In the broader American culture in which Joseph Smith lived and led the growing church of Jesus Christ,

white attitudes and beliefs about the inferiority of black

Africans dominated the scene. In this pre-civil war context, exactly half of the

states in the Union had legalized slavery and built their economies on it,

while the other half opposed slavery.

Yet fears were shared on both sides, about what might happen to the country and to the purity of the white race,

if all slaves were set free and allowed to be social equals with whites,

chief of which being the fear of interracial marriage.

In today's episode of Church History Matters, the fear of interracial marriage.

In today's episode of Church History Matters, we take a close look at how Joseph Smith

led the church while navigating within this racially fraught culture and what specific factors were at play as he did so.

For instance, how did the expulsion of the Saints from Jackson County, Missouri in 1833

influenced the Church's approach to missionary work going forward.

How did Joseph respond to Church members in the Northern United States who were calling

for the ex-communication of all slaveholding Church members in the southern states?

And how did Joseph's public teachings on slavery change once church headquarters moved to

Navu, Illinois, and church members were no longer in Missouri? And importantly, did Joseph Smith ever implement or

endorse any practices or policies which specifically prevented church members with

black African ancestry from fully participating

in priesthood offices or temple worship? I'm Scott Woodward and my co-host is

Casey Griffiths and today we dive into our second episode of this series dealing

with race and the

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