If you live in Utah, there's something on TV tonight that you should watch. It's a documentary called Nobody Knows: The Untold Story of Black Mormons. It airs at 9:00 pm on Channel 7 and then again on Sunday, October 11th at 4:00 pm. It was co-produced by Margaret Young, a professor at BYU and a crush of mine, and Darius Gray, who is a member of my parents' stake and was president of the Genesis Group, which was organized under the direction of the first presidency in 1971 to support African American members of the church.The documentary explores when and the reasons why the priesthood ban was put into place and debunks some of the myths surrounding the reasons for the ban (curse of Cain, etc.) and does so in a candid, respectful and inspiring way. It includes interviews with members, nonmembers, black members, white members, etc. You get a pretty well rounded look at the topic.
If you don't live in Utah, buy the DVD. Or you can borrow it from me if you live near me.
I think it is safe to say that I loved this video. So much of the discourse discussed can be applied to other topics. I appreciate that it didn't try and give a simplified answer.
ReplyDeleteMargaret Young is your crush? I'm in her 318 class right now.
ReplyDeleteNo way, that's awesome. Unless you don't like her, then not so awesome. I never had a class from her when I was at BYU, just read a bunch of her stuff online and met her briefly at a Sunstone conference in San Fran back in March.
ReplyDeleteYes, Sara, I too like that it doesn't try to tie things up into a tidy little package at the expense of being true to the story. Sometimes untidy packages are the prettiest.
Or maybe it's the untidy packages that we learn the most from.
ReplyDeleteI would like to borrow it... or you could host a black cultural night and show it!
ReplyDeleteI've been wanting to see that! I'd love to borrow sometime, if you're offering...
ReplyDeletecan we have movie night and watch it jon??
ReplyDeleteThanks for the heads up about this. I would have missed it had I not seen your posting. And it was as great as I thought it would be. I'm glad you're out there proselytizing about it. It deserves to be seen by every Latter-day Saint (and beyond).
ReplyDeleteI attended the Genesis Group for a few years and feel a deep connection with the story of black Latter-day Saints. Darius Gray is one of the most amazing people I've ever met. The program captured some of his goodness, though it would be hard to convey it all in so short a show. I've had a few sweet interactions with him and regard him as a kind of black Mormon apostle. He is a kind, meek, soulful, and uniquely powerful man. Of course the program wasn't about him, but I was happy to see him take such a prominent role in telling the tale.
I've probably already overwhelmed you with my last comment itemizing "points of resonance" I share with you--and here you've gone and introduced another major one. I'm going to curb my enthusiasm and simply say "thank you" for making me aware of the opportunity to see this.
P.S. When the program talked about Spencer W. Kimball "wrestling" with the blacks and the priesthood question, images of Jack Black in tights sprang to my mind. You've given a face to the Mighty Wrestler of Paradox and Contraries to my imagination... and it wears a mask and has a bad Spanish accent. Thanks for that. It's fun.
Thanks to CJ inviting me over to watch it tonight, I was able to see it. I was left wanting more and wishing there were another episode. A friend who lived in SLC a while back also invited me to go to the Genesis group. We never went, but I've always been curious.
ReplyDeleteCool, I'm glad you guys were able to watch it. Mr. Anonymous, you've peeled back a layer. We now know that you live in Utah. ;) And now whenever someone quotes SWK, I will think of Jack Black in Nacho Libre.
ReplyDeleteI am also thankful for the heads up, as I have it waiting for me on my new friend, Sir DVR. :) I would have missed it otherwise! Thanks again.
ReplyDeleteI will be ordering the DVD. Do you know if it's on KBYU, for all of us that don't live in Utah?
ReplyDeleteLast I heard it's not on KBYU. Hopefully that changes in the near future.
ReplyDeleteJon, yes, I'm like an onion. I've got layers. And I'm happy to peel them back. I'll continue to do so until I've lost this annoying cloak of anonymity entirely.
ReplyDeleteWow, Jon, thanks! But if you're going to confess a crush on me, you definitely need a better picture. I think I look like a hired killer in that one.
ReplyDeleteOriginal Mohomie--it IS actually longer. PBS stations have strict time constraints: 56:40. So we edited our 73-minute DVD to fit their requirements. You get a lot more of Darius and even some of me (I put myself in there because I realized we didn't have any white women telling the story) in the longer version. You also get 100 minutes of special features.
Seriously, Jon--THANK YOU! I just told Darius about your blog.
Margaret Young
Awkward, I've been found out by my crush. :)
ReplyDeleteAhhh! Are you serious?! We need to talk. Margaret Young finding your blog and telling Darius about it is too cool... the blogosphere blows my mind.
ReplyDeleteGod is in the details of your life, Jon. It's the most beautiful thing to observe in the life of another. You honor Him and He honors you in small yet special ways. (In big ways, too, I'm sure.) I'm grateful to be a witness.
ReplyDeleteWell, it also helped that I sent Margaret a link to my blog:)
ReplyDeleteOh, if that's the case, then I respectfully withdraw my last comment. It appears there ain't no deity in your details after all. :-/ jk!
ReplyDeleteSeriously, it's cool enough that she took the time to review your blog and liked what she saw enough to comment so favorably. Pretty darn cool on its own, that.
Loved it! We'll chat later...
ReplyDelete