Matthew L. Harris, JWHA Presidents, presentation comments
It is my pleasure to announce that Newell G. Bringhurst is this year’s selection for the JWHA Lifetime Achievement Award. For decades, Newell has been a mainstay at JWHA, both as a longtime attendee of JWHA conferences, a frequent contributor to the JWHA Journal, a frequent publisher with John Whitmer Books, and also the society’s past president and board member. On a personal note, I met Newell roughly eighteen years ago when I called him up out of the blue to introduce myself. Having admired his scholarship over the years, I pitched the idea of working together. That call sparked a deep collaborative partnership, leading to two co-written, co-edited books: The Mormon Church and Blacks: A Documentary History (2015) and The LDS Gospel Topics Series: A Scholarly Engagement (2020). I learned so much from Newell about how to write Mormon history. He has generously read everything that I have ever written in Mormon history—often reviewing rough first drafts even while managing his own heavy workload. He has been a mentor and a deeply cherished friend.
Here is what Craig Foster, who couldn’t be with us tonight, said about Newell:
“I first met Newell G. Bringhurst back in 1986 at the Mormon History Association conference in Salt Lake City. I had wanted to meet him for a couple of years because of our common Visalia, California connection. From there, our friendship grew. I have repeatedly told Newell that I consider him my mentor. He has read many of my papers and articles offering sage advice. He has suggested paper topics and encouraged me with my research. Over the years we have made a good team working on books like The Mormon Quest for the Presidency and The Persistence of Polygamy series. In the process, we have had some incredibly interesting and fun experiences together ranging from an embassy party in Copenhagen to being stopped by Colorado City police at 1:00 AM. Our friendship has grown very close over the years and, in the spirit of The Persistence of Polygamy, I consider Newell to be my “brother from another mother.”
In concluding, I want to highlight the profound impact of Newell’s scholarship. He was written, co-written, edited, or co-edited 16 books published from 1981 through 2026 and 45 professional articles published in various scholarly journals. Simply put, he is one of the most prolific and important voices in Mormon Studies. His landmark book, Saints, Slaves, and Blacks, remains a classic, while his seminal biographies of Brigham Young and Fawn McKay Brodie are widely celebrated and quoted. Beyond his books, he has published scores of articles that have impacted the field of Mormon Studies.
My personal favorite is his meticulously researched article on LDS church president David O. McKay titled “The Private versus Public David O. McKay: Profile of a Complex Personality.” In it, Newell brilliantly unpacks the contrast between McKay’s charismatic public persona and his private thoughts and human frailties. It is exactly the kind of thoughtful, creative, and courageous work for which Newell is known and admired. I could offer a dozen more examples, but suffice it to say his work has been trailblazing.
I can think of no one more deserving of the JWHA Lifetime Achievement Award than Newell G. Bringhurst.
