response, Phelps issued an “Extra” explaining that he had been “misunderstood.” The intention, he wrote, “was not only to stop free people of color from emigrating to this state, but to prevent them from. being admitted as members of the Church” and stated that, furthermore, “none will be admitted into the Church.” Since Phelps had stated in his, first article that there was “no special rule in the Church, as to people of color,” this new restriction was obviously an expedient adopted in Mis- souri, Incredibly, Phelps also reprinted his previous reflection on the “wonderful events. . towards abolishing slavery.” The reversal of position on Negro membership had no discernible impact on the settlers; a redraft of their charges, with additional de- mands, was incorporated into several “propositions” which flatly re- jected Phelps’s explanation.” The subsequent events are well known: mob violence, the destruction of the Star press, and ultimately the expul- sion of the Saints from Jackson County. The Missouri accusations had gone “considerably the rounds in the public prints,” so, on reestablishing the Star in Ohio, an extensive rebut- tal was published. No Mormon, it was asserted, had ever been impli- cated on a charge of tampering with the slaves. In a broader context, the Star added, All who are acquainted with the situation of slave States, know that the life of every white is in constant danger, and to insinuate any thing which could possibly be interpreted by a slave, that it was not just to hold human beings in bondage, would be jeopardizing the life of every white inhabitant in the country. For the moment an insurrection should break out, no respect would be paid to age, sex, or religion by an enraged, jealous, and ignorant black Jn Joseph Smith, Je, History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints (hereafter DHC), €d.B.H. Roberts, 7 vols, (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1902-12), 1.378. 9. E&MS 2 July 1833): 111 10, E&MS “Extra” reprinted in Tins & Seasons (hereafter T&S) 6818; also DHIC 1:78, 11. "Contemporsneous with the appearance of this article, was the expectation among the brethren here, that a considerable number of this degraded caste were only Awaiting this information before they should set out on their journey” (T&S 6832-3, which cites the Westers Monitor of Aug. 1833; however, Jennings, op. ct, dates the Monito arti- cle9 Aug. 1833).