First African American Stake President?

[pellegrino]

Is this really a first? Sounds like a good guy, for an accountant.

http://www.al.com/living/index.ssf/2...black_sta.html

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has named Pete M. Johnson as Bessemer stake president, the first black regional leader for Mormons in Alabama.

[. . .]

Johnson is an Ernst and Young Fellow and assistant professor of accounting at the Culverhouse School of Accountancy at the University of Alabama.

Although Johnson is the first African American to serve as a stake president in Alabama, there are many minority leaders in the 14-million-member Latter-day Saints Church, he said. "There are minority leaders serving throughout the church locally, nationally and worldwide."

Johnson and his family recently moved to Alabama from Utah. From 1987-89, he was a missionary in the Alabama Birmingham Mission.

Johnson and his wife, Stephanie Lyn Chadwick, have four children. "The family is important," Johnson said. "My family is an important part of who I am and who I want to become... strengthening home and family through the teachings of the Savior, Jesus Christ, is a central part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. That's one of our primary goals."

[ERCougar]

Is this really a first? Sounds like a good guy, for an accountant.

http://www.al.com/living/index.ssf/2...black_sta.html

it sounds like he's the first in Alabama, not the world?

[Moliere]

It wouldn't surprise me if he's the first AA stake president.

[MarkGrace]

Wasn't Chatman a stake prez? I thought I read that somewhere.

[New Mexican Disaster]

Is this really a first? Sounds like a good guy, for an accountant.

http://www.al.com/living/index.ssf/2...black_sta.html

Roll damn Tide. A professor at the Capstone.

[Bo Diddley]

With all the stakes in Nigeria and Ghana alone, I have no doubt there have already been several black stake presidents. Of course if you qualify it as African American, I have no idea.

[Pelado]

How many stakes are there in Alabama?

[Uncle Ted]

Elijah Abel was a seventy... but was not allowed to get his endowments by Brigham Young. Of course, we don't know "precisely why, how or when this restriction began in the Church, but it has ended."

Edit: Interesting enough Elijah Abel did received his endowments (via proxy) October 15th 1930 (in the Manti temple) according to family search.

[New Mexican Disaster]

How many stakes are there in Alabama?

I think six.

[All-American]

It wouldn't surprise me if he's the first AA stake president.

Hard to say; according to the Book of Alma, they should have turned into Caucasians by the time they're righteous enough to be a Stake President.

[Moliere]

With all the stakes in Nigeria and Ghana alone, I have no doubt there have already been several black stake presidents. Of course if you qualify it as African American, I have no idea.

How would a Nigerian quality as an AA?

[old_gregg]

EY? might as well work at grant thornton

[Moliere]

EY? might as well work at grant thornton

[MarkGrace]

EY? might as well work at grant thornton

He doesn't work at EY. He's a professor.

[grapevine]

There have been a few Blacks in America called as Stake Presidnets two of them spoke at 30th anniversery of Priesthood commemeration one has Elder Sikahema as Counselor. And other one called as Area Seventy last year. In my community several black kids have been adopted. I just don't think there is a huge percentage of Black people in the church in the US. Caribbean and Africa diffrent story though. In fact I think church growth in Africa and Phillipines parrelels Latin America. Hopefully retention can be strong there.