Durham, Reed C.

Reed Connell Durham, Jr. is a historian of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints movement. Durham was born in Long Beach, California. He attended Utah State University in Logan, Utah where he received his undergraduate degree and a Master of Science degree in Speech. In 1965 he received a Ph.D. in history from Brigham Young University. Durham has taught within the Church Educational System since 1955. He began as an associate director for the Institute of Religion at Utah State University, then as the associate director of the institute near the University of Utah, as well as teaching religion at Brigham Young University. Durham has been very involved with the historical community, specifically within LDS Church history. He has been very involved with the Organization of American Historians as well as the Mormon History Association.

From the guide to the Reed C. Durham papers, 1828-1998, (J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah)

Reed C. Durham (b. 1930) is a Mormon historian in Utah.

Reed C. Durham was born in Long Beach, California, in 1930. He married Faye L. Davis and they began having children whilst Durham was attending college in Logan. Durham received his M.S. from the department of Speech at Utah State Agricultural College in 1957. While in school, Reed began teaching within the Church Educational System. He was elected National Vice President of Lambda Delta Sigma- an LDS Fraternity in 1959. Following this, he attended Brigham Young University where he obtained his PhD in History, graduating in 1965. In 1966, Reed C. Durham became associate director of LDS Churchs' Institute of Religion which was adjacent to the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Not only this, but he was also a member of the church's Sunday school general board and was a ward Sunday school teacher. He later went on to teach religion at Brigham Young University where he was awarded the Division Faculty Teaching Award in 1972. Reed C. Durham was also very active within the historical community; he was involved with the Organization of American Historians in the 1960s. In 1970, Reed and several others formed a committee that consulted the creation of the LDS church historical department. In 1974, he took a year off as institute director in order to work on a book in the churchs' 16-volume sesquicentennial history to be published in 1980. Reed C. Durham served as the eighth President of the Mormon History Association in 1973, with his service ending in 1974. While he was President of the Mormon History Association, the Journal of Mormon History was launched. It was in 1974 that Durham delivered a controversial Presidential speech to the Mormon Historical Association which startled many in the Latter-day Saint community causing him to withdraw from future participation in the Mormon Historical Association. After his year of research, Durham decided to teach institute fulltime and continue with his research. In 1995, he taught Brigham Young University's study abroad program in Nauvoo, Illinois. Following this he served as a service missionary at Brigham Young University-Hawaii from the years of 1996-1999.

From the guide to the Reed C. Durham audiocassette, 1978, (L. Tom Perry Special Collections)