Over the past two centuries, the relationship between Native American people and Mormonism has included friendly ties, displacement, violence, enslavement, education placement programs, and official and unofficial discrimination.
The founder of Mormonism , Joseph Smith , formed proselyting efforts among Native American tribes within six month of organizing his church in in upstate New York.
A while after Smith was killed in Illinois , the majority of his followers sided with Brigham Young as his successor. Young and followers began moving west as Mormon pioneers to the Intermountain West frontier in , where they both formed alliances with and warred with the 20, existing Native American people there.
In the 20th century, the church operated the Indian Placement Program from to , with its peak during the s and s. The number of Native North American adherents of Mormonism grew to 45, by There are also many people critical of Mormonism and its teachings and actions around Native American people.
Smith stated in the Wentworth Letter to a Chicago newspaper editor that the book was "the history of ancient America The remnant are the Indians that now inhabit this country. Adherents saw Native Americans as part of God's chosen people and they believed that preaching to them was part of the gathering of Israel which will precede the millennium.
