Today commemorates the life, mission and message of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The latter half of the 20th century saw some tremendously significant changes in terms of attitudes and outlooks about people and society. Dr. King was certainly at the forefront of the movement, and was instrumental in advocating liberty and a level playing field for all people, regardless of their ethnicity, culture, or skin color.

The Book of Mormon’s references to race and skin color are a matter of great controversy. There are in fact passages that are quite jarring when considered in an educated and politically correct arena, most notably the reference to the Lamanites’ “sore cursing” in the same breath as their “skin of blackness” in 2 Nephi 5:21, and the infamous “[white/pure] and delightsome” passage in 2 Nephi 30:6. These difficult verses have been the root of many heated debates, but my purpose in writing this is not to provide apologetics for these, but rather to look beyond them and examine what else the Book of Mormon has to say about race. The truth is, all things considered, the message of the Book of Mormon is actually strikingly congruent with the dream of Martin Luther King Jr.

While speaking to the Nephites in the temple, Jacob spends most of his time reproving his people: he condemns their pride, denounces their polygamy and promiscuity, and concludes by saying that the Lamanites, whom the Nephites regarded as “filthy” and “cursed,” were actually better off, and had greater favor with God than the Nephites did:

“Behold, their husbands love their wives, and their wives love their husbands; and their husbands and their wives love their children; and their unbelief and their hatred towards you is because of the iniquity of their fathers; wherefore, how much better are you than they, in the sight of your great Creator?” (Jacob 3:7)

Centuries later, Nephi (the son of Helaman) spoke to his people from his garden tower, reprimanded them, and warned them that:

“It shall be better for the Lamanites than for you except ye shall repent. For behold, they are more righteous than you, for they have not sinned against that great knowledge which ye have received; therefore the Lord will be merciful unto them; yea, he will lengthen out their days and increase their seed, even when thou shalt be utterly destroyed except thou shalt repent.” (Helaman 7:23–24)

These passages make a clear case for the fact that God’s esteem for a person or a group of people is based on “the content of their character,” and has no bearing on whether one group has at one point been labeled “chosen” and the other “cursed,” and even less their skin’s melanin level. In fact, after the visit of Jesus Christ, we see all these people merge together into one single society. Surely their were mixed ethnicities and races, but even so, the saving message that Jesus brought them together, with:

“No contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people. And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God. There were no robbers, nor murderers, neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of –ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God.” (4 Nephi 1:15-17)

This is the fulfillment of Nephi’s words when he wrote, in speaking of the Lord, that:

“He doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; 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.” (2 Nephi 26:32-33)

Nephi also noted that unfortunately, “there are many that harden their hearts against the Holy Spirit, that it hath no place in them; wherefore, they cast many things away which are written and esteem them as things of naught.” The message of peace and salvation to all has always been present in Book of Mormon, but sadly, many in the world, in the Church, and even in Church leadership, have not always seen fit to abide by it. Thankfully, much of that is behind us, and we are able to move forward with Nephi’s words, knowing and believing that “all are alike unto God.”

Surely this is a message that would have received the endorsement of Dr. Martin Luter King Jr.