A Scholar's Testimony of Joseph Smith

Susan Easton Black, the first female religion professor at Brigham Young University, developed a profound testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith that guided her prolific career as a historian. Her journey of faith began during her childhood in Long Beach, California. Her grandmother, whose own mother had crossed the plains, lived with the family and was tasked with putting young Susan to sleep. When Susan asked for fairy tales like Cinderella or Snow White, her grandmother would firmly reply, 'I can only tell you things that are true,' and instead shared stories of Joseph Smith and the early pioneers. This early foundation blossomed into a lifelong scholarly pursuit. After joining the BYU faculty in 1980, Black authored over 170 books, many focusing on Joseph Smith and early Church history. Despite encountering numerous critics of the Prophet, her extensive research only strengthened her faith. In a 2021 interview, she testified that critics often 'delete faith and delete revelation' to reach their conclusions, calling it 'sloppy scholarship.' She emphasized that knowing all the facts about Joseph Smith and Brigham Young reveals that 'the Lord is first and foremost in both men's lives.' Black noted that one of Joseph's most consistent and inspiring traits was his forgiving nature. Reflecting on her decades of study, she shared her testimony that experimenting upon the word of God, as taught in Alma 32, resulted in a deep, unshakeable knowledge of the truths of the gospel. Her life stands as a testament to how rigorous academic scholarship and deep spiritual conviction can mutually reinforce one another, proving that truth ultimately edifies and builds faith.