by Keith L. Brown | Mar 19, 2013 | Black Mormon
Black History Month, also known as African-American History Month, is an annual observance in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom for remembrance of important people and events in the history of the African diaspora. It is celebrated annually in the United States and Canada in February, and the United Kingdom in October. (Source: Wikipedia, Black History Month.)
The precursor to Black History Month was created in 1926 in the United States, when historian Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History announced the second week of February to be “Negro History Week”. This week was chosen because it marked the birthday of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Woodson created the holiday with the hope that it would eventually be eliminated when Black history became fundamental to American history. (Source: Wikipedia, Black History Month.)
In 1976, the federal government acknowledged the expansion of Black History Week to Black History Month by the leaders of the Black United Students at Kent State University in February of 1969. The first celebration of Black History Month occurred at Kent State in February of 1970. Six years later during the bicentennial, the expansion of Negro History Week to Black History Month was recognized by the U.S. government. (Source: Wikipedia, Black History Month.)
On 24 and 25 February 2013, more than 800 people participated in a two-day Black History Month celebration of the Miami Lakes Florida Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with such guests as Mormon recording artist Alex Boyé and author Marvin Perkins. Boyé, who is a member of the world renowned Mormon Tabernacle Choir, emphasized Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, and his performances included “Our Savior’s Love.” Perkins, guest speaker and co-author of “Blacks in the Scriptures,” gave a presentation of “Blacks in the Bible.” (more…)
by paulah | Mar 16, 2013 | Mormons in the News
A small-town Utah high school boys’ basketball team is making national news headlines in The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, Good Morning America, and NPR, to name a few. What makes them the center of national attention is more than their 26-1 season, their fifth class 5A state championship, and their top ranking in the nation.
The Lone Peak High School Knights basketball team, comprised of “long-armed teenagers who look only slightly more imposing than a chess club,” are from the small communities of Highland and Alpine, Utah—a “region not recognized for basketball prowess.” “Unlike many top high school teams that lure talented players from outside their immediate area,” Lone Peak’s team is pulled from a student body of about 2,300.
“We flunk the eyeball test,” says Coach Quincy Lewis. “We know we’re different whenever we walk into a gym. . . . We know we have something to prove because, honestly, the other teams don’t have a great deal of respect for us.”
“‘There was one team we played that was literally laughing when we were warming up,’ senior center Eric Mika said with a chuckle. ‘And we beat them by 50.’”
Lone Peak’s style is a “fearless, careening brand of basketball, built on 3-pointers, lobs and dunks, seemingly more suited for a playground than the movie ‘Hoosiers.’” (more…)
by byustudent | Mar 14, 2013 | Mormon Reflections
This past week in my Book of Mormon religion class I was struck by the significance and importance of agency. I guess I’ve always assumed that agency is important simply because our Heavenly Father gave it to us and because the war in heaven was fought over it, but I’ve never actually thought about the significance of what this agency means. Agency is the ability to act for ourselves and to choose for ourselves what our actions here on Earth will be. The fact that our Heavenly Father and our Savior presented a plan in heaven that allowed us to choose our own actions shows their deep trust in us. Think about it. Why would a loving Heavenly Father even think of letting us make our own decisions if He doubted our ability to live righteously and make it back to Him? He would never have sent us to Earth knowing that there was no chance of us making it back. He knew we would make mistakes, but He ultimately had trust in us and our ability to choose the right.
Our Savior trusted us enough to suffer and to die for us and by completing the Atonement so that we could use our agency to learn from our mistakes, repent, and then ultimately make it back to live with Him again. On the other hand, Satan doubted our ability to live righteously, and he proposed a plan in heaven that took away our agency and didn’t allow us to make our own decisions. He had no faith in us. And why in the world would anyone want a leader or Savior who has no trust or faith in them? I’ve gained a much deeper respect for my agency and for my Savior and Father in heaven because of the trust that they have and the faith that they have put in me. It makes me infinitely more motivated to live my life in such a way to show that I can use my agency to live righteously. (more…)
by byustudent | Mar 14, 2013 | About Mormons
Brigham Young University (BYU) is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called the “Mormon Church.” As part of their undergraduate coursework, BYU students take multiple semesters of spiritually uplifting, stimulating religion classes.
Here, in this column, students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the New Testament and gospel of Jesus Christ in the form of letters to someone they know. In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to witness to all of us of the relevance, power, and beauty of the New Testament, and God’s plan of happiness for each of us. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures. Let us know how these may help you in your own life. Share them with a friend.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Letter to Van
Dear Van,
I know you have read the Bible many times and have marked this scripture over and over, but I read it the other day and it was an excellent reminder of the importance of how I should live and what I must do to become more like the Savior. The scripture is 1 Corinthians 13: 4–7 and it says, “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” (more…)
by paulah | Mar 7, 2013 | About Mormons
According to a recently released study, Utah has the highest rate of “family belonging” in the United States. The high ranking could be attributed in part to the dense population of Mormon families in the state. The study also found that it would be an “error of historical proportions” if a state neglected the importance of marriage and family intactness.
The health of the family is a priority for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called Mormons. In 1995, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ issued “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” a declaration detailing the eternal nature of the family and the responsibilities of family members. Mormon families strive to fulfill the responsibilities outlined in this proclamation, including one that applies to this study: “Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity.” (more…)
