1978 Revelation on Priesthood

Grant[2] and David O. McKay[3] are known to have privately stated that the restriction was a temporary one, and would be lifted at a future date by a divine revelation to a church president.

[4] Men of Black African descent were permitted to hold the priesthood in the early years of the Latter Day Saint movement, when Joseph Smith was alive.

The difficulties arose both from outside protests and internal challenges encountered as the membership grew in far away areas of the world outside of the predominantly white Utah.

Internal challenges in administering the priesthood ban were mainly due to the difficulty in determining which peoples were of African ancestry in areas such as Brazil, the Philippines and Caribbean and Polynesian Islands as well as shortages of available people for local church leadership positions in areas with a predominantly Black population such as Nigeria or the Dominican Republic.

[9] Issues regarding possible expansion in Nigeria were considered in correspondence between the South African Mission and church general authorities from as early as 1946.

[5] LDS Church leaders in the Caribbean, notably in the Dominican Republic (described at the time as 98% Black), had expressed the difficulty of proselytizing efforts in the region due to priesthood restrictions.

[10] On March 1, 1975, LDS Church president Spencer W. Kimball announced plans to build a temple in São Paulo, Brazil.

Determining priesthood and temple eligibility in Brazil was problematic due to the considerable intermarriage between Amerindians, Europeans, and Africans since 1500, and high uncertainty in tracing ancestral roots.

[21] On May 30, 1978, Kimball presented his two counselors with a statement he had written in longhand removing all racial restrictions on ordination to the priesthood, stating that he "had a good, warm feeling about it.

[24] Kimball began by describing his studies, thoughts, and prayers on removing the restriction and on his growing assurance that the time had come for the change.

[24] After all present had shared their views, Kimball led the gathered apostles in a prayer circle to seek final divine approval for the change.

[25] Bruce R. McConkie later said: "There are no words to describe the sensation, but simultaneously the Twelve and the three members of the First Presidency had the Holy Ghost descend upon them and they knew that God had manifested his will ....

"[27] Gordon B. Hinckley later said: "For me, it felt as if a conduit opened between the heavenly throne and the kneeling, pleading prophet of God who was joined by his Brethren.

The story led many national news broadcasts and was on the front page of most American newspapers, and in most largely Latter-day Saint communities in Utah and Idaho telephone networks were completely jammed with excited callers.

President Kimball has asked that I advise the conference that after he had received this revelation, which came to him after extended meditation and prayer in the sacred rooms of the holy temple, he presented it to his counselors, who accepted it and approved it.

Later in 1978, apostle Bruce R. McConkie said: There are statements in our literature by the early brethren which we have interpreted to mean that the Negroes would not receive the priesthood in mortality.

The essay places the origin of the ban on Brigham Young, arguing there was no evidence any Black men were denied the priesthood during Joseph Smith's leadership.

"[4] Official Declaration 2 is the canonized formal 1978 announcement by the church's First Presidency that the priesthood would no longer be subject to restrictions based on race or skin color.

However, its text announces that Jesus Christ "by revelation has confirmed that the long-promised day has come when every faithful, worthy man in the Church may receive the holy priesthood.

[42] As part of the 40th anniversary celebration of the revelation Dallin H. Oaks said that, "the Lord rarely gives reasons for the commandments and directions He gives to His servants," but acknowledged the hurt that the restrictions caused before they were rescinded, and encouraged all church members to move past those feelings and focus on the future.