Relief Society (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
Corporate History
The Relief Society is the women's organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which was initially led by Emma Hale Smith in Nauvoo, IL in 1842. During the group's existance, it has been an organization dedicated to providing lessons, activities, and service opportunities for the women of the Church in both a ward and stake setting.
The Relief Society was established by various women of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Sarah M. Kimball's house in Nauvoo, IL in 1842. After giving their constitution to Joseph Smith, they set up various presidencies within their wards/stakes and selected Joseph Smith's wife Emma to serve as the overall president of the Society.
Between Joseph Smith's martyrdom in 1842 and 1866, the Society fell into disarray under Brigham Young's leadership of the Church. While he did allow various female-led societies to assist in the Church's exodus to Utah to assist in midwifrey (The Female Council of Health) and in developing bonds with the Native Americans, the general involvement of the Relief Society in the Church was weak.
From 1866 on, Brigham Young and later leaders of the Church made more of a concerted effort to make sure that the Relief Society would play a more predominant role in the Church. Not only did he call a new General President of the Society to lead the group (starting with Eliza Snow), but he permitted the Society to create magazines, be more actively involved in the ward, etc. Through the group's involvement of the Church, they contributed to the Church's welfare program, strengthen homes during times of war, and became Red Cross units in wartorn nations in World War I and World War II. They also worked to prevent the passage of the Equal Rights Ammendment, established the Women's Research Center at BYU, and so on.
Citation:
The Encyclopedia of Mormonism, via WWW, August 19, 2016 (Relief Society)Found in 8 Collections and/or Records:
Female Relief Society record book
Female Relief Society record book
Minute book of the Female Relief Society in Salt Lake City, Utah, which outlines the activities, resolutions and meetings of the society. The record was kept by Louisa R. Taylor, the society's secretary, and includes entries for meetings from January 9-June 13, 1854.
Joseph Fielding Smith Institute for Latter-day Saint History records on Women History Initiative Team, 1977-2008
Women's Research Institute correspondence, approximately 1978-1997
Contains correspondence related to the Women's Research Institute. Materials date from approximately 1978 to 1997.
Women's Research Institute files on Relief Society, approximately 1978-1997
Contains subject files regarding the history and administration of the Relief Society. Materials date from between approximately 1978 and 1997.
Women's Research Institute files on the Church and women, approximately 1978-1997
Contains notes, correspondence, and other material related to the role of women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Materials date from approximately 1978 to 1997.
Women's Research Institute records
Women's Research Institute reports, approximately 1978-1988
Contains reports related to the Women's Research Institute. Materials date from approximately 1978 to 1983.