D. Michael Quinn: The Life and Times of a Mormon Historian

155 Central Campus Drive,Salt Lake City UT 84112

25 March, 2022

Description

A one-day conference examining and celebrating the life of D. Michael Quinn, one of the most significant historians in modern Mormonism. Few figures in the development of Mormon studies during the late-twentieth century are more significant than D. Michael Quinn. Educated at Brigham Young University, the University of Utah, and Yale University, Quinn was among scholars who revisited and revised the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He worked as a researcher under Church Historian Leonard Arrington and produced a series of significant works emblematic of the New Mormon History. At times Quinn’s work sparked backlash, and his identity as queer, Chicano, and independent put him at odds with his surrounding culture. His controversial scholarship and activities led, first, to his forced resignation as a full professor at BYU and then, later, to his excommunication from the church. Quinn’s legacy has only grown with time. His many articles and books continue to inform and influence scholarship today. The Mormon studies community mourned when he passed on April 21, 2021, at the age of seventy-seven. We will hold a one-day conference examining the life and legacy of D. Michael Quinn on March 25, 2022, at the University of Utah's Alumni House. Sessions will explore both his experiences as a historical figure as well as his impact on historiography. The first session (9-10:30am) will examine "Quinn in History," and the second (11-12:30) will examine "Quinn in Historiography." After a short lunch break (12:30-1:30), we will have a panel (1:30-3) featuring graduate students. Finally, a plenary lecture (3:30-5) will be given by noted historian Neil J. Young. Event Organizer and contact: Benjamin E. Park, Sam Houston State University Event Sponsors: Dialogue Foundation Howard W. Hunter Chair of Mormon Studies, Claremont Graduate University Leonard J. Arrington Chair of Mormon History and Culture, Utah State University Mormon History Association Mormon Studies Initiative, University of Utah Smith-Pettit Foundation Sunstone Foundation