Stewart Udall

Stewart Lee Udall was born in St. Johns, Arizona, on January 31, 1920. He is the son of former Arizona Supreme Court Justice Levi S. Udall and Louise Lee Udall. His brother is former Congressman Morris "Mo" K. Udall. The University of Arizona Library, Special Collections, houses the papers of Stewart Udall (AZ 372) and other members of the Udall family including noted Mormon pioneer and church leader David King Udall (MS 294), Levi S. Udall (MS 293) and Morris King Udall (MS 325).

Articles

Letters to the Editor

In this important historical letter, Stewart Udall reflects on the need for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to reconsider its historical stance on race, particularly its practice of denying full fellowship to Black individuals. Udall argues that this practice, rooted in the belief in a divine curse on Black people, contradicts the principles of equality and brotherhood that the Church should embody. He concludes asserting that the time has come for the Church to abandon its racial restrictions and embrace full fellowship with Black individuals. He argues that recognizing the worth of all people, irrespective of race, is essential for the Church to fulfill its spiritual and moral ideals and to contribute positively to society’s progress toward greater human brotherhood.