Genesis Group

{{Infobox organization

| name = Genesis Group

| formation = {{start date and age|1971|06|08}}

| founders = Thomas Monson,
Gordon B. Hinckley,
Boyd K. Packer,
Ruffin Bridgeforth,
Eugene Orr,
Darius Gray

| founding_location = Salt Lake City, Utah

| leader_name = Davis Stovall

| parent_organization = The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

}}

The Genesis Group is an auxiliary organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS church) for African-American members and their families.

History

LDS Church leaders Thomas Monson, Gordon B. Hinckley, and Boyd K. Packer established the Genesis Group with Ruffin Bridgeforth, Eugene Orr, and Darius Gray on October 19, 1971 in Salt Lake City, Utah.{{cite news|last=Fletcher Stack|first=Peggy |url=https://www.sltrib.com/religion/local/2018/01/09/black-mormon-support-group-laments-loss-of-their-prophet-champion-looks-to-the-genesis-of-even-greater-influence/ |title=Black Mormon support group laments loss of their prophet 'champion,' looks to the Genesis of even greater influence| newspaper=The Salt Lake Tribune| date=8 January 2018}} It was first organized to provide members an organization where they could affiliate with fellow African-American members.

The Genesis group provided meetings for Black members of the LDS church; specifically, Relief Society, Primary, Young Men, Young Women and testimony meetings. Members of Genesis were still expected to attend Sunday meetings in their home wards,{{cite book|last1=Embry|first1=Jessie L.|title=Black Saints in a white church : contemporary African American Mormons|date=1994|publisher=Signature Books|location=Salt Lake City|isbn=1560850442|pages=[https://archive.org/details/blacksaintsinwhi0000embr/page/183 183–191]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/blacksaintsinwhi0000embr/page/183}} which at the time were sacrament meeting, Priesthood meetings, and Sunday School.{{cite news|last1=Christensen|first1=Tom|title=History of the LDS three-hour Sunday block|url=http://www.standard.net/Faith/2014/04/18/History-of-the-LDS-three-hour-Sunday-block|accessdate=17 July 2017|work=Standard-Examiner|date=18 April 2014|archive-date=1 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170601200121/http://www.standard.net/Faith/2014/04/18/History-of-the-LDS-three-hour-Sunday-block|url-status=dead}} It was like a branch, a small group of members, but without priesthood authority. The group was led by Ruffin Bridgeforth from 1971 through 1978. Shortly after the church's June 8, 1978, announcement of the revelation extending the priesthood to all worthy male members of the church, the group's attendance dropped, and officially discontinued in 1987. Participation decreased in part because it added additional time commitments to already demanding LDS church membership. In 1985, Marva Collins started a "Genesis II" group in Oakland, California, and published a newsletter focused on news about Black Mormons until 1988.

The Genesis Group was reorganized in 1996, based on a perception that African Americans still had unique issues and could benefit from a chance to affiliate with one another. Leaders of the group include Darius Gray (1997–2003), Don Harwell (2003–2018), and Davis Stovall (2018-present).{{cite news|last1=Stack|first1=Peggy Fletcher|title=Faithful witness|url=http://archive.sltrib.com/story.php?ref=/ci_6316597|accessdate=17 July 2017|work=The Salt Lake Tribune|date=7 July 2007}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.deseret.com/2018/1/8/20637984/lds-church-reorganizes-genesis-group-leadership/|title=LDS Church reorganizes Genesis Group leadership|last=Walch|first=Tad|date=2018-01-07|work=DeseretNews.com|access-date=2018-01-08|language=en}} Stake and High Councilmen were assigned to represent The Genesis Group in local organization, and a General authority was assigned to be a liaison to the group.{{cite journal|last1=Embry|first1=Jessie L.|title=Separate but Equal? Black Branches, Genesis Groups, or Integrated Wards?|journal=Dialogue|date=1990|volume=23|issue=1|url=https://www.dialoguejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/sbi/articles/Dialogue_V23N01_13.pdf|accessdate=17 July 2017}}

Other Genesis groups have existed in Washington, D.C. In 2007, similar support groups existed in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio, Los Angeles, and Houston. The Genesis Group meets on the first Sunday of every month in Salt Lake City.[https://ldsperspectives.com/2017/07/05/priesthood-ban-genesis-group/ "Discussing the Priesthood Ban with Members of the Genesis Group"], Latter-day Saint Perspectives, 5 July 2017. Retrieved on 9 April 2021.