LDS ChurchBlack LDS theologian says church members still seek apology for priesthood ban
James C. Jones, a second-generation Black Latter-day Saint and theologian, told the Salt Lake Tribune's 'Mormon Land' podcast that many Black members continue to hope for an institutional apology regarding the Church's former priesthood and temple ban on members of African descent, which lasted until 1978.
Jones said that while he has come to believe Mormon theology embraces all ethnicities, the absence of a formal apology remains significant for many Black Latter-day Saints. The 2013 Gospel Topics essay 'Race and the Priesthood' disavowed past theories justifying the ban but stopped short of an apology.
November 11, 2026 at 6:02 AM MT · via The Salt Lake Tribune