-- Jun 1, 1978
Revelation received to extend priesthood to all worthy males; made public on 9 June . (1)
President Spencer W. Kimball receives confirmation and revelation after supplicating the Lord regarding blacks and the priesthood. Moved by the exceeding faith of the Genesis Group, and moved by the dedication and perseverance of the mulattos in Brazil in building the São Paulo temple, he takes the matter before the Lord, as many previous presidents of the church have done. (2)
-- Jun 8, 1978
[African Americans in Utah] On 8 June 1978 the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued a letter announcing that the priesthood was open to "all worthy male members of the Church...without regard to race or color." This announcement had an immediate impact upon the status of blacks in the LDS Church, and it possibly portends well for the future status of all African Americans residing in the state of Utah. (3)
First Presidency issued letter announcing revelation granting the priesthood to worthy men of all races. (4)
Priesthood extended, by revelation, to ―all worthy males. (5)
[Spencer W. Kimball] With his counselors in the First Presidency, issues a letter announcing a revelation making all the blessings of the priesthood available to all worthy members, without regard for race or color. (6)
-- Jun 9, 1978
In a letter dated June 8 and made public the following day, the First Presidency announced the revelation that worthy men of all races would be eligible to receive the priesthood. On Sept. 30, members accepted the revelation by a sustaining vote at general conference. The First Presidency's announcement is now Official Declaration 2 in the Doctrine and Covenants. (7)
Church President Spencer W. Kimball announces revelation on the priesthood. (5)
President Spencer W. Kimball, after receiving the revelation, and discussing the matter with the Quorum of the Twelve and the First Quorum of the Seventy, announces that the ban on blacks receiving the priesthood has been lifted, and all males may receive the priesthood according to their worthiness, regardless of race. Despite previous understanding that blacks were not to receive the priesthood until the millennium, the members of the church receive the announcement with jubilation and it gains worldwide press attention. (2)
[Utah] Leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints struck down a 148-year-old policy of excluding black men from the Mormon priesthood. Prophet Spencer Kimball opened the Mormon priesthood to blacks. (8)
-- Jun 15, 1978
First ―Teletext broadcast on KSL-TV. (5)
-- Jun 23, 1978
Joseph Freeman, 26, the first black man to gain the priesthood in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, went in the Salt Lake Temple with his wife and 5 sons for sacred ordinances. Thomas S. Monson, member of the church's Quorum of Twelve Apostles, conducted the marriage and sealing ordinances. This event shows that blacks not only are able to gain the priesthood, but are able to interracially marry in the temple with the church's blessing. (Salt Lake Tribune, June 24, 1978) (2)
-- During June 1978
[Spencer W. Kimball] In June 1978 he announced a revelation that all worthy men and women could receive temple ordinances regardless of race or ancestry, thus ending long-standing restrictions on members of Negroid ancestry. The church under Kimball opposed the Equal Rights Amendment as a misguided means to reach legitimate objectives, and criticized the weapons buildup by world powers, successfully opposing basing MX missiles in the Utah-Nevada desert. (9)
Footnotes:
1 - Hemidakaota, "Church Chronology from 1800-2000," http://www.lds.net/forums/scripture-study-forum/12108-church-chronology-1800-2000-part-1-a.html#post214550
2 - Wikipedia, 20th Century (Mormonism), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/20th_century_(Mormonism)
3 - Utah History Encyclopedia: African Americans in Utah, http://www.media.utah.edu/UHE/a/African_Americans.html
4 - Ludlow, Daniel H. editor, Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Macmillan Publishing, Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Vol. 4, Appendix 2: A Chronology of Church History
5 - Sherry Baker: Mormon Media History Timeline: 1827-2007, http://byustudies.byu.edu/showTitle.aspx?title=7984
6 - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, Salt Lake City, Utah
7 - Church News: Historical Chronology of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/58765/Historical-chronology-of-The-Church-of-Jesus-Christ-of-Latter-day-Saints.html
8 - Ratnikas, Algis, TimelinesDb, http://www.timelinesdb.com/listevents.php?subjid=201title=Utah
9 - Utah History Encyclopedia: Spencer W. Kimball, http://www.media.utah.edu/UHE/k/KIMBALL%2CSPENCER.html
Mormon History Timeline /Chronology
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
