This Day in American History (Utah Gains Statehood At Last)

January 4, 1896 – Utah was admitted to the Union as the 45th state – finally. 

For years, the territory had sought statehood, only to be rejected because of the polygamy practiced by those who used the abandoned desert as a refuge, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (the Mormons). 

In 1887, Congress even passed the Edmunds-Tucker Act, which disincorporated the Mormon Church, handed over elections to a commission appointed by the President, and called for the seizure of all church assets, except chapels and burial grounds.

It was only in 1890 – thirteen years after the death of the men who helped make their wilderness flower, Brigham Young, and four decades after the mob murder of its founder, Joseph Smith – that the elders renounced the practice and the territory’s statehood bid began to gather steam.

Americans’ deep ambivalence about Mormonism continues to this day. 

Though Mormons' low divorce and substance-abuse levels are admired, they continue to be regarded as a people set apart, in ways comical (Philadelphia Phillies’ star John Kruk, noting the addition of outfielder Dale Murphy, observed that his team consisted of “one Mormon and twenty-four morons”) or befuddled (NBA coach Phil Jackson, attempting to explain away anti-Mormon remarks by his player Dennis Rodman, said, “To Dennis, a Mormon may just be a nickname for people from Utah. He may not even know it’s a religious cult or sect or whatever.”)

Unlike his father George – a candidate believed to be a formidable Presidential contender until his infamous “brainwashed” remarks in 1967 – Mitt Romney has seen his religion rile voters on the right (evangelicals who often don’t even believe Mormons are Christians) and on the left (those annoyed by a ban on blacks into their ranks that stood until 1978).