Documentary claims to identify Joseph Smith in newly discovered daguerreotype
September 19, 2026 at 6:03 PM MT · via YouTube · Summarized by Mormon News from original reporting
A new documentary claims to have identified Joseph Smith in a previously unknown daguerreotype photograph, which would be the first authenticated photographic image of the Latter-day Saint founder. Smith died in 1844, during the early years of photography, and no confirmed photograph of him has ever been found—leaving artists' renderings as the only visual representations. The documentary presents forensic analysis and historical evidence supporting the identification, though the claim has not yet been independently verified by Mormon history scholars. If authenticated, the image would be among the most significant artifacts in Latter-day Saint history.
More coverage of this story
- YouTube →September 19, 2026 at 4:00 PM MT
- YouTube →September 19, 2026 at 4:00 PM MT
- BYU-Idaho →October 1, 2026 at 4:11 PM MT
- Wheat and Tares →October 5, 2026 at 2:00 AM MT
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