The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that Native Americans are connected to Book of Mormon peoples, specifically referred to as Lamanites. This belief is based on teachings found in the Book of Mormon itself, which describes the ancient peoples of the Americas, namely the Nephites and Lamanites, who descended from Lehi, an Israelite prophet led by God to the Americas. Over time, the Church came to identify Native Americans as descendants of these ancient people, especially those known as Lamanites. Early Latter-day Saints, including teachings by Joseph Smith, embraced the i
Yes, Native Americans were historically told by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) that they were descendants of the Lamanites, a group described in the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon is considered a sacred text by the LDS Church and tells the story of ancient peoples in the Americas, including the Lamanites, who were said to have descended from the Israelite family of Lehi who sailed to the New World around 600 BC. According to the narrative, a division occurred between the righteous Nephites and the rebellious Lamanites, with the latter being marked with a dark