Racial issues may remain for LDS members

Darius Gray and Young, driving forces behind the film, are also authors and historians about black Latter-day Saints.

They showed excerpts from their new movie to FAIR attendees Thursday morning and then showed the entire production at Sunstone on Thursday evening.

Gray described it as "a piece we're very proud of." The film has been shown in other places and "has been well-received in each location," Gray said.

He stressed it is not a proselyting vehicle, nor is it negative.

"We've let people tell their story."

Young said they'd hoped to have the production on DVD by now and available to the public. However, she said, special features are twice as long as the main production, and it's taking longer to complete. The editor is doing other projects also, so "before Christmas" is the latest prediction.

Discussions about blacks in the church followed both showings of the film.

At FAIR, when asked if we need to know exactly why there was ever a ban on blacks holding the priesthood, Young said, "I can't imagine why we want to make clear why there was a ban."

Gray simply said "no," that he has no reason to know the why.

The two stressed they provide historical perspective and interviews, but not answers on doctrines or church policies.

Gray also strongly suggested that church members study the scriptures in context — the entire Pearl of Great Price in particular —and not just key verses if they want answers to such questions.

The movie states that the LDS Church had only 300 or so blacks as members outside Utah in the 1960s and even fewer inside the state.

The production interviewed one black church member, Keith Hamilton, who said, "I believe I chose to come to earth as a black man. I chose my mission."

The film also mentions that Elijah Abel was ordained an elder by Joseph Smith and later made a seventy in 1841. Abel was told by Brigham Young he could not receive his temple endowment in 1852.

At the Sunstone screening of the film, there were about 200 people in attendance.

Mary Ellen Robertson, director of outreach and symposium for Sunstone, had previously seen the film and said, "I think this should be required viewing for Mormons everywhere."

• In yet another Saturday morning Sunstone session, "Two Presentations on African American Mormons," it was mentioned there is evidence that as many as seven men of African descent held the Mormon priesthood before 1847.

• More information on the Genesis group is available at ldsgenesisgroup.org.

• Sunstone has no official ties to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. FAIR is also not directly affiliated with the LDS Church.

The annual FAIR conference ended Friday, while the 2008 Sunstone Symposium finished up Saturday.

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E-mail: lynn@desnews.com