Key benchmarks in the history of Black Latter-day Saints and priesthood ordination during Joseph Smith's lifetime

Did Black members of the Church receive the priesthood during Joseph Smith's lifetime?

Yes. Two Black men—Elijah Able[BIO][15] and Q. Walker Lewis[BIO][16] were known to have held priesthood office. There is also some evidence that Enoch Lewis,[BIO] son of Q. Walker Lewis, was ordained, but it's unclear if this was during Joseph's lifetime.[17]

Joseph T. Ball[BIO] was probably biracial[18] and held priesthood office[19] although he was listed as white on census records[20] and considered white by his contemporary peers.[21]

Weren't there several more Black Saints ordained during Joseph Smith's lifetime?

Probably not. Some historians have speculated that "Black" Peter Kerr[BIO] may have also held priesthood office;[22] however, there is no documentary evidence indicating that he was ordained.

Did Black members receive temple ordinances during Joseph Smith's lifetime?

No, not really. The only known exception is Elijah Able who received his washing and anointing in Kirtland in 1836[23] and participated in baptisms for the dead in Nauvoo.[24] Based on available records, no other Black Saints participated in the temple ordinances during Joseph's lifetime.[25]

However, in an 1840 First Presidency address, the Nauvoo Temple was described as a place of worship for "persons of all languages, and of every tongue, and of every color."[26]

Were there restrictions on Church membership for Black members?

No, not usually. According to William W. Phelps,[BIO] as of 1833, the Latter-day Saints had “no special rule” about admitting Black members to the Church.[27] However, Latter-day Saint leaders later placed various restrictions on baptizing Black members due to local circumstances related to slavery.[28]

Did Joseph Smith implement a policy to restrict Black members of the Church from the priesthood and temple ordinances?

Probably not. There is no record contemporary with Joseph that indicates he taught or established a policy that Black Saints were to be restricted from the priesthood or temple ordinances.[29]

However, there is one later reference from William Appleby to a Church policy of priesthood restriction during Joseph Smith's time as prophet.[30] There are also later accounts reporting that Joseph taught privately about a priesthood restriction.[31]

But didn't Joseph Smith teach that Black people were "sons of Canaan" and that some people had been restricted from the priesthood due to their ancestry?

Yes and no. Like most people at the time, Joseph Smith believed that Black people were descendants of Canaan and Cain.[BIO][32]

In 1842, Joseph Smith also translated the Book of Abraham, which describes a priesthood restriction seemingly related to the lineage Pharaoh shared with Canaan through Ham.[33][34] However, there are no accounts of Joseph's contemporaries using scripture as a rationale for priesthood restriction during his lifetime.[35]

How did early Church membership feel about Black people?

Early Church members came from a variety of national backgrounds, but they were predominantly white[36] and participated in the attitudes of general white society at the time.[37]

Because there were relatively few Black members among the early Saints,[38] there are relatively few records that indicate the disposition towards them. It seems as though early Saints generally considered Black people to be worthy of ministry and spiritual support,[39] but they felt conflicted about slavery.[40]

Was Joseph Smith racist?

Yes and no. There are relatively few records about Joseph and his disposition on Black people, but the few available show a conflicted position.[41] In the 1830s, he advocated for a neutral position on slavery[42] and taught that the Bible condoned it[43] but also received a revelation that no man should be in bondage.[44] He later strongly advocated for an end to slavery.[45]

On a personal level, there are accounts of his kindness and sympathy to Black people,[46] but there is one known record of Joseph using a racial slur.[47] Joseph and Emma invited Jane Manning James,[BIO] a Black woman, to board with his family,[48] and Jane said that Emma had offered to have her "adopted to them as their child."[49]