The Mormon Church's Racist Past

An ex-Mormon explains why blacks were viewed as cursed and banned from the LDS church

Mitt Romney has become the frontrunner for the GOP party. Far cry from his failed campaign run in 2008. One reason why he didn’t go far then; his connection to the Mormon church, formally known as the Church of Latter-Day Saints. Now, in 2012 the climate in America is a tad more accepting of a presidential candidate having a non-traditional faith. Either that or their distain for President Obama is so strong they’d vote for anyone regardless of faith (except Muslim) to get him out of office.

Yet we should just go focusing on how much money Romney has and turn a blind eye to his faith. The LDS church has a storied past, one that is very rarely addressed especially by the church. It’s also a history that hated blacks and considered them cursed and only valuable as servants to white Mormons in the after-life.

[ALSO READ “Young, Black & Mormon”]

Darrick Evenson was once a Mormon and after learning about the church’s stance on blacks decided to do some digging. He’s been sharing his findings for two decades and spoke with Loop 21 about some of the things the church is trying to erase from its past.

Loop 21: With Romney now in the national stage, what is the LDS church doing to clean up its image?

Darrick Evenson: The LDS Church has been involved in cleaning up its image for many decades. Since 1996, the Church has denied it ever taught that blacks were the cursed and inferior children of Cain, fit only, at best, to be servants of white Mormons in heaven. They are lying. The Mormon Church leaders deem it best to say and do as little as possible at this time, during the Romney campaign, as not to draw attention to themselves and past Mormon racist teachings. So, you won't hear a word from them, and Mormon leaders will continue to deny media interviews during Romney's campaign.

What impact will Mitt Romney have on the Church of Latter Day Saints if he wins the White House?