December marks the 220th anniversary of the birth of Mormonism’s founder, Joseph Smith, who was born Dec. 23, 1805, in Sharon, Vermont.
In recognition, we are revisiting this “Mormon Land” podcast about one of the most significant developments in the research surrounding this major American religious figure: the stunning 2022 announcement that a descendant had discovered in a locket what is purported to be the only known photograph of his famous ancestor.
The finding led to a nationwide conversation among historians and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and those in the Community of Christ (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints).
Historian Lachlan Mackay, a Community of Christ apostle and another Smith descendant, helped analyze the daguerreotype, trace the locket’s ownership and research its likely history.
On this show, Mackay answers questions about the photo, the process historians used to authenticate it, and why he’s convinced that it truly is an image of Joseph Smith.
Listen (or relisten) to this much-talked about podcast:
Read and listen to even more
You also can read excerpts from this above podcast and these follow-up Salt Lake Tribune pieces:
• Research that provides additional evidence supporting claims about this photo.
• Why some historians believe it’s Smith and why some don’t.
• Noted historian Benjamin Park’s take on the daguerreotype and the church founder’s strikingly blue eyes.
• Our 2025 “Mormon Land” podcast with historian John Turner about his recent biography of Smith, along with excerpts from that interview.
(Amazon) "No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith," by Fawn M. Brodie, and "Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet," by John Turner.