page_title: Mormonism and slavery
section_title: In San Bernardino (1851–1856)
hierarchical_section_title: Mormonism and slavery / In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints / Ambiguous Period (1847–1852) / In San Bernardino (1851–1856)
caption_attribution_description: English: Portrait of Biddy Mason (1818-1891), an African-American Los Angeles pioneer leader.
context_page_description: The Latter Day Saint movement has had varying and conflicting teachings on slavery. Early converts were initially from the Northern United States and opposed slavery, believing they were supported by Mormon scripture. After the church base moved to the slave state of Missouri and gained Southern converts, church leaders began to own slaves. New scriptures were revealed teaching against interfering with the slaves of others. A few slave owners joined the church, and took their slaves with them to Nauvoo, Illinois, although Illinois was a free state.
  After Joseph Smith's death, the church split. The largest contingent followed Brigham Young, who supported slavery, allowing enslaved men and women to be brought to the territory but prohibiting the enslavement of their descendants and requiring their consent before any move and became The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A smaller contingent followed Joseph Smith III, who opposed slavery, and became the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Young led his followers to Utah, where he led the efforts to legalize slavery in the Utah Territory.
context_section_description: In 1851, a company of 437 Mormons under direction of Amasa M. Lyman and Charles C. Rich of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles settled at what is now San Bernardino, California. This first company took 26 slaves, and more slaves were brought over as San Bernardino continued to grow. Since California was a free state, the slaves should have been freed when they entered. However, slavery was openly tolerated in San Bernardino. Many slaves wanted to be free, but were still under the control of their masters and ignorant of the laws and their rights. Judge Benjamin Hayes freed 14 slaves who had belonged to Robert Smith. Other slaves were freed by their masters.
caption: Biddy Mason was one of 14 blacks who sued for freedom after being illegally held captive in San Bernardino
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