Massacre at Mountain Meadows facts for kids
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| Author | Ronald W. Walker Richard E. Turley, Jr. Glen M. Leonard |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Subject | Mountain Meadows massacre |
| Genre | Non-fiction |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press |
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Publication date
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August 19, 2008 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Pages | 448 |
| ISBN | 978-0-19-516034-5 |
| OCLC | 220099516 |
Massacre at Mountain Meadows is a non-fiction book that tells the story of a sad historical event. It was written by three historians: Richard E. Turley, Jr., Ronald W. Walker, and Glen M. Leonard. Richard Turley was a historian for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Ronald Walker and Glen Leonard were professors at Brigham Young University. Glen Leonard also directed the Church History Museum in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The book focuses on the 1857 Mountain Meadows Massacre in southern Utah. This event involved a group of travelers and local settlers. The book is considered the most recent and detailed study of this important historical event.
Contents
About the Book's Research
Even though many books had been written about the Mountain Meadows event, the authors felt something new was needed. They believed it was important for the Church to share everything its historians knew. This would help everyone understand the event better and build trust.
The authors wrote that "Only complete and honest evaluation of the tragedy can bring the trust necessary for lasting good will." To achieve this, leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints supported the book. They gave the authors full access to historical records. Richard Turley, one of the authors, had been in charge of the Church's historical programs since 1986.
How the Authors Gathered Information
The authors started their work in 2001. Their goal was not to argue with earlier books. Instead, they wanted to start fresh and collect all possible original documents. They looked at academic and scholarly sources. They also got special permission to look into the Church's First Presidency archives.
In these archives, they found papers from Assistant Church Historian Andrew Jenson. These papers included notes from his interviews with people in southern Utah back in 1892. This was the first time modern researchers could use these important records.
The authors tried to present the story fairly. They did not describe the people involved as simply good or evil. They wanted to show the complex human side of the event. They studied the massacre as an example of frontier violence and people taking the law into their own hands in early America.
Sharing the Research
The authors talked about their research on different media programs. In August 2008, they were interviewed on KUER's Radio West. On September 17, 2008, BYU Television created a special report. It was called Massacre at the Meadows: A BYU Broadcasting Special Report. This hour-long show featured a detailed interview with the authors. It first aired on September 24, 2008, and has been shown again on BYU Television and other BYU media like KBYU-TV.
Awards and Recognition
Massacre at Mountain Meadows has received several awards and positive reviews:
- Best Non-Fiction Book of 2008, from Westerners International
- Best Book Award, from the Mormon History Association, in May 2009
- Booklist Editors Choice: Adult Books for 2008, from Booklist
Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Daniel Walker Howe, praised the book. He called it "a model for how historians should do their work." He noted that it was "scrupulously researched" and helped explain a very difficult part of American history.
In September 2009, the Journal of American History reviewed the book. They said it was "arguably the most professional, transparent account of a controversial event in Mormon history." They also mentioned that the story was "deftly and tightly written."
In June 2009, Reviews in American History also reviewed the book. They called it "a fascinating study about one of the most controversial events of western history." They praised the authors for being fair and careful when dealing with different or unclear information. They also said the research was "most impressive."
Future Books and Related Works
Massacre at Mountain Meadows tells the story of the event itself. However, it does not cover what happened afterward. This includes the aftermath, its impact, media reaction, or punishment for those involved.
The authors decided that there was too much information for just one book. So, the second part of the story will be in a future book. Richard E. Turley Jr. has a contract with Oxford University Press for this second book. As of April 2010, the next book is planned to be called After the Massacre.
Other Related Publications
After finishing Massacre at Mountain Meadows, the authors wanted to share some of their research materials. As a result, BYU Studies published a special edition of their journal in fall 2008. This special edition, BYU Studies Volume 47:3, included parts of the Andrew Jenson and David H. Morris collections. It also had histories, essays, and book reviews about the Mountain Meadows massacre.
In September 2009, BYU Studies and Brigham Young University Press published the complete collections. This 352-page book is titled Mountain Meadows Massacre: The Andrew Jenson and David H. Morris Collections.
