By January 22, 2008
One of the seminal texts in Western American history is Patricia Nelson Limerick’s Legacy of Conquest: The Unbroken Past of the American West. Limerick’s genius can be found in her defining the West’s importance in terms of convergence of peoples, rather than simply the westward movement of white American males. Unlike many
By January 19, 2008
I unfortunately dropped the ball and missed the debut of “Nobody Knows: The Untold Story of Black Mormons” today at the Utah Film Festival (I thought it was yesterday). However, I did email Margaret Young to ask how it was received, and she responded that “We got a prolonged standing ovation. It was extremely gratifying.” Now I wish that I had been there even more. The documentary next heads to the San Diego Black Film Festival. I agree with Margaret that “It’ll be interesting to see how an African American, non-LDS crowd responds.”
Margaret also indicated that they do plan to show the film one or two more times in Utah, but no dates are set. I’ll be sure not to miss the next one. I believe that this is an important project, and I therefore encourage all JI readers to donate something to support the film. I’m a poor graduate student, and if I can donate, anyone can.
By January 17, 2008
In the fall and winter of 1843, Parley P. Pratt wrote a small pamphlet entitled “The Angel of the Prairies,” a work that was similar to his “One Hundred Years Hence. 1945.”“The Angel of the Prairies” purports to be based on a dream in which Pratt is transported one hundred years into the future, where an angel shows him that the U.S. government was destroyed from corruption within (shades of Book of Mormon stories of Gadianton Robbers), and the “sons of noble sires” had erected an empire of liberty in the American West. The angel also showed Pratt a thin volume entitled “A true and perfect system of Civil
By January 17, 2008
In a post a few weeks ago, I suggested that Joseph Smith’s First Vision might be better understood in the context of evangelical (especially Methodist) conversion narratives of early 19th century America. As a follow-up to that post, I want to now turn the attention to the aftermath of the vision. That Joseph expressed great surprise that the Methodist minister he related the vision to reacted with “great contempt, saying it was all of the Devil” [1] is commonly recited today, and generally explained by alluding to Smith’s youthful naivety and the arrogance of the learned Methodist minister dismissing all such notions. Joseph’s surprise, however, was more likely a result of his vision being dismissed as “of the Devil” while hundreds of other evangelicals of the day recounted visions and dreams accompanying their conversion experiences without any “great contempt” from ministers and co-religionists.
By January 15, 2008
So I saw the movie Enchanted at the theater the other night. I know I am going to be subjected to merciless mockery by Chris and David for admitting that here, since I discount National Treasureras something quite below a farcical joke and yet will go with my wife to a children’s movie/chic-flic and actually kind of enjoy it…but alas, ’tis the truth. But what has this got to do with Mormon studies? Well, part way through the movie my wife leaned over and told me she had heard that the leading actress, Amy Adams, was Mormon. That piqued my interest.
By January 14, 2008
Writing, it was once said, is an instrument of power. Abolitionists used novels to combat slavery, as did anti-polygamy crusaders. Writers have tremendous power to shape images, whether of perceived dangers, or of past wrongs that need to be made right. As Yale theologian Miroslav Volf argues, “to remember a wrongdoing is to struggle against it.”[1] For the Latter-day Saints after the expulsion of 1838 writing was one of the few ways that they could fight back against the Missouri vigilantes and government officials that had expelled the Saints from the state.[2] Parley P. Pratt was keenly aware of the power of writing to shape how the American public understood what had happened in Missouri. While in prison
By January 14, 2008
After having been chased from Kirtland, Joseph Smith made his way to Missouri, arriving about March 13, 1838. He dictated to to George Robinson in what has become known as the Scriptory Book the following (taken from the online version of Dean Jessee’s Personal Writings of Joseph Smith):
After being here two or three days my Brother Samuel arrived with his family an[d] shortly after his arrival while walking with him & cirtain other bretheren the following sentiments occured to my mind.
By January 10, 2008
Part II of the review examining the most recent issue of The John Whitmer Historical Association Journal. Part I is available here.
By January 10, 2008
While watching The Jewish Americans last night on PBS (ht: Paul Harvey), I was struck by the fact that every individual interviewed (including both Orthodox and Reformed Jews and everywhere in between) that was asked to describe his or her identity as a Jew living in the United States affirmed that he or she was an American Jew, and not a Jewish American. Some of the interviewees explained that “Jew” described more fully and deeply who they were as an individual, and “American” used (in this instance) as an adjective simply desribed their nation of residence.
By January 10, 2008
In 1868 Brigham Young approached nineteen-year old Franklin S. Richards to give him some advice, if it can be called that. Young told Richards that he needed to study to be a lawyer. Richards, surprised, replied that he had always heard Brother Brigham speak ill of attorneys, and that he [Richards] intended to be a doctor. Young informed Richards that he needed to be a lawyer ?because the time will come when the Latter-day Saints will need lawyers of their own to defend them in the Courts and strive with fearless inspiration to maintain their constitutional rights.? Richards, the son of Apostle Franklin D. Richards, obeyed Young, became a successful attorney and represented the Church’s leaders before the U.S. Supreme Court several times during the polygamy raids.
When my father told me this story several years ago (Richards is an ancestor), I was intrigued not
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