In the last episode we heard from three editors of a new book of Relief Society documents published by the LDS Church. Jill Mulvay Derr, Kate Holbrook, and Matt Grow talked about the origins of the Relief Society and why its activities were suspended in 1844. Today is the Relief Society’s 174th anniversary.

In this episode we pick up where we left off as the Latter-day Saints begin to reestablish relief society in the Utah territory. You’ll hear about issues like polygamy and women’s suffrage. We also discuss the kind of impact the editors hope the book can have on how Mormons understand their history. We’re talking about The First Fifty Years of Relief Society: Key documents in Latter-day Saint Women’s History.

Introductory matter and other material from the book is currently available at churchhistorianspress.org.

About the Guests

Jill Mulvay Derr is a retired senior research historian for the Church History Department.

Kate Holbrook is a specialist in women’s history at the Church History Department.

Matthew J. Grow is director of publications at the Church History Department.

Together with Carol Cornwall Madsen they edited The First Fifty Years of Relief Society: Key Documents in LDS Women’s History. (Photos courtesy of Steve Griffin, Salt Lake Tribune.)