Spike Lee’s epoch-defining film, Do the Right Thing, contains one of the most memorable lines in all modern cinema. When Buggin’ Out, an African American youth, realizes that Sal’s pizzeria only has photos of white people on its Wall of Fame, he asks Sal pointedly, “How come you ain’t got no brothers up on the wall?” Sal’s refusal to integrate his Wall of Fame, however, ultimately leads to a profound tragedy which could have easily been averted.
On Feb. 1, Morehouse College, an HBCU, unveiled a portrait of Joseph Smith to be displayed on its own International Hall of Honor as part of the college’s attempt to diversify the chapel’s representation of international religious figures. During the unveiling, the prophet was praised as being “Lincoln before Lincoln.”
Some Morehouse students, however, have objected to including the prophet’s portrait both because Joseph Smith has an unclear record with respect to race and, more importantly, because the LDS Church has an obviously problematic record with respect to it. It would truly be a shame, however, to see the profound problems of the church’s troubled past overshadow its more recent attempts at rapprochement with the Black community, including Morehouse itself.
So, I have a modest proposal: One way to end this controversy would be for the church to prominently install a portrait of The Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Temple Square next to a portrait of one of its own prophets.
If they placed it next to one of Spencer W. Kimball, then they could proudly declare that The Rev. King was “Kimball before Kimball.”
Or, if they placed it next to one of Ezra Taft Benson, well then . . . maybe hell would freeze over.
Robert Bruce Bennett, Bozeman
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