“Among the Ancestors of the American Indian”: Not a New Idea

The introduction to the Book of Mormon was not a part of the revealed translation of the Book of Mormon by Joseph Smith, but was provided to help orient the reader to the contents of this book of Latter-day scripture. The 1981 version of this introduction described the Lamanites of the Book of Mormon as “the principal ancestors of the American Indians.” In 2004 with the publication of a Doubleday edition of the Book of Mormon in cooperation with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the introduction contained a minor, but significant revision which has since been added to current Church editions of the book. The Lamanites are now there described as “among the ancestors of the American Indians.” This corrected wording is consistent with the Book of Mormon text, which affirms that Native American peoples are heirs to covenant blessings promised to some of their forefathers, but makes no claim of exclusive or even principal ancestry.

The current wording of the introduction is actually not new, but has been used and approved by earlier Church leaders. In 1954, Elder Richard L. Evans, a member of the Council of the Twelve Apostles wrote an article entitled, “What is a Mormon?” which was published in Look, a popular religious magazine. The articles which was published in the October 5, 1954 issue read as follows:

The Book of Mormon is part of a record, both sacred and secular, of the prophets and peoples who (with some supplementary groups) were ancestors of the American “Indians.”

Richard L. Evans, “What is a Mormon?” Look (October 5, 1954): 68

On February 20, 1955, this article was published in the Wisconsin State Journal with the identical wording (Richard L. Evans, “What is a Mormon?” Wisconsin State Journal (Sunday, February 20, 1955).

In 1957, Leo Rosten, who had edited Look Magazine, published a collection of articles from different religious denominations in the United States and included Even’s article as part of that collection. The 1957 version, however contained a minor, but interesting revision

The Book of Mormon is part of a record, both sacred and secular, of the prophets and peoples who (with some supplementary groups) were among the ancestors of the American “Indians.”

Richard L. Evans, “What is a Mormon?” In Leo Rosten, ed., Religions of America (Melbourne, London, Toronto: Heinemann, 1957), 94.

The Book of Mormon is part of a record, both sacred and secular, of the prophets and peoples who (with some supplementary groups) were among the ancestors of the American “Indians.”

Elder Evans passed away on November 1, 1971.

In 1975 Rosten prepared a new edition of his collection. He requested and received permission to republish Evan’s earlier article. In the introduction he noted, “A few such changes, approved by the First Presidency of the Church, have been included in this version. Where the text is not that of Dr. Evans, the initials [TFP] (The First Presidency) identify it.” (Leo Rosten, ed., Religions of America: Ferment and Faith in An Age of Crisis: A New Guide and Almanac (New York: Simon and Schuster,1975, 186). The phrasing for the relevant passage, however remained unchanged after First Presidency review of the article and read:

The Book of Mormon is part of a record, both sacred and secular, of the prophets and peoples who (with some supplementary groups) were among the ancestors of the American “Indians.”

That wording is essentially found in the introduction to current editions of the Book of Mormon today.

Historically, the idea that Pre-Columbian peoples may have had many other ancestors in addition to those associated with the Book of Mormon has been held by many Latter-day Saints and Church leaders. For more information on this question see Matthew Roper, “Nephi’s Neighbors: Book of Mormon Peoples and Pre-Columbian Populations,” FARMS Review 15/2 (2003): 99-113.