Hey everyone!

Thanks so much for signing up for my Kit newsletter. This was a long time coming. I had resisted the urge to create a newsletter because I felt I was already stretched too thin and people were hearing too much from me. Both of those concerns are probably true. But I also realized that it would be useful to combine all my various items--my youtube videos, my social media posts, and my various essays and interviews--into one place. I also felt it useful to be able to provide periodic updates, announcements, and reflections without relying on the algorithm gods.

I promise I won't be spamming your inbox too frequently. I'll likely send out only a couple messages a month. And if even that ever seems like too much, you can always unsubscribe. No offense will be taken, I assure you. I often wish I could unsubscribe from myself.

Oh, and I promised you could download a pdf of American Zion's introduction, so here you go: Introduction.pdf​

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NEWS/NOTES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

• I will be delivering the Dialogue Gospel Study this Sunday, 11/16, at 12pm MT. This series, run by Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought (the most important repository for modern Mormon culture), is a bi-weekly discussion on topics related to the LDS Sunday School curriculum. I'll be talking about "The Theologies, Texts, & Legacies of Nauvoo's Temple Teachings," and yes, I'll discuss Joseph Smith's introduction of polygamy. I'll also be discussing what these texts, some of which were later canonized in the D&C, tell us about the boundaries of Mormon scripture. It should be a lot of fun. You can watch the discussion on Dialogue's facebook page or through zoom.
• I currently have the privilege to serve as president for the Mormon History Association this year. Part of my duties is to organize our online lecture series. The next lecture is this Thursday, 11/13, at 7pm MT. We are privileged to hear from Robin Jensen, a historians at the LDS Church History Department who was co-editor of all the revelations & translations volumes in the Joseph Smith Papers Project. (Those who know me are aware that I'm a huge fan of the project, and those who know Rob are aware that he's as sophisticated and careful a historian as there is.) Dr. Jensen will be lecturing on "An Exploration of Nauvoo Polygamy Documents." It should be great. You can register for the free online lecture at this link.
• I was very honored for my book, American Zion: A New History of Mormonism, to be announced as the finalist for Best Book in Utah History, an award given by the Utah Historical Society. The UHS is a longstanding and prestigious institution, so this is a true privilege.

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YOUTUBE VIDEOS

• ​The LDS Policy That Caused Members to Leave the Church: this video got a bit personal, but the LDS Church's November 2015 policy regarding LGBTQ members has left scars with many. I dissect the background, context, and legacies of that policy.
• ​Mormon Leaders Loved Him, But Struggled Over His Race (11/10): I unpack the fascinating story of Eibed Sarofim, a convert who impressed LDS authorities but also posed problems given his racial and marital status. The saga touches on many central themes of mid-twentieth century Mormonism.
• ​Are Mormons Settler Colonialist: Featuring an Interview with Dr. Elise Boxer (11/7): I was privileged to talk with Dr. Elise Boxer, author of the new book, Mormon Settler Colonialism: Inventing the Lamanite. It's a phenomenal book with lots of lessons.
• ​Live Q&A About LDS Leadership (11/5): this was my monthly live discussion on YouTube. Lots of great questions, and you can watch me sweat through the answers!
• ​Did Joseph Smith Teach About Polygamy in 1831? (11/3): As Latter-day Saints prepare to discuss D&C 132, I talk about why so many were anxious to pre-date its contents back to 1831--a position the church recently conceded in scriptural updates.
• ​Mormon Leaders and the FBI's Push for White Christian Nationalism (10/31): Dr. Matthew Harris, author of the award-winning Second Class Saints, joined me to talk about his new Dialogue article on J. Edgar Hoover, Cleon Skousen, Ezra Taft Benson, and White Christian nationalism.

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SOCIAL MEDIA VIDEOS

I won't post all my social media videos from the last couple weeks, but here are a few:

• Dissecting Candace Owens's latest conspiracies (11/10): TikTok and Instagram​
• Condemnations of the Week, Part 3 (11/9): TikTok and Instagram​
• Initial Thoughts on the New LDS Apostle (11/7): TikTok and Instagram​
• Reminiscing on when Dick Cheney Delivered BYU's Commencement (11/5): TikTok and Instagram​
• Highlighting Jessica Lepler's new book on those who dreamed of a Central American canal (including my ancestor!): TikTok and Instagram​
• Dissecting Cleon Skousen's "True Meaning of the Atonement" talk (10/28): TikTok and Instagram​
• Lessons from Jill Lepore's new book on the US Constitution (10/27): TikTok and Instagram​

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ODDS & ENDS

• In a world a horrible tv/movie adaptations of historical events, I thought Netflix's Death By Lightning was stupendous. Yes, it condensed a lot of chronology, and invoked creative license, but I think it got far more right than it got wrong. It's an example that you can still be entertaining while staying close to the history. Stay tuned for more analysis.
• I just completed Jill Lepore's We the People: A New History of the U.S. Constitution (Liveright). Phenomenal work. It features the skills Lepore is known for--vivid prose, riveting characters, provocative analysis--while also learning from criticisms that came from her previous survey text, These Truths: this time she made sure to incorporate Indigenous and Black voices all the way to the present. I really appreciated her central thesis, that the decline of amendments has resulted in the rise of judicial supremacy and partisanship. A needed and important reading for our age. Strongly recommended.
• I recently finished Sam Tanenhaus's massive biography, Buckley: The Life and Revolution that Changed America (Random House). The book lost steam once Buckley's power was ascendent with Reagan, but up until that point it's a fascinating if sobering story of the origins and rise of modern conservativism. Other new books I've enjoyed in the last couple months include Clay Risen's Red Scare: Blacklists, McCarthyism, and the Making of Modern America (Scribner), Greg Grandin's America, América: A New History of the Old World (Penguin), and Zaakir Tameez's Charles Sumner: Conscience of a Nation (Henry Holt).

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Until next time!

Benjamin Park, historian and nerd

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