Resources on The Church and Race

I want to keep a link to these Church resources on race policy and doctrine --

Race and the Priesthood:

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics-essays/race-and-the-priesthood

Very thoroughly annotated summary of the Church's history with regard to racism, with background and discussion of policy and what little relevant actual doctrine there is, and some discussion of folk doctrine within the church.

Official Declaration 2:

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/od/2

The revelation in June 1978 which altered the Church's policy on blacks and the Priesthood, and the announcement thereof in September of the same year.

McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, and White Supremacism (my personal blog post, not a Church resource)

https://guerillamormonism.blogspot.com/2023/04/mcconkie-mormon-doctrine-and-white.html

A blog post I wrote summarizing what I understand about Elder Bruce R. McConkie's changing approach to blacks and the priesthood. In it I reference

All Are Alike unto God

https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/bruce-r-mcconkie/alike-unto-god/

which, as far as I know, is Elder McConkie's definitive words on the topic, in a speech to the Church Education System in August 1978, which would be shortly after the revelation and before it was accepted in General Conference as canonical and binding on the Church.

If you are inclined to believe that Bruce R. McConkie remained dedicated to things he had published earlier which appeared to some to define doctrine that the Blacks should not or could not be given the Priesthood, you might find my blog post on it persuasive otherwise. Or you might disagree with me. But if you are, I would appreciate you allowing me to argue with you about the question, and read my blog post linked above, if you will.

Ahmad Corbitt's four part Personal Essay on Race and the Priesthood --

Part 1, Revelations in the Summer of 1978

https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/content/perspectives-on-church-history/revelations-in-the-summer-of-1978

A little background from his life during 1978, and his conversion in 1980.

Part 2, Seeing as We Are Seen: Gaining Perspective through the Atonement of Jesus Christ

https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/content/perspectives-on-church-history/seeing-as-we-are-seen

A little doctrinal background and his personal testimony.

Part 3, “He Denieth None That Come unto Him”: The Role of the Book of Mormon in Unifying Our Heavenly Father’s Family

https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/content/perspectives-on-church-history/he-denieth-none-that-come-unto-him

A moderately comprehensive overview of doctrine on race in the Book of Mormon. He goes well beyond scratching the surface.

Part 4, “Till We All Come in the Unity of the Faith”: The Role of Living Prophets and Apostles in Unifying Our Heavenly Father’s Family

https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/content/perspectives-on-church-history/till-we-all-come-in-the-unity-of-the-faith

A forward-looking witness of the coming unity of the human race.

Elder Corbitt's essay is probably as good a discussion of race in the restored Church as I have read. I think he is quite persuasive on the subject, and if you think the Church retains -- or should retain some segregational or discriminatory doctrines, please let him persuade you that it does not.

I plan to add more resources here as I find them (or, in some cases, dig them back out).

Someday I hope I will have a chance to write a discussion of my understanding of why the Church's ban from 1852 to 1978 came about and what it means, but I don't have the required time or other resources for now.