Alan Cherry

Who is Alan Cherry?

Alan Gerald Cherry is an African American who in the 1960s had the courage to join the Latter-day Saint, against opposition. He was inspired by that period's general black surge toward greater freedom and opportunity.

Blacks were and to some lesser extent still are rare among Mormons. In those days Mormon practice prohibited women of all races and black males from serving as priests, but Cherry proudly chose to serve his God on whatever terms available. When combined with a lively speaking style and some gift as a comedian, this made him a person of some note, mostly in but perhaps outside his local Mormon circles. He was an inspiration to his new LDS fellow believers, and he was either a curiosity or a disappointment to the people he came from. Cherry once said, paraphrasing: It's hard to get New Yorkers worked up about things. They take life in stride. They've seen it all. After I found God, I rushed home to share it with my parents. 'Mom, I found the Truth!' 'That's nice, dear. Do you want butter on your peas?'