Brigham Young University

MINORITIES

CIVIL RIGHTS

BYU AND

YOU

The Purpose of This Folder

The following information has been prepared with the hope that it will bring increased understanding to those who have questions regarding the racial protests against BYU which have occurred this year. Briefly, BYU is not a racist school, but such charges often arise from lack of information. BYU officials visiting other campuses and communities find that difficulties often vanish when the BYU story is told. This publication contains a brief review of policies and practices of both Brigham Young University and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The BYU Admissions Policy

BYU has no policy which discriminates in any way whatsoever against any race. The official admissions policy is set forth clearly in the catalog as follows:

Students of any race, creed, color, or national origin are accepted for admission to Brigham Young University provided they maintain ideals and standards in harmony with those of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and meet the University's academic requirements.

This policy in no way restricts anyone from attending BYU because of the color of his skin or his national origin.

On the Athletic Field

Unlike schools which protest at games or threaten to discontinue sports with BYU, BYU has never refused to play any team regardless of race, religion, or color of the opposing team members, and has never attempted to dictate the racial composition of opposing teams. Indeed, athletes of various races have received ovations for their outstanding performances against us. Athletic contests are tests of skill, speed, and strength--and not the place to interject political, religious, or racial controversy.

Official Government Findings

In order to find out if racial discrimination was practiced at BYU, the Civil Rights Office of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare made a thorough study of all practices on the BYU campus which related to possible discrimination. The civil rights team included a Black, a Mexican-American, and a Jew. On March 27, 1969, the civil rights director of the Denver office wrote the following letter to BYU President Ernest L. Wilkinson:

This letter is your notification from the Office for Civil Rights that, as a result of our review on your campus and your response to our report, the Brigham Young University is deemed to be in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Since our visit to your campus last spring, we have visited a number of institutions of higher education. We think you might like to know that we still consider Brigham Young as being one of the very finest schools we have visited.

What the Students Think

This year the executive council of the ASBYU (student officers) issued this statement of policy and personal feeling:

We, the student body officers of BYU, uphold the civil rights of all people as delineated in the Constitution of the United States, and oppose any inhumane or discriminatory acts restricting those rights. We do not believe in discriminating against members of any ethnic, racial, or religious group, but look upon all men as brothers, and hope that we can continually strive for better communication and understanding. We have in the past welcomed, we do now welcome, and we will continue to welcome any person into our student body who has met the entrance requirements of BYU, regardless of race, creed, color, or nationality.

The president of the International Students Organization on the BYU campus, Abdul M. Suleman, issued the following statement on April 18, 1970.

As a foreign student and non-member of the LDS church spending my second year at BYU, I have come to certain conclusions from my personal observations about this school. I think BYU is distinguished through the friendly attitude of the faculty, staff, and students that populate the University.

Being from a foreign nation, I have felt welcome and have had many opportunities to participate in various programs sponsored by the school. I have felt very much at home. I am thankful to God that I am privileged to attend BYU and to learn so many things outside my vocation.

I have traveled in several states since I came to America and have had an opportunity to visit quite a few campuses around the nation. As far as friendly people and campus atmosphere is concerned, I don't think any other campus will even come close to BYU. The more I travel, the more I appreciate the BYU campus.

The host family program is part of the community program developed by the foreign students office at BYU. The purpose of the host family is to provide an opportunity for foreign students at BYU to become familiar with American life and culture by becoming acquainted with American families and participating in a limited way with their everyday living. This consists of sharing with the host family, evenings in the home, special celebrations, visits to interesting places, etc.

Minorities on Campus

Blacks, Indians, Orientals, Jews, Arabs, SpanishAmericans, and all others are welcome at BYU; all have been and are now a part of our student body of 25,000. During the current semester, students from every state in the nation and more than 1,000 students from 60 foreign countries have selected BYU as the university of their choice. Their color ranges from black to brown to yellow to white, and their religious affiliation from Islam to Hindu to Catholic to Protestant to Jew to Mormon. To our knowledge there are few, if any, universities in the United States that have tried harder to make minority group and foreign students more welcome.

Because of our geographic location in the heart of Indian country, we have a large Indian enrollment. This year there are more than 300 Indian students on campus representing 48 tribes and 16 blends. We also have scores of Mexican-Americans.

Black Students at BYU

There is not a large number of black students on the BYU campus, but that is a result of their decisions and not our policy. Their decisions are undoubtedly influenced by the fact that there are no black families living in the county where BYU is located. Those who have come, and who are here now, have made no suggestion that racial discrimination is practiced against them. The exact number of black students attending now is unknown because the University does not ask for race on its admissions form.

