The church has titled its celebration, “Be One,” and plans to not only celebrate the history of black Mormon pioneers, but also “a renewal of our collective commitment to pursue oneness in our relationships with each other and with heaven.”
Earlier this month the church published an essay titled “Healing the Wounds of Racism,” written by Darius Gray, the founding member of Genesis, which is a group formed to serve the needs of black members. The essay recognized the pain “of being considered ‘the other’ or ‘the lesser.