Utah : Industry

Utah, a western U.S. state, is known for its natural diversity and many national parks, including the popular Zion and Bryce Canyon. Utah’s capital, Salt Lake City, is home to the headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), or Mormons. The state is also a center of outdoor recreation. Utah is one of the most religiously homogeneous states in the Union, with approximately 62% of Utahns belonging to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS). Utah is also the youngest state in the nation, with a median age of 30.5 years.

However, Utah has a dark history of racism and discrimination. For many years, Utah was a Jim Crow state, with separate schools, restaurants, and other public facilities for whites and blacks. Utah’s black population was also subject to violence and lynchings. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, several Chinese immigrants were killed in race riots in Utah.

In recent years, Utah has been ranked as one of the most racist states in the nation. A 2016 study by researchers at Vanderbilt University found that Utah was the second most racist state in the country, behind only Mississippi. The study used data from the American National Election Studies to measure attitudes towards black people, immigrants, and other minorities.

Despite its history of racism, Utah has made strides in recent years to become more inclusive. In 2015, Utah passed a law banning discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or sexual orientation. Utah is also home to a growing population of black and Latino residents. According to the 2010 census, Utah’s black population was 2.3%, while its Latino population was 14.4%.

Utah, often touted as a land of religious tolerance and inclusivity, has a complicated and troubling history with racism. From the early days of settlement by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) to the present day, racism has left an indelible mark on Utah’s history.

The early pioneers who settled in Utah were largely white and from the northeastern United States, with some immigrants from Europe. While the LDS Church allowed for the ordination of Black men to the priesthood until 1852, this changed with a statement from Brigham Young, the church’s second prophet and president, who declared that Black people were “cursed” and thus not eligible for priesthood or temple ordinances.

This belief persisted in the LDS Church for more than a century, with Black members of the church facing discrimination and racism until the church reversed the policy in 1978. This institutionalized racism in the LDS Church undoubtedly contributed to the larger culture of racism in Utah.

One of the most heinous examples of racism in Utah’s history is the Mountain Meadows Massacre. In 1857, a group of pioneers from Arkansas who were traveling through Utah on their way to California were attacked by a group of Mormon militia members and Paiute Indians. The attackers killed 120 men, women, and children, sparing only 17 children who were deemed too young to remember the attack. The massacre was fueled in part by anti-immigrant sentiment and anti-non-Mormon sentiment.

Another example of racism in Utah’s history is the treatment of Native Americans. The federal government forcibly removed Native Americans from their ancestral lands and relocated them to reservations. In Utah, this included the Ute, Navajo, and Paiute tribes. The government’s actions effectively destroyed their way of life and culture. Even today, Native Americans in Utah face discrimination and marginalization.

Utah also has a history of exclusionary policies targeting people of color. For example, in the early 1900s, the state passed laws that prohibited interracial marriage and made it illegal for non-citizens to own property. The state also had a eugenics program, which forcibly sterilized people deemed “unfit” to procreate, including people with mental disabilities, people of color, and poor people.

In recent years, Utah has made progress in combating racism and promoting inclusivity. However, incidents of racism and discrimination still occur. For example, in 2018, a video surfaced of a group of high school students chanting racist and homophobic slurs. Additionally, people of color in Utah still face higher rates of poverty, lower rates of education, and discrimination in housing and employment.

Utah has a complex and troubling history with racism. The Mountain Meadows Massacre, the exclusionary policies targeting people of color, and the treatment of Native Americans are just a few examples of the racism that has left an indelible mark on Utah’s history.

SUNDOWN TOWNS IN UTAH

Sundown town, in U.S. history, is a town that excluded nonwhite people—most frequently African Americans—from remaining in town after sunset.

Here is a current list of sundown towns in Utah. This list has been created by Tougaloo College in Tougaloo, MS. This list is a work in progress. Some cities have been confirmed as sundown towns and some are listed for other or similar reasons.

SUNDOWN TOWNS IN UTAH

Sundown town, in U.S. history, is a town that excluded nonwhite people—most frequently African Americans—from remaining in town after sunset.

Here is a current list of sundown towns in Utah. This list has been created by Tougaloo College in Tougaloo, MS. This list is a work in progress. Some cities have been confirmed as sundown towns and some are listed for other or similar reasons.

Bingham

Blanding

Bluffdale

Brigham City

Carbon

Corinne

Eagle Mountain

General

Murray

Price

Salt Lake City *