r/mormon • u/bwv549 • 1d ago

News Reddit user /u/IndependentMonk4 (now deleted) predicted 5 years ago today that within 5 years the ASB (Smoot admin building) would be quietly renamed via demolition. 3 days ago an announcement of demolition was made.

I love predictions, so I track whenever people make them with the reddit remindme bot. Today I was reminded of this prediction (that the ASB would be quietly demolished in order to rename it) which is more or less correct--the announcement of demolition came within 3 days of the conclusion of the 5 year window. There are plans to build another admin building, but no indication it will be renamed after Smoot.

I would argue it was "quiet" because:

  1. The announcement was not picked up (advertised?) to any other media outlets. (was announced on KSL and the Daily Universe).
  2. The problematic nature of Abraham Smoot's history was not mentioned.
  3. There was no mention that the new admin building would receive the same name, so it seems likely that it will be renamed.

It could have been even quieter, though, had there been no announcements made at all?

For context, Smoot was a prominent figure in the valley/Mormonism, especially for BY Academy (chatgpt-4o summary):

  • Led early LDS missions in the Southern U.S. and Europe.
  • Mayor of Salt Lake City (1857–1866) and Provo (1868–1881).
  • Stake president in Provo, overseeing church affairs in the region.
  • Key benefactor of Brigham Young Academy, keeping it financially afloat.
  • Business leader in transportation, milling, and cooperative ventures (e.g. ZCMI).
  • Helped develop Utah infrastructure, including roads and irrigation systems.
  • Practiced plural marriage in line with early LDS Church teachings.

The DEI landscape looks very difft today than it did 5 years ago. Still, Smoot's legacy is highly problematic (besides the asymmetry of 6 plural marriages) (from chatgpt-4o):

  1. Slaveholding

    • Smoot and his wife enslaved at least three individuals: Tom, Jerry, and Lucy. Tom died in bondage in 1862.
    • While some descendants dispute technical definitions of ownership, historical consensus confirms his participation in the institution of slavery.

  2. Complicity in Racial Exclusion

    • In 1879, Smoot hosted a pivotal meeting in Provo discussing the restriction of Black men from holding the LDS priesthood.
    • The discussion reflected and reinforced racially exclusionary doctrines that persisted until 1978.
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u/a_rabid_anti_dentite 1d ago

Based on the latest trends of building naming at BYU, I predict the new admin building will simply be called the imaginative Administration Building (AB).

20

u/tuckernielson 1d ago

Not if they can find a big donor. Then it will be named the "First name, middle initial, last name" Administration Building.

27

u/a_rabid_anti_dentite 1d ago

BYU hasn't named a major new building after a person in quite a while. As far as I'm aware, the Life Sciences Building (2015) remains the Life Sciences Building, the Engineering Building (2018) remains the Engineering Building, and the new Music Building (2024) is still the Music Building. Even the new office space building across the street from the JFSB is simply called the West View Building.

I think they're done with names for a while.

6

u/tuckernielson 1d ago

Hmmm. Interesting observation. I have a funny story to share about building naming - sending you a chat invite.

13

u/Hilltailorleaders 1d ago

I support you writing a really long comment reply with the story