Joseph Freeman 1978 Ordination and Update to Life Story

See this article about Joseph Freeman. He was the first ordained after the 1978 revelation. See other sections of this blog for other who had previously ordained in the 1800’s. https://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/faith/joseph-freeman-first-black-to-receive-lds-priesthood-reflects-on-race-relations/article_42a3a0af-0db9-5db4-b324-a714e4adc9d6.html

First Canadian Black History Summit Makes History

Nearly 500 people recently gathered for the inaugural Canadian Black History Summit held in a meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The free conference, held April 16, 2016, was co-hosted by the nonprofit FamilySearch International (the genealogical arm of the Church) and the Ontario Black History Society. The inaugural event provided an opportunity for …

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Book of Mormon use of “Black” and “White”

See Book of Mormon Central article on ancient context of “white and delightsome” Regarding 2 Nephi 30:6, this article notes: The Prophet Joseph Smith made an important textual emendation to this passage in the 1840 edition of the Book of Mormon, where the phrase “a white and a delightsome people” was changed to “a pure and a …

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“You Can’t Close My Heart” – Ghanaian Saints and the Freeze

Article on LDS.org 6 Jan 2016: “June 14, 1989, the government of Ghana announced a ban on  all meetings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Meetinghouses were locked, and foreign missionaries were given one week to leave the country. Church leaders authorized members in Ghana to hold sacrament meetings in their homes. The …

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Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple

The groundbreaking for the Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple is scheduled for Friday, February 12, 2016. Africa currently has three temples in operation — in Ghana, Johannesburg and Nigeria — and two others have been announced in the Ivory Coast and Durban, South Africa. Source: http://ldsmag.com/groundbreakings-for-kinshasa-and-barranquilla-temples-set-for-early-2016/ The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day …

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DiscoverFreedmen.org

Please see Freedmen’s Bureau Project for information and  videos on a wonderful family history project. The site will show a special June 19th broadcast from the California African American Museum in Los Angeles. Freedmen’s Bureau Project The Freedmen’s Bureau Project is helping African Americans reconnect with their Civil War­era ancestors. Join us in restoring thousands of records and linking  …

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Race and the Priesthood

Please go to the following link for a landmark statement by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints http://www.blacklds.org/race-and-the-priesthood from http://www.lds.org/topics/race-and-the-priesthood See also http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/race-church

Mormon in Mali Works with Muslims in a Critical Struggle

Please read this powerful story of Yeah Samake, a Mormon leader in Mali who is working with the moral majority of Muslims to secure a democracy. They are fighting against Al Qaeda and others who strive to kidnap Islam. See also his comments of the importance of President Obama’s 2008 election and ongoing opportunities; and …

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Pastor to Pastor: President Hinckley’s Personal Apology for Racism in the Church

Read http://www.patheos.com/Mormon/Pastor-to-Pastor-Margaret-Blair-Young-09-18-2012 for the article by Maragaret Blair Young. Here are excerpts: “Yes, there are children of light and children of darkness, but the distinction is not based on skin color, but on their reception of the Word. And even with the children of darkness who turn away from the Word, God works earnestly for their repentance …

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