Introduction
The study of Mormonism in the 20th century will experience similar examination in the new century. The writing of good history requires a span of time to elapse. But primary sources must be found and preserved intact to allow scholars to properly do their jobs. With the rise of the LDS Church internationally, the proliferation of its membership, and its acceptance into the American mainstream, historians will continue to research and write for new generations. In addition, there are significant areas of Church history that still await serious treatment. It is to this end that 20th-21st Century Western and Mormon Manuscripts exists.
The collections that support the research of the 20th-21st century Church and the history of the West range from single documents to collections with hundreds of boxes. Political collections of Mormons include those of Senator/Apostle Reed Smoot, Wallace F. Bennett, Arthur V. Watkins, James E. Talmage, Henry Aldous Dixon, and David M. Kennedy. One treasure trove is the collection of missionary diaries that document the rise of the Church in the 20th century. Also included in the manuscripts are the papers of academic and community leaders, artists and writers, social activists, and environmentalists.
Current Projects
Saints at War
To date, nearly 1500 veterans and families of veterans have donated personal manuscripts (including oral histories, diaries, correspondence and memoirs) documenting experiences of LDS service men and women. Read more...
Paul R. Cheesman Papers
This collection includes manuscripts (personal and professional papers), publisher's gallery prints, color transparencies (including 35 mm slides), negatives, color separations, photographs, personal literary materials, research and reference files, audio and visual materials, and historical books, covering over 30 years of research in the ancient Americas, other ancient civilizations, and LDS Church history. Read more...