Over the years, few people have believed that Joseph Smith’s run for president was a serious candidacy. Why is that? Dr. Derek Sainsbury answers that question and discusses the role of apostles B.H. Roberts and
The Nauvoo Expositor exposed Joseph Smith’s polygamy and was the lightning rod that led to Joseph Smith’s death. As Mayor of Nauvoo, Smith directed the city council to destroy the Expositor press. While polygamy was
Following Joseph Smith’s death, Brigham Young tried to implement theo-democracy in the Territory of Deseret, which is now known as Utah. In our next conversation with Dr. Derek Sainsbury, we’ll talk about how successful Brigham
In 1844 when Joseph Smith was running for president of the United States, he proposed a system of gradual emancipation for all slaves. How did that message go over in the South? Hint: not well.
More than 600 men and women were called to be electioneer missionaries on behalf of Joseph Smith’s campaign for president. It was the largest missionary force for more than 50 years. In our next conversation
Mormons are known to be pretty reliably Republican, at least in Utah. It wasn’t that way in Joseph Smith’s day, because the Republican Party didn’t even exist! Mormons alternated between Whig and Democratic support and
Most Mormons know that Joseph Smith ran for the presidency of the United States. Was it a serious run? Did Joseph really think he was going to win? Dr. Derek Sainsbury will answer those questions,
