Lester E. Bush Jr.
Lester Earl Bush Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 22, 1942 |
| Died | November 23, 2023 (aged 81) California, U.S. |
| Education |
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| Occupations | Historian, Physician |
| Known for | Research into the origins of the "Negro doctrine" in the LDS Church |
| Spouse | Yvonne DeCarroll Snow (m. 1967) |
| Awards | Best article (1973) by the Mormon History Associated for "Mormonism's Negro Doctrine: An Historical Overview" |
Lester Earl Bush Jr. (November 22, 1942 – November 23, 2023) was a historian and member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS Church) who published influential research into the origins of the "Negro doctrine," a now-abandoned church policy which excluded African-Americans from membership in the church's priesthood and from participation in a number of other church practices. He also published historical research into other topics, including a medical history of Brigham Young and reviews of LDS health and medical practices.
Bush was born on November 22, 1942, in Atlanta, Georgia. He married Yvonne DeCarroll Snow on August 24, 1967. He was a physician with undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Virginia, a master's in public health from Johns Hopkins University, and a long-standing interest in Mormon history.