The opportunity to participate is open for students of all races. There is a Black on the football team. Another is a master of ceremonies and performer with the Program Bureau troupe which went on tour this year to the Orient, including Expo '70 performances.

Black athletes are entitled to athletic grants-in-aid just the same as players of any other race who excel. As in the case of white athletes, BYU welcomes black athletes. But we will not exploit them as athletes. When we bring them it is to give them an education as well as the privilege of intercollegiate competition.

Respect for Blacks

We also have at BYU what is nationally recognized as one of the superior lecture and concert series in the country. Outstanding persons of all colors have appeared on this program. Blacks for many years have spoken to our student body, from the great educator, Booker T. Washington, to the Reverend Leon Sullivan, Philadelphia minister, who appeared during this school year. When there was a controversy as to whether Marion Anderson would be barred from singing elsewhere because of her race, she sang to our student body.

On the other hand we do not give a platform to those who would by revolution destroy our country, whether they be black or white.

Whenever the opportunity has arisen, BYU has worked to help the Blacks. During this past semester the BYU Philharmonic Orchestra and its A Cappella Choir took part in a benefit performance in Salt Lake City to raise funds for building a church for a black congregation in that city. Last Christmas the student body sent 3,000 Christmas presents to the underprivileged children of Philadelphia, largely Blacks.

Civil Rights in Mormon History

Although religious beliefs are not relevant to the relationships between universities, there have been so many conflicting statements published recemly concerning Mormon doctrine that a brief review is in order.

The Mormon Church's position with respect to the dignity and civil rights of Blacks is clearly documented from the beginning of the Church. Joseph Smith, the Prophet and first President of the Church in 1844, 17 years before the Civil War, publicly advocated freeing of the slaves and having the federal government sell public lands, if necessary, in order to obtain enough money to purchase their freedom.

Brigham Young, second President of the Church and founder of Brigham Young University, when asked for the views of the Mormons regarding the proposed Fifteenth Amendment (which would give a vote to the Negroes), replied that the amended constitution of the state of Deseret (later Utah) had already given a vote to "all male citizens of the United States over 21 years of age, having a residence of 6 months in this state." He added that the words, "free, white" had been stricken and that the amendment carried, 14,000 to 30.

Mormons Defend Civil Rights

The traditional belief of the Mormon Church as respects civil rights was restated by the First Presidency of that church (the top governing body) on October 7, 1963, in the following words:

We would like it to be known that there is in this Church no doctrine, belief or practice that is intended to deny the enjoyment of full civil rights by any person regardless of race, color, or creed.

We say again, as we have said many times before, that we believe that all men are the children of the same God, and that it is a moral evil for any person to deny any human being the right to gainful employment, to full educational opportunity and to every privilege of citizenship, just as it is a moral evil to deny him the right to worship according to the dictates of his own conscience.

We have consistently and persistently upheld the Constitution of the United States, and as far as we are concerned this means upholding the constitutional rights of every citizen of the United States.

We call upon all men everywhere, both within and outside the Church to commit themselves to the establishment of full civil equality for all of God's children. Anything less than this defeats our high ideal of the brotherhood of man.

Following that declaration Albert Fritz, president of the Salt Lake Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People,(NAACP), declared:

We have urged all NAACP members, interested Church groups, civic organizations, labour unions and individuals that have been working toward passage of civil rights legislation in Utah to work in harmonv with all LDS Church officials and mernbers where it is possible.

Mormon Doctrine

As to ecclesiastical matters, one of the most fundamental concepts of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is that theological doctrine comes from two major sources, the scriptures and continuing divine revelation to the Prophet of the Church, just as was the case in Old and New Testament times. These scriptures include the King James version of the Bible, which is the religious history of the Old World, and the Book of Mormon, which is the history of Ancient America. In neither of these books is racial prejudice condoned. Indeed, the Book of Mormon scripture is directly to the contrary:

. . . and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile. (Book of l\Iormon, 2 Nephi 26:33.)

Another states, " ... for thus sayeth the Lord: Ye shall not esteem one flesh above another, or one man shall not think himself above another." (Book of Mormon, Mosiah 23:7.)

