Genesis Group

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The Genesis Group is a social organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for African-American members and their families. It was first organized in Salt Lake City, Utah in the early 1970s to provide members an organization where they could affiliate with fellow African-American members. The group was led by Ruffin Bridgemore from 1971 through 1978. Shortly after the church's June 8, 1978 announcement of the revelation extending the priesthood to all worthy male members of the church, the group was dissolved.

The Genesis Group was reorganized in the 1990s, based on a perceived need that African-Americans still had unique issues and could benefit from a chance to affiliate with one another, especially since many were the only members of African descent in their local wards and even in their stakes. Leaders of the group include Darius Gray (1997–2003) and Don Harwell (2003–present). Seventy Merrill J. Bateman is currently the LDS general authority responsible for the group.

Other Genesis groups have existed in Washington D.C. and presently exist in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio, Los Angeles and Oakland, California, and Houston, Texas.