Whether or not you are a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Brigham Young is a name I’m sure most of you are pretty familiar with. After all, BYU University is named after him. But for members of The Church, he is an integral part of our history.
Was Brigham Young a Bad Person?
Although, there are lots of things on the internet about him that are either false information or distaseteful things that he did actually say that might make you question, “Was Brigham Young a bad person?” I’m here to hopefully clear up some misinformation and provide a faithful perspective about the second prophet of the Church and the incredibly important work that he completed.
Brigham Young’s Treatment of the Native Americans
Something that is frequently criticized when speaking about Brigham Young is the way that he treated the Native Americans in the Utah Territory. In the 1850’s there was significant tension between white settlers and the various Native American tribes in the Utah territory, and across the western United States. Throughout this time period, there were multiple conflicts between groups of Pioneers and the Natives. And there was bloodshed on both sides, usually in retalition to each other. While there were numerous violent acts commited by members of the LDS church, none of these heinous acts were ordered, or endorsed by Brigham Young. He was actually known to the have a more kind approach to the natives than many other American leaders did at the time.
In July 1863, Brigham Young addressed emigrants in Salt Lake City, emphasizing the importance of treating Native Americans with respect and providing for their needs as a means of preventing conflict. He explained, “You have heard of Indian hostilities, . . . but you will have no trouble with them, if you will do right. I have always told the traveling public that it is much cheaper to feed the Indians than to fight them. Give them a little bread and meat, a little sugar, a little tobacco, or a little of anything you have which will conciliate their feelings and make them your friends. . . . I am satisfied that among the red men of the mountains and the forest you can find as many good, honest persons as among the Anglo Saxon race.” (Brigham Young, as cited in “Indian Relations in Utah During the Civil War,” n.d., para. 15).
Because of this approach he actually became quite popular among the natives. O. H. Irish, Utah’s superintendent of Indian Affairs, wrote in 1865, “The fact exists, however much some might prefer it should be otherwise, that he [Young] has pursued so kind and conciliatory a policy with the Indians that it has given him great influence over them.”
Native American Slavery & The Mormons
Another complex and often misunderstood aspect of early Church history is the 1852 passage of a piece of legislation titled “An Act for the Relief of Indian Slaves and Prisoners.” To provide some context: in Utah, the Ute tribe had become heavily involved in the Native slave trade, capturing and selling women and children from neighboring tribes. By the time the Saints arrived in the region, this practice was already well established, with the Utes frequently selling captives to Mexican traders. When Brigham Young became governor of Utah, he strongly opposed the slave trade and sought to put an end to it. This effort angered the Utes, who argued that since the Saints had disrupted their ability to sell captives to the Mexicans, they were now responsible for purchasing the captives themselves.
Daniel Jones, in his book Forty Years Among the Indians, wrote: “Stopping this slave business helped to sour some of Walker’s band. They were in the habit of raiding on the Pahutes and low tribes, taking their children prisoners and selling them. Next year when they came up and camped on the Provo bench, they had some Indian children for sale. They offered them to the Mormons who declined buying. Arapine, Walkers brother, became enraged saying that the Mormons had stopped the Mexicans from buying these children; that they had no right to do so, unless they bought them themselves. Several of us were present when he took one of these children by the heels and dashed its brains out on the hard ground, after which he threw the body towards us, telling us we had no hearts, or we would have bought it and saved its life.” (Jones, 1890)
As a response to this situation, Brigham Young encouraged the Saints to purchase Native American children in order to protect them and provide better lives. “He advised them to buy up the Lamanite children as fast as they could and educate them and teach them the Gospel.” (Young, 1851) It’s important to acknowledge that, while the intent behind this directive was to rescue and care for these children, there were indeed instances where individuals took advantage of the situation and failed to treat the children as Brigham Young had instructed. Nonetheless, the overarching goal was to save these children from lives of captivity and offer them a more hopeful future.
Brigham Young’s Thoughts on Women
Brigham Young was a product of his time, and many of his views on women and their roles in society reflect that — something that may leave a bad taste in some people’s mouths today. However, in certain ways, he was surprisingly progressive for his era, particularly when it came to women’s education and professional opportunities.
“We think [the sisters] ought to have the privilege to study [various] branches of knowledge that they may develop the powers with which they are endowed. We believe that women are useful, not only to sweep houses, wash dishes, make beds, and raise babies, but they should stand behind the counter, study law or physic [medicine], or become good book-keepers . . . and all this to enlarge their sphere of usefulness for the benefit of society at large. In following these things they but answer the design of their creation” (“Discourses,” Deseret News, 28 July 1864, 294). This perspective stood in stark contrast to the attitudes held by many other men, both in and out of leadership positions at the time.
Ellis Reynolds Shipp was a young girl when Brigham Young became impressed by her intelligence and passion for learning. He invited her to live among his children in the Beehive House, where she attended school alongside them and became part of the family. Later, he encouraged her to pursue a medical education and went on to sponsor her studies at the Women’s Medical College of Pennsylvania. After graduating, she continued her education at the University of Michigan.Upon returning to Utah, she founded “Ellis Reynolds Shipp’s School of Obstetrics and Nursing,” where she trained hundreds of women to become nurses and midwives. While Brigham Young should not be credited for her remarkable accomplishments, it’s worth noting that his support was highly unusual for a male leader of that era—and it played a significant role in opening doors for women like her.
Brigham Young Controversy – Conclusion
In an article by Ronald Esplin called “How Brigham Young Was the Indispensable Pioneer” it says, “Writing about the original pioneer endeavor that brought the Saints to the Great Basin in 1847, Ludlow concluded that Young “was faith, wisdom, energy, patience, expedients, courage, enthusiasm, veritable life and soul to all the fainting Saints.” Without him, Ludlow was certain, “they never would have reached the Rocky Mountain watershed, much less the Great Salt Basin.” (Esplin, 2022)
As I mentioned before, Brigham Young was very much a product of his time and circumstances. He was a man with flaws and imperfections, someone who made mistakes and occasionally said the wrong thing. But as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we don’t claim that our prophets and apostles are perfect. Instead, we believe they are imperfect individuals, called by God to fulfill a perfect purpose. Despite his shortcomings, there was a divine reason Brigham Young was chosen for his role. I believe God knew that Brigham’s grit, determination, and bold leadership were exactly what was needed to guide countless families through an incredibly difficult and dangerous journey across the western frontier.
And isn’t that the beauty of the gospel? None of are or will ever be perfect. Only our Savior lived a perfect life. Yet, through His grace and infinite love, He still calls on us, flawed and broken as we may be, to help accomplish His work.
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