There is a religious belief confirmed by each Prophet of the Church that Blacks of African lineage may not, at the present time, hold the priesthood, but that the time will come when they "will be given the right to hold the priesthood." Even before that day comes, we are reminded by the very core of our beliefs that all men are brothers, that those who do not hold the priesthood (our women, young children, Blacks, and all nonmembers) are as precious in the sight of God as those who do.

Historically there have been many instances where the Lord has given the priesthood only to certain people. The earliest reference appears in the Old Testament, where Moses was instructed to give the priesthood only to the tribe of Levi. Members of the other eleven tribes, whether righteous or not, could not officiate in the priesthood.

Mormons teach that many who are black will receive greater heavenly rewards than many who are white because they will have lived more righteous lives and served mankind better. Individual salvation in the hereafter, according to the Mormons, will be a reward for individual effort and will not be based on race.

Indeed, Mormon doctrine encourages the practice of Christian principles. Thus, a black minister in California, after several congregations of Mormons helped him build a church, stated recently, "I can't say enough good or praise for these Mormon people. They are the greatest people I have ever met in my travels. My own father couldn't have been better to me than these people have been in helping us complete our building. I believe the Lord sent them here."

Consistency

Those universities which take it upon themselves to bring pressure on institutions because of the religious beliefs of sponsoring churches should take heed lest they themselves are guilty of religious discrimination. Beliefs, whether those of Catholics, Protestants, Jews, or Mormons, are protected under the freedom of religion clause of the Constitution, and as long as they do not infringe upon the civil rights of another person, we suggest it would be unwise for any university to predicate action upon them. And there is not one iota of evidence to indicate that the priesthood doctrine of the Mormon Church interferes with the civil rights of any person. Black members of the Mormon Church do not object to it. The objection is raised by Blacks who are not members of that Church and who therefore would have no desire to hold the Mormon priesthood. It is, therefore, obvious that this doctrine does not discriminate either civilly or religiously against those who are questioning it.

In light of the above, four legal rulings are interesting. At a preliminary hearing for students arrested in a University of Arizona protest, attempt was made to enter into evidence some of the beliefs of the Mormon Church. The judge excluded the proffer of evidence as irrelevant, stating that the only question was whether there was discrimination on the BYU campus.

In an opinion dated March 10, 1970, the attorney general of the state of Washington stated:

Although the Mormon Church is the sponsor of Brigham Young University, BYU itself does not engage in any racially discriminatory practices, nor does it require students, faculty or staff to be or become members of the Mormon faith . . . Since the only evidence the University (Washington) has concerning Brigham Young Universfty's racial practices is that it does not discriminate on the basis of race, the University cannot declare a policy of refusal to engage in activities with BYU solely because of a creed of its religious sponsor, regardless of how strongly individuals may disagree with that religious creed.

The United States District Court for the District of Wyoming in a formal opinion rendered March 25, 1970, dismissed a suit brought against the University of Wyoming, several administrators of the school, and the state of Wyoming by fourteen black athletes who had threatened to protest against religious doctrine of the Mormon Church by wearing black armbands against BYU at a football game. The court ruled that since the University of Wyoming was a state institution, players on the University football team were representing the state of Wyoming, and had they worn black armbands they would have violated the First Amendment to the Constitution which prohibits any state from interfering with freedom of religion.

A request sent to President Harvill of the University of Arizona to sever relationships with BYU brought this reply:

Under no circumstances will the University of Arizona concern itself with an examination of the religious doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or of any other church. Although any individual is entitled to express any belief that he may have regarding the religious doctrines of a group, I cannot conceive of anything more ill-advised than for responsible representatives of a university to express views and take action officially with respect to the religious doctrines of a Church.

Conclusion

There are two Mormon Articles of Faith which seem especially appropriate to the current situation. Article number twelve reminds us of our responsibility to honor, sustain, and uphold the law. The thirteenth article expresses well our desire to act in the spirit of Christian brotherhood at all times: "We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul: We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things."

Reverend Leon H. Sullivan, black minister of the Zion Baptist Church in Philadelphia and founder of the Black Self-help Opportunity Centers, received a standing ovation from the student body of Brigham Young University last December for his remarks on brotherhood. In our search for greater understanding among the many races and colors and creeds in America, Reverend Sullivan's remarks seem especially relevant: "So I appeal to you as Americans, white Americans, Asiatic Americans, Afro-Americans, all of us who are here. I appeal to you to take our hand, that we might walk together and that we might not get weary."

We hope that this information will be helpful to you in explaining the position of BYU and the Church with respect to civil rights and the Negro. We suggest that you be friendly with people of all races and religions as you explain our position.