Genesis Group
Encyclopedia
The Genesis Group is a social organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for African American
members and their families. It was first organized in Salt Lake City, Utah
in 1971 to provide members an organization where they could affiliate with fellow African American members. 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 was dissolved.
The Genesis Group was reorganized in the 1990s, based on a perception that African Americans still had unique issues and could benefit from a chance to affiliate with one another, especially since many were the only members of Africa
n descent in their local wards and even in their stakes. Leaders of the group include Darius Gray
(1997–2003) and Don Harwell (2003–present). Seventy President Ronald A. Rasband
is currently the LDS general authority
responsible for overseeing the group. Whereas when the group was first organized it was a potential resource at least in theory for issues relating to black members throughout the United States, under its current existence it is under the Utah Salt Lake City Area with designation to be a resource throughout all three Areas
in Utah, a multi-area system facilitated in part by having one man preside over all three areas. Genesis Groups formed in other parts of the United States would either be under the local stake or more likely have either the member of the Presidency of the Seventy assigned to that area or an Area Seventy as the priesthood advisor over the group. This would be roughly similar to how members of an LDS High Council interact with the wards or branches they are assigned to.
Other Genesis groups have existed in Washington, D.C.
and presently exist in Hattiesburg, Mississippi
, Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio
, Los Angeles
and Oakland, California
, and Houston, Texas
.
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
members and their families. It was first organized in Salt Lake City, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
in 1971 to provide members an organization where they could affiliate with fellow African American members. The group was led by Ruffin Bridgeforth from 1971 through 1978. Shortly after the church's June 8, 1978 announcement of the revelation
1978 Revelation on Priesthood
The 1978 Revelation on Priesthood was a revelation to the leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which reversed a long-standing policy excluding men of black African descent from the priesthood.-Background:...
extending the priesthood
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
to all worthy male members of the church, the group was dissolved.
The Genesis Group was reorganized in the 1990s, based on a perception that African Americans still had unique issues and could benefit from a chance to affiliate with one another, especially since many were the only members of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n descent in their local wards and even in their stakes. Leaders of the group include Darius Gray
Darius Gray
Darius Gray is an African-American Latter-day Saint speaker and writer.Gray was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the mid-1960s and then attended Brigham Young University for a year...
(1997–2003) and Don Harwell (2003–present). Seventy President Ronald A. Rasband
Ronald A. Rasband
Ronald Anderson Rasband is a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and since 2005 has been a member of the Presidency of the Seventy of the church since 2005...
is currently the LDS general authority
General authority
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a general authority is a member of certain leadership organizations who are given administrative and ecclesiastical authority over the church...
responsible for overseeing the group. Whereas when the group was first organized it was a potential resource at least in theory for issues relating to black members throughout the United States, under its current existence it is under the Utah Salt Lake City Area with designation to be a resource throughout all three Areas
Area (LDS Church)
An area is an administrative unit of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which typically is composed of multiple stakes and missions...
in Utah, a multi-area system facilitated in part by having one man preside over all three areas. Genesis Groups formed in other parts of the United States would either be under the local stake or more likely have either the member of the Presidency of the Seventy assigned to that area or an Area Seventy as the priesthood advisor over the group. This would be roughly similar to how members of an LDS High Council interact with the wards or branches they are assigned to.
Other Genesis groups have existed in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and presently exist in Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Hattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Forrest County...
, Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
, and Houston, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.