Coming up on July 22, a monument for Black Mormon pioneers will go up in This Is the Place Heritage Park in Salt Lake City. The monument honors four courageous figures among the many pioneers who made it to the Salt Lake Valley in 1847. The public is invited to attend the dedication on July 22 at 10:00 a.m.
The monument will feature statues of the following Black pioneers: Green Flake, Jane Manning James and her family, and brothers Oscar Smith and Hark Wales. Each person completely deserves this honor for a lifetime of faithfulness and sacrifice.
Green Flake
Green Flake joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at age 16. Soon after, he was asked to lead the trek west as part of the Vanguard Company, the first of the Mormon pioneer company to reach Utah. He drove the first wagon into the Salt Lake Valley under the direction of Orson Pratt on July 22, 1847.
Jane Manning James and her family
Jane Manning James was a good friend of the Smiths while she was in Nauvoo. She and her family arrived in Utah in September of 1847. She remained a true example of faithfulness and sacrifice for the rest of her life.
Oscar Smith and Hark Wales
Oscar Smith and Hark Wales were with Green Flake as part of the Vanguard Company. They charted the course and blazed the trail into Salt Lake. They made it possible for the loads of pioneers, including many of our ancestors, to come rolling into Utah over the next decade.
All four of these pioneers were freed slaves who learned of the Church before following it out west.
These amazing people will stand immortalized in This Is the Place Heritage Park for years to come. They will be forever remembered for their sacrifices, which continue to inspire and uplift Utahns today.
You can learn more about these early pioneers at www.greenflakemovie.com.
– The Byway
Feature image caption: Statue of Brigham Young and other Church leaders entering the valley at This Is the Place park in Salt Lake City. Courtesy Flickr.