BYU Racism Goes Viral - Black Menaces’ Nathan Byrd | Ep. 1731

A Viral Reckoning: BYU and the Black Menaces Challenge Racism

The question of racism at Brigham Young University (BYU) has recently taken center stage thanks to a group of students known as the Black Menaces. At the forefront is Nathan Byrd, whose firsthand experiences and activism on Mormon Stories Podcast have sparked conversations far beyond the university's predominantly white campus. As racial tensions once simmering beneath the surface explode into the public eye, many are left contemplating the persistence of racial inequality within the walls of religiously affiliated institutions of learning like BYU.

The Historical Context of Racism at BYU

The roots of racial exclusions in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints run deep, with the church only lifting its priesthood ban on Black members in 1978. Since then, the church has struggled to reconcile its past while attempting to create a more inclusive environment. BYU, as its flagship university, often mirrors these challenges. Students of color have long reported experiences of racism and marginalization, a reality that Nathan Byrd himself illuminates through countless interviews.

Byrd and his colleagues in the Black Menaces describe experiences where ignorance and benign neglect collide. In a podcast interview, Byrd reflects on instances from his childhood to his university days when racial ignorance was not only tolerated but sometimes ingrained in BYU's cultural fabric. These accounts are not isolated but indicate a more extensive pattern affecting institutions that fail to address their legacy of exclusion.

Documented Experiences of Black Students