Black Mormons

Black Mormons are people who are Mormon and are African American. Mormon is a religion, or a way of life, that was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr., in the 19th century in the United States. It is based on beliefs in Jesus Christ, and it includes following certain rules and teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or LDS. African Americans have been a part of the Mormon religion since its earliest days, but things were different for them than for white members. For a long time, black people were told they could not participate in some of the rituals in the religion. In 1978, the leadership of the LDS Church decided to change this, and they allowed all people, regardless of race, to be able to fully take part in the church. Since then, many Black Mormons have become part of the church, and they continue to follow its teachings.