MormonTimes.com: Documentary chronicles history of black Mormons

Published: Monday, March 10, 2008 12:10 a.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
MURRAY, Utah — Elijah Abel, Jane Manning James and Green Flake hold a unique, but rather obscure place in Mormon history: all three joined the church in its infancy and all three were black.

They also remained faithful after policies were altered and blacks were denied priesthood blessings in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Abel was the first black man ordained to the priesthood in 1836. James worked in the home of church founder Joseph Smith and followed the faith's next president, Brigham Young, across the Plains to Utah in 1848. Flake came to Utah as well, but as the slave of white members. He was freed by Young in 1854.

Such stories won't remain unknown if Darius Gray and Margaret Young have anything to do with it. They've chronicled the struggles of black Latter-day Saints in a new documentary "Nobody Knows: The Untold Story of Black Mormons."

To read more about the film on MormonTimes.com please click here.

Recent comments

As a lifetime member I remember the days when the Black members were...

Linda Brown Blake | March 18, 2008 at 11:54 a.m.

I have been a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day...

Dawn Adams | March 17, 2008 at 6:54 p.m.

Prejudice and ignorance are closely related. Ignorance leads to...

Harry | March 11, 2008 at 7:21 a.m.

previousnext

Latest comments

to Mr. 9:52 Let's see if I have this correct. In order to show my compassion...

If this man was a teacher and wasn't Mormon the people on these boards would...

Why bury GM story?

GM holds many US Military contracts, building vehicles such as the Humvee. ...

Does this mean they will be going back to the Countries they came from?

DUH! we do not tolerate inappropriate relations between adult males and...

53 Banks have failed this year, thousands more, including Utah banks, are on...

did a lot of good for a lot of folks. Unfortunately, his life will be forever...

Has Movsisyan said anything complimentary about RSL fans? If he has, I...

LDS seminary principal is arrested in sexual abuse

I won't comment at all on this case, since I don't know the details. But I'm...

If all the talk about moving Boozer is serious, then yes, Paul made a...

Advertisements