The relationship between Jim Bridger and Brigham Young makes up an interesting chapter in the story of the American West. The two men had a unique association that began on friendly terms but eventually soured. A low point for the mountain man saw him watching from a concealed position as Latter-day Saint pioneers took possession of Fort Bridger. In this interview, author Jerry Enzler shares what his Jim Bridger biography reveals about the prominent pioneers.
Jacob Hamblin was a Latter-day Saint missionary to the indigenous peoples of the Southwestern United States, an explorer, and a negotiator in conflicts with Native Americans. His life was full of adventure and difficulties as he worked to carry out the callings that Brigham Young extended to him. In this interview, Todd Compton discusses Jacob Hamblin’s life and accomplishments.
There was a coverup in the aftermath of the Mountain Meadows Massacre. It was perpetrated by local religious leaders and massacre participants, some of whom purposefully deceived Brigham Young about what happened. The cover-up set in motion a confusing series of events with consequences that can still be seen today. The tragic story of the massacre’s aftermath is now available in a new book by Rick Turley and Barbara Jones Brown, published by Oxford University Press. In this interview, they explain the complicated aftermath of the Mountain Meadows Massacre.
The priesthood and temple ban against individuals with Black African ancestry is often traced to Brigham Young, who announced the policy during an 1852 legislative session in Utah Territory. That announcement happened in the midst of a debate over how to legislate unfree labor, including slavery of Black and indigenous peoples in the territory. In this interview, W. Paul Reeve and Christopher B. Rich discuss the history of unfree labor in Utah Territory.
Dale Morgan was a historian whose work underpinned “New Mormon History,” bringing academic methodology to the study of Latter-day Saints. He championed evidence-based research and mentored figures like Juanita Brooks and Fawn Brodie. Many of his own Latter-day Saint history projects went unfinished, but Morgan completed notable works such as a study on the fur trade and the mapping of the Trans Mississippi West. In this interview, Richard Saunders discusses the life and legacy of Dale L. Morgan.
William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody had an interesting trajectory in his relationship with Latter-day Saints. At first, he was antagonistic to them, commonly using Brigham Young and his coreligionists as villains in his performances. As time went on, he became impressed with their ability to irrigate and settle the American West and worked to settle the arid Big Horn Basin in Wyoming. In this interview, Brent M. Rogers discusses the life of Buffalo Bill and his relationship with Latter-day Saints.
Wilford Woodruff’s vision of the Founding Fathers played a role in the development of temple doctrine. While serving as president of the St. George temple, Wilford Woodruff said that early American figures like George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson asked him for temple ordinances. The Apostle didn’t describe these encounters with as much detail as his daily journal, but there are three key sources where he recounts what happened. In this interview, Jennifer Mackley explains what we know about Wilford Woodruff’s vision.
Native Americans such as the Navajo (or Diné) have sometimes been thought of as descendants of the Book of Mormon Lamanites. This has created a complex legacy of interactions between Church members and Native Americans as one example of cultural interchange in Mormonism around the world, including among those members who are Native Americans. This interview with Dr. Farina King discusses Diné Latter-day Saints.
Thomas Jefferson was a Christian in the sense that he believed in Jesus as a great moral teacher, but not as the Son of God. He even created a “Jefferson Bible” in which he reconstructed the book without references to miracles and divinity. In this interview, biographer Thomas S. Kidd places Jefferson’s beliefs and actions in the context of the Founding Fathers and the Bible.
Belle Harris was one of very few women to serve time in prison and to keep a journal in 19th century Utah. Her crime was not testifying against her polygamous ex-husband during a time when the United States was attacking the Latter-day Saint principle of plural marriage introduced Joseph Smith. In this interview, Ken Adkins discusses the Prison Journal of Belle Harris.