Learn more about the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including historical findings about Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and more.
Susa Young Gates divorced Alma Dunford several years after she was married at the age of 16. She admits being immature, and her lack of experience clashed with her husband’s alcoholism (which may have had underlying causes). In this interview, historian Lisa Olsen Tait explains that Susa’s divorce is more than a tabloid story because of how it contextualizes legal, social, and gender norms in pioneer Utah.
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.
There’s a unique tension between faith and intellect. For example, believers sometimes struggle with nuanced terms such as certainty and doubt. And it can be hard to know when intellect supplements faith—versus when it supplants faith. In this interview, Terryl Givens shares quotes from Joseph Smith, and expounds on the relationship between intellect and belief.
Latter-day Saints and mainstream Christians differ in how they understand the natures of God and of Jesus Christ. For instance, the Jesus Christ in the Book of Mormon doesn’t always align with the Savior in the Bible. But those differences might not be as extreme as is often assumed. In this interview, BYU’s Jason Combs discusses efforts by early Christians to understand the nature of Jesus Christ as both human and divine.
Emmeline B. Wells rubbed shoulders with Susan B. Anthony, presided over the general Relief Society, and weathered the ups and downs of pioneer life. Not surprisingly, the Emmeline B. Wells diaries provide rich insights into the lives of nineteenth-century Latter-day Saint women and church leaders. In this interview, biographer Carol Cornwall Madsen tells the story of the prominent Utah pioneer woman.
George Q. Cannon had complicated relationship with his son, Frank. At one point, George Q. wanted nothing to do with his rebellious son. At another, he viewed Frank as a key negotiator on behalf of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In this interview, biographer Val Holley expounds on the complex dynamic between Frank J. Cannon and George Q. Cannon.
John Milton Bernhisel had an outsized influence on the early history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was a loyal friend to Joseph Smith, negotiated with the federal government on behalf of the Latter-day Saints, and had a hot-and-cold relationship with Brigham Young. In this interview, biographer Bruce W. Worthen tells the story of John Bernhisel and the Latter-day Saints.
The Church Historian’s Press has published Eliza R. Snow’s discourses online, including her teachings on overcoming trials. Historians identified nearly 1,300 discourses that mention the pioneer Latter-day Saint leader, including talks that demonstrate her humor, testify of Jesus Christ, and reminisce about Joseph Smith. In this interview, historian Jennifer Reeder explains more about the Eliza R. Snow discourses.
Emmeline B. Wells was one of the most important Latter-day Saint women in Utah’s early history. She knew the prophet Joseph Smith, served with Eliza R. Snow, and was friends with Susan B. Anthony. In this interview, Cherry Silver and Sheree Bench talk about their work on the Diaries of Emmeline B. Wells, and share insights from the pioneer suffragist’s life.
The plural wives of Joseph Smith are the focus of Todd Compton’s book, In Sacred Loneliness: The Documents. As a sequel to his 1997 volume, The Documents provides the primary sources Compton used in his book about Joseph Smith’s polygamous marriages. In this interview, Todd Compton discusses his new publication, shares thoughts about reactions to his research, and provides highlights from his book.