Paul Reeve
@wpaulreeve.bsky.social
Religion of a Different Color | Let's Talk about Race and Priesthood | This Abominable Slavery | U of U History
Reposted by Paul Reeve
Today we remember Mary Willson even though we know very little about her. The only surviving source to name her and describe her as a “colored woman” is a list of rebaptisms performed in Nashville, Lee County, Iowa. 1/7
October 19, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Today we remember Mary Willson even though we know very little about her. The only surviving source to name her and describe her as a “colored woman” is a list of rebaptisms performed in Nashville, Lee County, Iowa. 1/7
Reposted by Paul Reeve
Even though Mary Bowdidge Berry Smith was a white woman, she nonetheless ran afoul of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ racial policies. LDS leaders barred Mary from receiving the crowning rituals of her faith because she had married a Black man & had children with him.
October 12, 2025 at 12:27 PM
Even though Mary Bowdidge Berry Smith was a white woman, she nonetheless ran afoul of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ racial policies. LDS leaders barred Mary from receiving the crowning rituals of her faith because she had married a Black man & had children with him.
Reposted by Paul Reeve
Ethel Irene Wells Burdette and her husband William were two of three Black converts to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, baptized on the same day in 1914 in Chester County, Pennsylvania where William worked in the coal mines. 1/5
October 8, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Ethel Irene Wells Burdette and her husband William were two of three Black converts to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, baptized on the same day in 1914 in Chester County, Pennsylvania where William worked in the coal mines. 1/5
Reposted by Paul Reeve
Alex James Brooks grew to adulthood in southwestern Georgia during federal Reconstruction when southern Black people enjoyed some of the rights promised in the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the Constitution, including citizenship and Black male voting rights. 1/4
September 21, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Alex James Brooks grew to adulthood in southwestern Georgia during federal Reconstruction when southern Black people enjoyed some of the rights promised in the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the Constitution, including citizenship and Black male voting rights. 1/4
Reposted by Paul Reeve
Major Dorimus Church's mother was formerly enslaved to his father. Born in Tennessee in 1869, in the aftermath of the Civil War, he and his mother and his siblings were listed in the 1870 census as Black. 1/6
September 14, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Major Dorimus Church's mother was formerly enslaved to his father. Born in Tennessee in 1869, in the aftermath of the Civil War, he and his mother and his siblings were listed in the 1870 census as Black. 1/6
Reposted by Paul Reeve
John & Laura Thorpe Fuller were both likely born into slavery in Granville County, North Carolina, before the Civil War began. After slavery was abolished, John worked on his father's farm from a young age & continued to do so well into adulthood, likely cultivating tobacco. 1/7
September 7, 2025 at 2:06 PM
John & Laura Thorpe Fuller were both likely born into slavery in Granville County, North Carolina, before the Civil War began. After slavery was abolished, John worked on his father's farm from a young age & continued to do so well into adulthood, likely cultivating tobacco. 1/7
Reposted by Paul Reeve
Lorah Jane Bowdidge Berry Barton’s life history illustrates the ramifications of the one-drop racial temple & priesthood ban that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints enforced on members who appeared to be white, but who actually had limited Black African ancestry. 1/5
August 31, 2025 at 1:16 PM
Lorah Jane Bowdidge Berry Barton’s life history illustrates the ramifications of the one-drop racial temple & priesthood ban that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints enforced on members who appeared to be white, but who actually had limited Black African ancestry. 1/5
Reposted by Paul Reeve
Sylvester James, along with his mother Jane Manning James, his half-brother Silas, and step father Isaac James, was an 1847 pioneer into the Salt Lake Valley. He labored to establish a new settlement in the valley and with his family worked in Brigham Young's household. 1/6
August 28, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Sylvester James, along with his mother Jane Manning James, his half-brother Silas, and step father Isaac James, was an 1847 pioneer into the Salt Lake Valley. He labored to establish a new settlement in the valley and with his family worked in Brigham Young's household. 1/6
Reposted by Paul Reeve
A new painting at LDS Church History Library by Casey Lynn Childs depicts a singular day in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. On September 3, 1875, 8 African American Latter-day Saints attended the Endowment House to perform proxy baptisms for deceased friends & family.
August 20, 2025 at 2:54 PM
A new painting at LDS Church History Library by Casey Lynn Childs depicts a singular day in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. On September 3, 1875, 8 African American Latter-day Saints attended the Endowment House to perform proxy baptisms for deceased friends & family.
Reposted by Paul Reeve
Albert Webb had a short-lived membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Only a couple of weeks after his baptism in 1872 in Tennessee, he returned to his previous religion, the Disciples of Christ. 1/4
August 17, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Albert Webb had a short-lived membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Only a couple of weeks after his baptism in 1872 in Tennessee, he returned to his previous religion, the Disciples of Christ. 1/4
Reposted by Paul Reeve
The Salt Lake Tribune Mormon Land podcast interviewed Professors Jenny Pulsipher and Paul Reeve about the new Century of Black Mormons bio of James Brown Jr., a captain in the Mormon Battalion and founder of Ogden, Utah. A link to the Mormon Land interview follows.
August 14, 2025 at 2:32 PM
The Salt Lake Tribune Mormon Land podcast interviewed Professors Jenny Pulsipher and Paul Reeve about the new Century of Black Mormons bio of James Brown Jr., a captain in the Mormon Battalion and founder of Ogden, Utah. A link to the Mormon Land interview follows.
