October 4, 1963, 8:30 a.m. President Hugh B. Brown called and reported his meeting with the members of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) held last evening. He said that they have given their word that they will not march in mass demonstration against the Church, as they had planned, during this morning’s meeting at the Salt Lake Tabernacle. President Brown promised them that a statement would be made during one of the Conference sessions concerning the Church’s position with respect to the Negro.

October 6, 1963, 10:00–12:00 noon. Conducted the sixth session of the Conference which was broadcast to a world-wide audience listening and viewing by radio, television, and short-wave broadcasts. … President Hugh B. Brown was the first speaker. … Recognizing articles of recent months, both in Salt Lake City and across the nation, President Brown at the beginning of his talk made a statement on the position of the Church on Civil Rights. This was prepared and approved in advance by the First Presidency.

October 8, 1963, 8:30–10:00 a.m. First Presidency meeting. … President [N. Eldon] Tanner [was] meeting with us for the first time since his appointment as Second Counselor. In addition to the acquiring of broadcasting facilities, other matters considered were:

Civil Rights Statement in Conference—I asked if anything additional had developed from the announcement of the position of the Church on the subject of Civil Rights delivered by President [Hugh B.] Brown in the Sunday morning session of the Conference, and President Brown said that he had received from the local representatives of the NAACP expressions of thanks for the statement. A letter from Mr. Albert B. Fritz, local president of the organization, was read. It expressed appreciation for the statement and said that they look forward to further meetings with the First Presidency on the subject.

I stated that the statement was in fulfillment of a promise, and President Brown said it was made in response to a request for the statement. I said no more would be said about it, and President Brown and President Tanner expressed concurrence.