Reposted by Paul Reeve
One public historian who wrote about Susannah Lucretia Tanner Christensen Stevens for a Las Vegas history project suggested that her long life embodied “much of western history.” 1/4
July 6, 2025 at 3:28 PM
One public historian who wrote about Susannah Lucretia Tanner Christensen Stevens for a Las Vegas history project suggested that her long life embodied “much of western history.” 1/4
Reposted by Paul Reeve
John Stewart Knight was beset by opposition for most of his life. As a mixed-race man & suspected homosexual, he faced considerable challenges. 1/3
July 2, 2025 at 2:20 PM
John Stewart Knight was beset by opposition for most of his life. As a mixed-race man & suspected homosexual, he faced considerable challenges. 1/3
Reposted by Paul Reeve
2/2 More poignantly, these sources suggest a desire to fulfill the covenants she made on a spring evening in Texas, in which “many spoke by the spirit & prophesied” & the fervor of the event captivated the new converts until midnight. Meet Louisa here: exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of...
Century of Black Mormons · Louisa · J. Willard Marriott Library Exhibits
exhibits.lib.utah.edu
June 22, 2025 at 11:52 AM
2/2 More poignantly, these sources suggest a desire to fulfill the covenants she made on a spring evening in Texas, in which “many spoke by the spirit & prophesied” & the fervor of the event captivated the new converts until midnight. Meet Louisa here: exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of...
Reposted by Paul Reeve
Without an 1853 journal entry from Texas and an 1857 entry in Latter-day Saint records in Utah, an enslaved woman named Louisa may have been lost to history. These two sources offer an intriguing glimpse into her life and her epic westward journey. 1/2
June 22, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Without an 1853 journal entry from Texas and an 1857 entry in Latter-day Saint records in Utah, an enslaved woman named Louisa may have been lost to history. These two sources offer an intriguing glimpse into her life and her epic westward journey. 1/2
Something for Father's day:
open.substack.com/pub/wayfare/...
open.substack.com/pub/wayfare/...
open.substack.com
June 15, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Something for Father's day:
open.substack.com/pub/wayfare/...
open.substack.com/pub/wayfare/...
Looking for a Father's day gift? Nothing says "I love you dad" like a history of slavery in Utah. This Abominable Slavery won the Mormon History Association's Best Book Award & Amazon has it on sale for 21% off. Fathers everywhere are hoping for a copy instead of that boring tie you picked out
June 12, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Looking for a Father's day gift? Nothing says "I love you dad" like a history of slavery in Utah. This Abominable Slavery won the Mormon History Association's Best Book Award & Amazon has it on sale for 21% off. Fathers everywhere are hoping for a copy instead of that boring tie you picked out
Reposted by Paul Reeve
47 years ago today the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reintegrated its priesthood and temples and restored the Church to its universal roots. Today we remember some of those who slipped past the walls of exclusion to receive priesthood ordination or temple rituals before June 1978. 1/12
June 8, 2025 at 4:28 PM
47 years ago today the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reintegrated its priesthood and temples and restored the Church to its universal roots. Today we remember some of those who slipped past the walls of exclusion to receive priesthood ordination or temple rituals before June 1978. 1/12
For those of you participating in Holy Week, here is a piece on Holy Saturdays, the day between the agony of the cross and the wonder of the empty tomb. Shout out to Matthew Wickman for introducing me to Holy Saturdays in his book, Life to the Whole Being. www.wayfaremagazine.org/p/holy-satur...
Holy Saturdays
Blessed Art Thou of Little Faith
www.wayfaremagazine.org
April 18, 2025 at 1:22 PM
For those of you participating in Holy Week, here is a piece on Holy Saturdays, the day between the agony of the cross and the wonder of the empty tomb. Shout out to Matthew Wickman for introducing me to Holy Saturdays in his book, Life to the Whole Being. www.wayfaremagazine.org/p/holy-satur...
Reposted by Paul Reeve
William Franklin Church was the first son born to his formerly enslaved mother following her emancipation at the end of the Civil War. Census records identified him as Black in Tennessee and white in Utah. 1/4
March 16, 2025 at 2:31 PM
William Franklin Church was the first son born to his formerly enslaved mother following her emancipation at the end of the Civil War. Census records identified him as Black in Tennessee and white in Utah. 1/4
Reposted by Paul Reeve
When Mary Church was born in 1863 in TN, her father was her enslaver. At age 16, she received LDS temple rituals & served as proxy when her father was vicariously sealed to his deceased first wife.
Meet Mary here & learn the rest of her remarkable story: exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of...
Meet Mary here & learn the rest of her remarkable story: exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of...
March 2, 2025 at 2:48 PM
When Mary Church was born in 1863 in TN, her father was her enslaver. At age 16, she received LDS temple rituals & served as proxy when her father was vicariously sealed to his deceased first wife.
Meet Mary here & learn the rest of her remarkable story: exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of...
Meet Mary here & learn the rest of her remarkable story: exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of...
Standing with Ukraine is the most America first approach we can adopt. What we saw in the White House on full public display is a Russia first policy that ignores the lessons of history and undermines our foundational values.
March 1, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Standing with Ukraine is the most America first approach we can adopt. What we saw in the White House on full public display is a Russia first policy that ignores the lessons of history and undermines our foundational values.
Reposted by Paul Reeve
When Alwilda Jackson married George Jett she was 19 & George was 35. It was a 2nd marriage for both but one that lasted. Jett was a pioneering Black Latter-day Saint in KY & he must have shared his faith with Alwilda who also joined.
Meet Alwilda here: exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of...
Meet Alwilda here: exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of...
February 18, 2025 at 5:36 AM
When Alwilda Jackson married George Jett she was 19 & George was 35. It was a 2nd marriage for both but one that lasted. Jett was a pioneering Black Latter-day Saint in KY & he must have shared his faith with Alwilda who also joined.
Meet Alwilda here: exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of...
Meet Alwilda here: exhibits.lib.utah.edu/s/century-of...